Talking to a Legend: Ervin Stepp

[FormerCawoodTrojan]

We had this discussion before. Stepp was a great player, but he wasn't the best of that era, even in eastern Kentucky. Phil Cox was Mr. Basketball in 1981 and was the all-time leading scorer at Vanderbilt.

 

I'll still put Phil's game up against Farmer...maybe i'm biased a little, but I would. I know he isn't the most liked person around Cawood Athletics (when Cawood was still there), but his game was exceptional. I didn't see Stepp play, so that is why I made the Farmer comparison.

[NEERFAN]

Seems like a ton of dissing of Stepp. Even if he wasn't as good as Cox or Beal, give the man some respect. 53pts/game, are you kidding me? I'm not good enough defensively to disrespect something like that, tell me you wouldn't want that title. I sucked as a HS player, and I still think I was good, if I averaged 53, I'd be less humble than Stepp.

[Wireman]

Seems like a ton of dissing of Stepp. Even if he wasn't as good as Cox or Beal, give the man some respect. 53pts/game, are you kidding me? I'm not good enough defensively to disrespect something like that, tell me you wouldn't want that title. I sucked as a HS player, and I still think I was good, if I averaged 53, I'd be less humble than Stepp.

 

I have to go with you on this. I can't say he shot too much either - he hit almost 60% of his shots, which is fine by me. :thumb:

[d-dawg]

Didn't he wind up playing college ball for Alice Lloyd?

[southernkyhoops]

Stepp had tremendous elevation on his jumper and a quick release. He was one of the greatest scorers that ever lived in the bluegrass. The reason he didn't play more at the next level was because he couldn't defend.

 

Beal was a better prospect at the next level but there is no way Stepp is not Mr Basketball in 1980. Beal's numbers didn't justify it. Stepp's numbers were out of this world. Beal = better player, Stepp = Mr Basketball. No doubt on either, and I have played agaist both in the day.

[Augger]

While at JBS last year waiting for a basketball game. The Stepp brothers were on the court playing and shooting.They may not be in their prime any more, but they shot the ball better than 90% of the players I seen last year.

[Tiger1]

Stepp had tremendous elevation on his jumper and a quick release. He was one of the greatest scorers that ever lived in the bluegrass. The reason he didn't play more at the next level was because he couldn't defend.

 

Beal was a better prospect at the next level but there is no way Stepp is not Mr Basketball in 1980. Beal's numbers didn't justify it. Stepp's numbers were out of this world. Beal = better player, Stepp = Mr Basketball. No doubt on either, and I have played agaist both in the day.

 

Your right, Beal didn't have the numbers Stepp did because Beal played against top notch talent while Stepp played against let's say less than normal high school talent. I have also heard that Stepp would usually shoot 45+ shots a game. That's ridiculous in a 32 minute game. It sounds to me that Stepp's teammates stood around and watched him shoot basically every shot for their team. Beal had great numbers and even got his teammates involved which produced a great team.

 

Beal was recruited by every major D1 school in America and Stepp was not even with his ridiculous numbers. Why? Because schools knew Stepp did it against very weak talent while Beal did against top talent. Beal started for UK and led them to the Final Four while Stepp couldn't even get off the bench for Eastern. Don't that say enough about who was the great player?

 

 

I bet you are going to find thru out the state that most people with basketball knowledge believe Beal deserved Mr. Basketball over Stepp.

[Clyde]

Stepp had tremendous elevation on his jumper and a quick release. He was one of the greatest scorers that ever lived in the bluegrass. The reason he didn't play more at the next level was because he couldn't defend.

 

Beal was a better prospect at the next level but there is no way Stepp is not Mr Basketball in 1980. Beal's numbers didn't justify it. Stepp's numbers were out of this world. Beal = better player, Stepp = Mr Basketball. No doubt on either, and I have played agaist both in the day.

 

You fall into the same trap as many others - numbers.

[HDE]

Seems like a ton of dissing of Stepp. Even if he wasn't as good as Cox or Beal, give the man some respect. 53pts/game, are you kidding me? I'm not good enough defensively to disrespect something like that, tell me you wouldn't want that title. I sucked as a HS player, and I still think I was good, if I averaged 53, I'd be less humble than Stepp.

 

Saying Stepp is the greatest player of his generation is "dissing" Phil Cox and maybe some others in this region. He was a great high school player and no disrespect is intended, but to say something like that as if it's a fact is disturbing and untruthful.

[Wireman]

Your right, Beal didn't have the numbers Stepp did because Beal played against top notch talent while Stepp played against let's say less than normal high school talent. I have also heard that Stepp would usually shoot 45+ shots a game. That's ridiculous in a 32 minute game. It sounds to me that Stepp's teammates stood around and watched him shoot basically every shot for their team. Beal had great numbers and even got his teammates involved which produced a great team.

 

Beal was recruited by every major D1 school in America and Stepp was not even with his ridiculous numbers. Why? Because schools knew Stepp did it against very weak talent while Beal did against top talent. Beal started for UK and led them to the Final Four while Stepp couldn't even get off the bench for Eastern. Don't that say enough about who was the great player?

 

 

I bet you are going to find thru out the state that most people with basketball knowledge believe Beal deserved Mr. Basketball over Stepp.

 

One thing I'll say about Stepp shooting alot - does it really matter how much he shot if he hit 60% of his shots?

[FormerCawoodTrojan]

Saying Stepp is the greatest player of his generation is "dissing" Phil Cox and maybe some others in this region. He was a great high school player and no disrespect is intended, but to say something like that as if it's a fact is disturbing and untruthful.

 

:thumb:

[NEERFAN]

I wouldn't diss anyone that I couldn't defend, and I don't think I could defend either. I respect the HS game in KY and believe all the players mentioned so far are a piece of the fabric that makes this states HS hoops so great.

[T17]

One thing I'll say about Stepp shooting alot - does it really matter how much he shot if he hit 60% of his shots?

 

I would love to know how accurate those percentage numbers really are.

I think the Stepps were not above inflating numbers, as can be seen by the latest run through of younger Stepps.

[ColonelMike]

Dismissing Stepp because of where he came from and who he played is pretty easy for those who are writing 29 years later, and who never saw the kid play.

 

I did, and I was amazed. I saw him in the 1979 Ashland Invitational Tournament, when he played against the Ashland Tomcats, one of the top teams in KY that season (the 16th Region champs would win their fifth consecutive region crown that year). Keep in mind, Phelps was a one-man team and not the powerhouse in their region. Ashland double- and even triple-teamed Stepp the second he crossed the mid-court stripe - and he still hung 50+ points on them.

 

The vast majority of his shots were 20 footers - he would have eclipsed 60 that night under current rules. And despite the intense defensive pressure Ashland put on him from horn to horn, he didn't spend much time at the line.

 

Stepp taught himself his remarkable shooting skills thanks to a little trick of his dad's...his father cut his rim and narrowed the opening until the ball would barely pass through. That was what he practiced on...

 

Honestly, I wasn't overly impressed with any other aspect of Stepp's game; he was an average defender as I recall and his board work was nothing extraordinary. But his ability to shoot the ball is something I've never seen in 30 years of high school basketball broadcasting. He deserves his due.

[Wireman]

He told the story about the rims in the interview - a legendary story, IMO.

 

I agree that he deserves his due :thumb: