By JOEY JOHNSTON

Tribune Sports Writer

(c) Tampa Bay Times. Originally published June 7, 1985.

Tonight, Toney Mack will walk across a stage to shake the hand of Brandon High School Principal Orlan Briant. Mack will receive a diploma, get the customary congratulations and return to his seat.

He won’t look back.

“This year seems like it was very short in a lot of ways,’’ Mack said while relaxing at his home earlier this week. “But yes, I’m glad to be out of high school. It was a great time, but now I’ve got to move on.’’

However, this is one senior year worth remembering.

Mack turned the Florida high-school basketball world on its ear. He averaged a state-record 41 points per game, scoring at least 27 points each time out. He became an enormous gate attraction, causing the Eagles’ Nest to swell with sellout crowds.

Mack, a 6-foot-5, 200-pounder, was a bull on the boards. There were few players in the state physical enough to stop him inside. But Mack made more than layups. He could run the floor, handle the ball and pop from the outside. His game was complete.

Despite the late-season protestations of Brandon coach Frank Vining — “You’ve got to wonder why a guy like Toney can’t get more national publicity’’ — all the just rewards arrived at Mack’s doorstep.

In a strong year for state talent, Mack was named Florida’s “Mr. Basketball.’’ Five years later, Mack was selected National Player of the Year by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association.

Today, Mack earns another honor — a rather obvious one. Mack is the Tampa Tribune Prep Athlete of the Year. There is simply no other choice.

“Coaching Toney Mack was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,’’ Vining said. “Seeing him constantly mobbed for autographs and pictures after games … I’ll never forget it.

“I’ll say this. I don’t believe we’ll ever see another year like this. There won’t be another Toney Mack around here.’’

Mack’s trademark was once versatility. Playing two years for the Eagles’ ground-oriented football team as a wide receiver, Mack caught 44 passes, 10 four touchdowns. In track and field, he competed in the triple jump, long jump and high jump.

But Mack junked the other sports during his senior year. “I felt like my best sport was basketball,’’ Mack said. Several shared that opinion.

One was Hugh Durham, basketball coach at the University of Georgia. Mack will soon be headed to Georgia, where his press clippings will mean little. Georgia’s shooting guard, Gerald Crosby, has used up his eligibility, so a starting job is there to be won by Mack.

He’ll get no special favors.

“Everybody likes being in the limelight, but I’m not going to live off my high-school career forever,’’ Mack said. “I’m going to Georgia with the idea that I’m at the bottom and I’ve got to work my way up.’’

If Mack ascends to stardom at Georgia — as Vining says he will — there is one more challenge. Mack doesn’t hide his desire to play professional basketball.

“That’s my biggest dream,’’ Mack said. “I’d like that a lot. I’m pretty realistic about it, thought. I want to get a shot at it, but I also want to stay in school for four years and get a degree like my mother wants me to. If I can’t play basketball, I’m hoping to use that degree (either in business administration or computer science) to get a good job somewhere.’’

Mack has his priorities in order. He was grown up.

“The thing I’ll remember the most about Toney is the way he handled everything,’’ Vining said. “He was humble and didn’t let anything go to his head. He didn’t say much, but it wasn’t because he couldn’t talk. He’s the kind who does his talking on the court.

“And brother, let me tell you, he did some talking on the court.’’