Coach Bobby Nelson was a championship basketball coach at five different high schools. A native of Liberty, Bobby was basketball MVP, Salutatorian, and Mr. Gillsburgh High School. He was All State hoops star at Southwest Junior College who also played at Mississippi College. His coaching career spanned 30 years beginning at North Pike High in Summit. He led basketball teams at Pearl and Holden, LA, before arriving at McComb High in 1969. He completed his career at South Pike in Magnolia from 1979-1992. His teams competed in 990 games with a record of 734-256. He guided his hoops teams to 18 district titles, 3 conference crowns, 4 South State championships, and one state crown. He was the winner of 6 Coach of the Year awards. Coach Nelson paced the South in the 1974 Mississippi High School All Star basketball game and has appeared at camps and clinics at Ole Miss, Southwest CC, Mississippi College, Southern Miss, Hinds CC, Copiah-Lincoln CC, and Southeastern Louisiana. He served as MAC President in 1979-80. He is an active church member who has served on mission groups. Following retirement, he raised cattle, gardens, and is an active carpenter. Bobby was inducted into the Southwest Junior College Hall of Fame in 1982.