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Honors keep pouring in for Darren Ballou Darren Ballou follows footsteps of Morehead All-American Steve Hamilton, who was born in Adair County at Absher, approximately one-quarter mile from Ballou's home on Old Springfield Pike. The Indian star joins select list of Adair Countians who have earned basketball scholarships to NCAA Division I schools With one photo. Always click on CM headlines for complete story, photos, if any By Ed Waggener Last week, Morehead State University's Men's basketball coach Donnie Tyndall was in Columbia to sign senior Adair County High School's 6-8 Center Darren Ballou to a national letter of intent to play basketball with Morehead State University's Eagles. Yesterday, the Louisville Courier-Journal selected Ballou the No. 10 best player in the State of Kentucky, the best player in the Fifth Region, and placed his Adair County High School team in the newspaper's top 25 boys high school teams in the state. The No. 10 ranking in the state was conservative compared to Morehead Coach Tyndall's assessment . "I believe Darren is one of the top three players in our state this year," Tyndall said, adding, "and he has played for an outstanding coach in Mark Fudge," According to Morehead State University Athletics Director Randy Stacy, Ballou brings some impressive stats: "He is a 6-8, 225-pound forward. Ballou averaged 17.4 points and 9.3 rebounds per game as a junior. He hit 51.7 percent from the field, Including 41.3 percent from three-point range," Stacy wrote. "Ballou already has career totals of 1,435 points, 818 rebounds, and 203 blocked shots." His style of play meshes with that of Morehead Ballou said that Morehead's style of play is a major reason for selecting the school. "I can post up inside," he said, "or I'll be able to move out and shoot the three. And," he said, "I'll get playing time. Coach Tyndall indicated that I would get playing time as a freshman, and would probably be a starter at Morehead by my sophomore year." Coach Tyndall had concurred, according to Randy Stacy, who quoted Tyndall as saying, "Darren is a versatile post player who has the skill level to step outon the floor as well as play with his back to the basket. His size will allow him to contribute to our team early in his career." Besides this week's new honors, Darren Ballou is the reigning 5th Region Player of the Year. He was the most valuable player of the 2007 5th Region Tournament, which ACHS won to advance to the State Tournament. Darren has played varsity basketball at Adair County High School since his freshman year. Last year, he was named to the All-State Second Team by both the Lexington Herald and the Louisville Courier Journal. Was courted by several basketball powers The decision to go to Morehead came after receiving letters of basketball powers Kentucky and Mississippi. He also visited Western Kentucky University and Eastern Kentucky. But when he visited Morehead, also an NCAA Division I school, "Things just clicked," Darren said. "I liked their style of play. I like] the coaching staff," he said. Further, he said, "I like the community. Morehead isn't that much bigger than Columbia and Campbellsville," he said. "I met with all the Morehead State coaches and players this summer, and it seems like I will be a good fit in their program," he told Randy Stacy. "I'm very excited about having the opportunity to play for Morehead State and Coach Tyndall." The school is also within a fairly easy driving distance from Adair County, about 175 miles away. "Morehead is close enough that my family will be able to come see me play often," Ballou said. He said that signing early was important, too. "I didn't want to be worried about anything else but doing my best to get Adair County back to the State Tournament. I wanted to be able to play my best for Coach Fudge, and not be distracted by possible college scouts in the audience. Only a very few Adair Countians have gotten Division I scholarships According to Adair County native and former Western Kentucky University Head Basketball Coach Jim Richards, Ballou is the fifth Adair Countian to earn a basketball scholarship to an NCAA Division I school. "There may be more," he said, "but I can't think of any." But Rollin McQueary, Campbellsville, KY, reminded us that his brother, Ralph McQueary, played basketball at East Tennessee State University, a Division I school at Johnson City, on a full scholarship, raising the number to six, including Darren Ballou. "Both Terry Randall and Ralph Shearer from the 1954-55 team went to Division I schools," he said. Both were Kentucky All-State First Team Players. "Terry Randall went to Georgia Tech. Shearer went to Tennessee Tech, at Cookeville," Richards said. "There was Columbia High School's Clyde Bryant, who played one year on a basketball scholarship at the University of Louisville." Richards says that fellow Adair Countian Ed Diddle had wanted Bryant to play at Western, but couldn't land the star. "Mr. Diddle always said that Clyde Bryant was the best natural athlete he'd ever seen." "Then," Richards said, "there's Steve Hamilton. He was born in Adair County." Richards says his first memory of Steve Hamilton in Adair County was when he lived in a house where the VFW Hall stands now. Another Adair Countian, Lynn Nixon, remembers the family living on Greensburg Road beyond Petty's Fork Creek. Neighbor Mike Curry thinks Ballou, Hamilton birthplaces only quarter mile apart But Mike Curry, United Citizens Bank Campbellsville Road Branch Manager Mike Curry, a neighbor of Darren Ballou's, says that Steve Hamilton, the All-American at Morehead State University, the New York Yankees pitcher, and Minneapolis Lakers NBA forward-center, was born at Absher, KY .Hamilton's official biography lists Columbia, KY, as his birthplace, which is the hometown many Adair Countians list as home, regardless of community. He was born November 30, 1935. Absher native Mike Morris thinks that Curry's history is corrrect. He remembers stories of the family living at Absher. He never met Hamilton, he says. He was only one year old when the Hamilton family left Adair County for Charlestown, IN, where Steve Hamilton played high school basketball. but he believes Mike Curry is probably right." If Absher were Hamilton's birthplace, it would mean that Darren Ballou, the next Adair Countian to play basketball at Morehead State University, lives approximately one-quarter of a mile from the place where Steve Hamilton was born. Morris' cousin, Jack Morris, who hails from KY 206, remembers that Hamilton's father was a pipefitter, and that he followed that trade after the family moved to Charlestown, IN. Hamilton left quite a mark at Morehead. So much so that he returned to his alma mater to serve as Athletic Director. Hamilton died of cancer in December 2, 1997, in Morehead. Darren will major in business Darren Ballou said he'll major in business at MSU. He isn't sure what his exact field in business will be, he said. He's a good student. His overall GPA is around 3.5, at ACHS, he said. His NCAA core curriculum GPA is a bit less, he says, at 3.2, but the core curriculum includes only the tough courses. In high school, he also competed for a while in Cross Country. In the eighth grade, he was the SKY Conference cross county champion. He doesn't participate in cross country now. "Almost every athlete has to concentrate on one sport," he said. "It gets complicated when you try to play more. Schedules overlap," he said, "and coaches don't like it when you take time for another sport." He chose to play basketball. The Ballou family has always excelled in sports here. Many members were top baseball players. Darren's grandfather, Joe Ballou, was recruited to play basketball at Columbia High School, but cut short his career in a dispute with his recruiter, after only three days on the court. Darren's father, Anthony Ballou, played for both Coaches Red Nixon and George Critz. And Darren's sister, Delena, a freshman this year, played eighth grade basketball. Brother Kyle looks to have promise. Darren's mother is Anna Antle Ballou, of Russell County. His maternal grandparents are Cressie Antle and the late Hollis Antle. His paternal grandmother, Corinne Page Ballou, passed away last year. Darren Ballou and the 2008 Adair County High School Boys Basketball Team plays Elizabethtown at Adair County High School on December 2, 2008, at 7:00pm. This story was posted on 2008-11-24 04:14:14
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