Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess
Buy this photo »
Former UT basketball player Bill Justus observes the Tennessee men's basketball game against University of Tennessee-Martin game, while giving commentary for television at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Please wait while the video player loads. If you do not see it in a few seconds, please download the latest version of Adobe Flash Player, or enable JavaScript for your browser to view the video player.
Photo by University of Tennessee
Bill Justus, Tennessee basketball player 1965-69. Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame inductee 2005.
In the late 1960s, you didn’t want to send Tennessee to the free-throw line, especially not guards Bill Justus, Jimmy England or Bill Hann.
Justus set a school single-game record by hitting 22 of 23 free throws in an NIT win over Ohio University at Madison Square Garden on March 17, 1969. The former Fulton High School star made 18 in a row, another school record, before he missed No. 19 in that game.
It was no fluke. Justus led the nation in 1968-69, hitting 90.5 percent of his attempts (133 of 147). Justus, who played from 1966-69, ranks No. 2 as Tennessee’s most accurate career free-throw shooter at 84.9 percent.
The only man ahead of him is England, who played from 1968-71 and hit 88.1 percent, which ranks third all-time in SEC history. England shares a school accuracy record for hitting 14 of 14 tries in a 1971 game.
Hann, another dead-eye guard from that era, ranks No. 8 all-time at 80.4 percent.
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
Want to use this article? Click here for options!
Vols' spring practice wit…
Tennessee defeats San Diego State 62-59
Tennessee press conference i…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 13
newtonrail writes:
I forgot where Hann was from, but could mention Jimmy England is from Holston, which is now a Middle School I believe. England's picture is on one of the later game tickets, and the posters with schedule on it. He had a malignant brain tumor this year, and the last I heard was making progress in fighting it. He lives in California now.
newtonrail writes:
Tom Mattingly is in the same class with England, and should have given us some of this info.
BillVol writes:
Tennessee Basketball!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Speaking if Fts, Vandy wrote the book on making a living on them. They taught ghost fouls and falling backwards to a science. Can't believe they just lost to Ill on Fts at home.
Attended I believe, a Miss St-Vandy game in late 60s or early 70s at Memorial. Memory is hazy, but I think Vandy was like 18 for 23.
Miss St did not attempt one.
richvol writes:
Those guys were like money in the bank...not todays banks however. They just did not miss when the game was in the balance.
I do seem to remember only one time though when Justus missed a front end of a one and one...John Ward said something like "I can't believe it, he missed it".
johnlg00#206211 writes:
I believe that Billy Hahn was from Middletown, Ohio, but I could be wrong. I know it was some place in Ohio. As for CBP's teams being bad from the free-throw line, nearly ALL college teams these days are bad from there. Even a slight improvement in free-throw percentage pays large dividends. My theory--and you know I always have one(;-P)--is that England, Justus, and Hahn, among others, had goals in their driveways and back yards where they could practice free throws undisturbed to their heart's content. Most players today get most of their experience on crowded courts in rec centers and on playgrounds where there is constant competition for court space. Comparatively fewer players these days had the chance to groove their shooting stroke through constant repetition. Not least, free-throw shooting as a skill is not nearly as "cool" as being able to dunk every which way, not on the playground and certainly not on SportsCenter!
orangebloodgmc writes:
Yeah, JohnL, I was gonna ask if it was Hann or Hahn. I remember 'em. Those were spunky teams.
rgrobertson#599464 writes:
what about danny schultz
chuckfromwoodbury writes:
I attended Holston High and they had a life sized framed photo of Jimmy England hanging in the main stairwell. He was a legend in East Knoxville. I even screwed up my jump shot for a time trying to do the little kick with my feet at the end of the shot like he did. His little sister Janet was a better player than any of us guys when we were in school.
DukeDeLuca writes:
Ohio was my first thought, too. Coach Mears came to UT after winning a small college championship at Wittenberg in Ohio, so he had strong connections with the Ohio high school coaching fraternity. He mined the state well for talent.
DukeDeLuca writes:
FYI, I Googled for "Bill Hann Tennessee basketball" and he came up as someone who gave a eulogy at Coach Mears' funeral service here in Knoxville. Apparently he hasn't disappeared. I couldn't get a lead on where he might be or what he might be doing, though. Catch the right former basketball Vol, and you could probably find out.
TommyJack writes:
A 3 point line in those days and Danny Schultz would have had a street named after him.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Agree completely. One of the five or so best shooters I ever I saw in a Vol uniform.
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.