NEWS

Date, venue changed for screening of 1972 HHS basketball championship documentary

Staff Reports
Coach Jim Pardue poses with the starting five from Hendersonville's 1971-72 state championship team. Team members from left to right are Johnny Landrum, Dennis Braswell, Brian Tallent, Tippy Creswell and Harold Albany.

The date and venue have changed for the screening of “The Tin Can Man," which highlights one of the greatest basketball teams in Western North Carolina history.  

The short documentary film will now premiere on Friday, August 5, in the auditorium and courtyard of the newly-renovated and unveiled Hendersonville High School campus. The screening was originally scheduled for Saturday, July 9 at Blue Ridge Community College.  

Harold Albany, the leading scorer for the 1971-72 state champion Hendersonville High School Bearcats, being interviewed for documentary The Tin Can Man.

"The Tin Can Man" focuses on the underdog Hendersonville High School boys’ basketball team that won the 3-A state championship in 1971-72. It remains the only 3-A championship captured by a boys team from the western part of the state. The last 3-A girls team to capture a state title was East Henderson back in 2000.

In the 1971-72 season, the Bearcats, despite a 2-A-sized enrollment, voluntarily moved up a classification, at the same time that longtime head coach Jim Pardue took a bold step into the future by starting four Black student-athletes. 

A limited number of tickets are available for this special event, with proceeds benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of Henderson County. Tickets may be purchased through the Boys & Girls Club by visiting www.bgchendersonco.org or by calling 828-693-9444.    

Tickets are $50 each and will include light refreshments at a pre-film reception, beginning at 6:30 p.m., with the film screening to commence at 7:30 p.m.