Sherrill Hanks and Quincy High School Basketball: A Legacy of Leadership and Loyalty

Sherrill Hanks and Quincy High School Basketball.
A Focus on the 1971–72 and 1972–73 Seasons

Courtesy of Bob Spear, MD. IBCA Hall of Fame Class of 1990.

At the Basketball Museum of Illinois, we proudly preserve the legacies of coaches and players who shaped the game in our state. One standout is Coach Sherrill Hanks, who built Quincy High School into a basketball powerhouse in the early 1970s. In this personal tribute, Hall of Famer Dr. Bob Spear shares his memories of playing under Coach Hanks during the 1971–72 and 1972–73 seasons—an era defined by excellence, toughness, and transformation.

A Childhood Injury and a Lifelong Bond

Edwardsville HOF Coach Joe Lucco (prior to becoming  a State Representative) knew something was amiss in Quincy Blue Devil gym in January of 1965. His player had jumped out of bounds to inbound the ball under the basket and landed on my outstretched leg, shattering my tibia and fibula. Coach Lucco asked the referees to check on me as play resumed. I was soon in the operating room in Blessing Hospital. A week later, I received my first of three Quincy High School varsity basketball letters from Coach Sherrill Hanks. I was nine years old.

Earning a Spot on the Court

Fast forward to the same gym. My junior year (1971-72) started out painfully, even if less so than 1965. (Fortunately as I write this, my recall of events, pleasant and not-so pleasant are refreshed as I read my basketball diary that I kept of every practice and game at QHS). So, I played only a handful of minutes in our three-game 1971 Thanksgiving Tourney, not a good start for a 6’3” 155lb junior. (Coach Hanks later laughed when he told me that he had doubts about  my physique holding up in the newly formed Western Big Six Conference).  My fortunes changed a few weeks later when Coach Hanks was frustrated by an early 10-point deficit to conference rival Rock Island Alleman. “Bobby, Jimmy (Jim Wisman, who played a major role in Indiana University’s 1976 undefeated season), get in there”. Jim a sophomore and I a junior started for the rest of the year.

1971-72 Qunicy Basketball Team. Don Sorenson, Bob Spear, Rick Ely, Jim Wisman, Coach Hanks, Larry Moore, Mike Sellers, and Kel Goh.

A Coach Who Led with Confidence and Respect

Coach Hanks was a wise leader. He constantly looked for ways to maximize our potential. He would even ask us what we wanted to do. “Do you want to press?” That was always a resounding yes. After I played poorly in the super-sectional game throwing away a couple bad turnovers, he talked to me on the bus ride back to Quincy. “Bobby, forget about this game; we have three games left and you are not coming out”. He was always reassuring to me when other coaches might have reacted differently. Ironically, he was not at all happy when I made 9 of 10 FGs in a 1-pt loss to RI Alleman after our only regular season loss (24-1) the following year.  “Bobby, you can’t be leading the goddamn conference in scoring and only take 10 shots. Don’t you like to score?” (By the way, “goddamn” was the extent of his use of off-colored language). Of course nothing escaped Coach Hanks when we watched game film on Monday. If someone didn’t screen out his man, the projector would lurch to a stop and he’d painfully rerun the film and remind us that every detail mattered.

Inside the Locker Room and Beyond the Public Persona

Coach Hanks message was simple; practice well and the game performance will follow. Known by outsiders as a disciplinarian, he insisted that raising his voice was an  illogical way to motivate players. “At the Assembly Hall or Wharton Fieldhouse, you won’t be able to hear me”. He wasn’t afraid to tell us how well we practiced, not uncommonly blowing the whistle after a crisp session and telling us, “we’ll win by 20 if you play this way Saturday”. Coach stressed fundamentals, minimizing turnovers, staying in elite condition and had the reputation as a defensive coach. With 2 future Big Ten guards (Jim Wisman and Larry Moore), the fast-paced offense in 1971-72 set a QHS record that still holds today averaging 78 points per game.

Rotary and other service club meetings were fun when Coach Hanks was the guest speaker. He dropped a few more “goddamns” in that male only environment. Inevitably, someone would ask during a winning streak if it would help us if we lost a game. It was always a similar answer: “Hells’ bells, which game do you want us to lose? We could lose any game you want. Nobody will ever tell me which game that is”.

Coach had a very funny and entertaining manner, at least when winning was common and as long as our practices were sharp. Winning nearly 25 games each year made the Monday practices after wins somewhat lighthearted.  “Everybody wants to win; hell, your girl might even give you an extra squeeze”. (His daughter dated Jim Wisman so Jim was a frequent target of his humor). Coach’s serious facade that the public saw was balanced with a warm personality that we saw in private.

Life on the Road with the Blue Devils

Game Day! Our closest road game was 100 miles (Springfield), our closest conference game was 120 miles (Galesburg) and the other four conference games were 150 miles (Quad Cities) on 2-lane roads in the winter. Throw in a 210 mile game at Centralia or 300 miles to Proviso East or Harvey Thornton and  you are living the Quincy road experience. Coach Hanks wanted to play only the best teams. Coach was a showman, if that word adequately describes a guy wearing wild paisley bell-bottom pants and some sport jacket that haters called “obnoxious”. Crew cuts, flat-tops and very short hair was what 95% of our opponents sported. We followed our flashy coach into the gym with long hair, very long hair, even disheveled hair. I think Coach Hanks was happy being somewhat of rebel; perhaps even a villain to the schools he all too commonly defeated. Coach Hanks never spoke of the long hair thing. I’m guessing he would say, “Why can’t you have long hair and excel in basketball? Watch my team and let me know your thoughts”. Coach Hanks’ philosophy came out during a film review where someone threw a behind the back pass for an assist. As the film rolled, he quietly said “The fans liked that; people want to be entertained”.

1972 Sectional win at Springfield Armory Vs. Eiesenhower. Mike Sellers, Larry Moore (with trophy), Dannu Long, Steve Enlow, and Bob Spear.

One Final Matchup

Playing for Sherrill Hanks would be a dream-come-true for any kid from Quincy. Playing against him, I experienced that as well in 1977. In my final home game my senior year at Illinois Wesleyan University, we had to beat Quincy University to go to the NAIA finals in Kansas City. Coach Hanks brought in an undersized but talented team that included my former QHS teammate, Larry Moore who transferred from University of Iowa. Our team featured future NBA hall of famer Jack Sikma who was weeks away from being selected as the 8th pick in the 1st round of the NBA draft. We won a thrilling game 54-52 in overtime. Coach Hanks nearly did what he had become famous for. Beating a better team on the road.

Coach Sherrill Hanks left an indelible mark on Quincy High School, his players, and the broader Illinois basketball community. His belief in discipline, fundamentals, and personal connection made him one of the greats. As Bob Spear’s heartfelt reflection shows, Hanks coached far beyond the scoreboard. He coached character.

The Basketball Museum of Illinois is honored to preserve the stories of basketball legends like Coach Hanks. To learn more about his legacy or explore additional Hall of Fame profiles, visit our Hall of Fame page and consider supporting our mission to keep Illinois basketball history alive.

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