WEBB — The Bernard Berryhill Gymnasium at West Tallahatchie High School was officially dedicated Saturday in honor of the former longtime West Tally boys basketball coach who helped bring the school a state championship.
A large crowd was on hand for the festivities and to see the unveiling of the gym's new name, which was painted on a gym wall.
Several speakers praised Berryhill’s contributions to the school and the lasting impact he had not only on the athletics department, but also on the lives of the young men he coached.
A plaque presented to the 53-year-old Berryhill lauded his “outstanding tenure, leadership and unswerving dedication to the Mighty Choctaws basketball programs” during his time there from 1997 to 2017.
In a statement, Berryhill said, “The recent renaming of the gym holds deep significance for me. It serves as evidence that my collective contributions to the school district, made possible with the support of many others, were valued and appreciated. This recognition is not taken lightly.”
Berryhill coached many outstanding seasons in Webb, but the 2015-16 campaign was especially magical.
Those Choctaws became the first Tallahatchie County varsity boys basketball team, public or private, to complete a regular season with an unblemished mark (27-0).
The Choctaws went on to capture the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 2A state championship — the first state title for any West Tallahatchie athletic program other than track and field, and the first state basketball championship won by any school in Tallahatchie.
The 2015-16 Choctaws, the top-ranked team in 2A for all but the opening week of that basketball season, also became the first Mississippi boys roundball team in 31 years to achieve a perfect overall season record, 34-0.
For his team’s success, Berryhill was awarded several statewide “Coach of the Year” honors, including being named the 2016 State Coach of the Year for Mississippi boys’ basketball by the National Federation of State High School Associations’ Coaches Association.
During the 2016-17 season, the Choctaws made it to the state semifinals, where a miraculous buzzer-beater prevented Berryhill’s team from advancing to a second consecutive championship game.
The high-profile success of the Choctaws had placed the West Tally alumnus on a short list of top-drawer candidates for lead openings elsewhere.
In 2017, Berryhill accepted an offer to become the first boys basketball head coach at Cleveland Central, which had been created by the consolidation of Cleveland and Cleveland East Side high schools. He coached eight years there and averaged 20 wins per season.
Berryhill, the son of Lucinda Berryhill of Tutwiler and the late Clifton Bailey Sr. of Webb, said he would be pleased if the gym's naming honor serves as a positive influence.
“I sincerely hope that seeing my name on the gym motivates others, much like I have found inspiration in the names of the late R.H. Bearden and the late Charles George,” Berryhill explained. “Their enduring impact on the district was celebrated through the dedication of buildings in their honor.
“To be recognized in a similar manner as these esteemed individuals is incredibly humbling for me,” he added. “I am deeply honored and grateful for this acknowledgement.”
