Festival Preview: Patterson Primed For Event

Ron Bailey, Publisher

November 21, 2007 – Chris Chaney, the head coach of Lenoir, North Carolina’s Patterson School, is excited to participate in the National High School Hoops Festival, December 8th and 9th, as one of its headliners (they are the only team to play both days). “We are looking forward to it” he said. “I think it will be one of the top events in the county and will only get better and better”.

Chaney, had “no hesitance” when contacted by the Festival’s organizer, Keith Stevens, for two reasons. First, playing South Kent Prep and American Christian – both high powered teams loaded with players bound for the highest rungs of college basketball – is appealing, and falls in line with the rest of their schedule, which includes the recently concluded National Prep Showcase, as well as Springfield Massachusetts’ Hall of Fame Classic, the National Prep Invitational, Final Eight Tournament in New York City, plus other contests.

Patterson’s Nate Miles (left) and Courtney Fortson

Equally as compelling was his relationship with Stevens, who not only conceived and operationalized the Festival, but has made Triple Threat a household name nationally on the travel team circuit. He and Chaney have history.

“We wouldn’t have the program we have right now without him” said Chaney of Stevens, who worked with the latter years ago. “He was a big part of what we did at Newport (School, which several years ago was one of the best programs on the East Coast). “He’s a great recruiter and better coach. He really knows the game”.

Stevens, labeled Chaney a “mentor”, credited him with showing “me the ropes, and how everything comes together”, including “how a program is supposed to be run, not just a team”.

Good relationships notwithstanding, Patterson is also a very good team capable of competing with any high or prep school in the nation. Several Bulldog standouts warrant immediate mention, including Arkansas-bound, 5’11” guard Courtney Fortson, future UConn Husky shooting guard, 6’4” Nate Miles, 6’2” combo guard Verez Ward, who has Kentucky, Arkansas, and Tennessee all interested, and 6’10” Freddy Asprilla, a center that next year will attend Florida International.

Such talent allows Chaney, who has led Patterson to consecutive 40, 36, and 31 win seasons, to take on all comers, anywhere.

“The more people there the better for us” he confidently supplied, when asked if the Bulldogs were ready for what’s sure to be a raucous, packed Festival crowd at Wise High School’s state of the art gym. “We want any challenge, and are up for any challenge”.