On Leap Day, the Times Free Press sports staff lists the top prep basketball leapers we have seen from the Chattanooga area. Here are nine for 2/29 who wowed us over the years:
1. Tshombe High (Brainerd): Part of the festivities for the prestigious Arby's Classic in Bristol, Tennessee — where some of the top-rated high school basketball teams in the nation compete — was a dunk contest. When the Panthers played in the tourney in 1992, High sent the Viking Hall crowd of more than 6,100 fans into an uproar when he lined up five adults just inside the free throw line, then cleared all five easily on his way to a thunderous dunk to claim the title. High, who later signed with Miami (Florida), never lost a dunk contest he entered.
2. Harris Walker (Brainerd): Standing maybe 6-foot, he was perhaps the most explosive leaper on the list and arguably the quickest with the ball in his hands. A slasher to the basket with a dunking style reminiscent of former Atlanta Hawks legend Dominque Wilkins, Walker's tenacity around the rim — it looked as if he wanted to tear the rim off the glass on every dunk — stood out.
3. Eric Bishop (Murray County): The 1994 graduate is best known for being a two-time NCAA high jump champion at North Carolina, claiming indoor and outdoor titles in 1996 and 1997 and recording a best of 7-feet, 6-inches to become a member of the ACC's 50th Anniversary Track & Field team. Before that, however, the 6-foot-2 guard was tearing down rims in Northwest Georgia, often with his head well above the rim. To get an idea, check out his YouTube video, where, among other things, he dunks after jumping over a car.
4. Anthony Walker (Tyner): Known around town simply as "Ant Man", he is also Harris Walker's older brother and was similar in his ability to pogo above everyone else on the court. His speciality dunk seemed to be timing offensive rebounds perfectly to soar over anyone else near the rim for a put-back dunk.
5. Vincent Yarbough (Cleveland): He was part of an uber talented Blue Raiders team that went on to claim the 1997 Class AAA state championship by beating Brainerd. A smooth 6-foot-6 wing with outstanding outside shooting touch — USA Today rated him the nation's No. 1 prep prospect before he later signed with Tennessee — Yarbrough made finishing at the rim look effortless. During a region tournament game against Cumberland County, he drove the lane and dunked over all five defenders who tried to block the shot but wound up looking like yellow-jerseyed bowling pins as they fell to the floor as Yarbrough hung on the rim with both hands after finishing
6. Jay Price (Brainerd): The point guard on Brainerd's 1988 state championship team, he was also a fast-break finisher. His most memorable dunk came in the first round of the state tournament when the Panthers opened against top-ranked Memphis Hamilton and their All America guard (and future Arkansas star) Todd Day at Vanderbilt's Memorial Gym. Price's quickness got him past two defenders before he rose to finish with a violent dunk, then hung on the rim with one hand and pointed at the Hamilton bench with the other for intimidation.
7. Tyler Byrd (Notre Dame): The Irish high flyer often signed autographs after games in large part because of the oohs and ahhs that followed his violent Dominique Wilkins-style dunks.
8. Ryan Montgomery (Central): Before he became a deadly outside shooter at Lee University, Montgomery wowed fans with his patented windmill dunk on his way to becoming one of the area's top players of the 2010-20 decade.
9. Kollin Claridy (McCallie): The guard had an all-round tight floor game, but it was his off-the-floor work that set him apart, including winning the dunk contest at the Dr. Pepper Classic in back-to-back years. One that awed the judges was a windmill dunk over McCallie football player EJ Smith.
Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / McCallie's Kollin Claridy (4) goes up for the slam dunk. McCallie hosted Baylor in TSSAA boys basketball on January 14, 2022.