The Vashon High community is mourning the loss of one of its legendary sports figures this week.
Former Wolverines basketball star Ramon “Pistol” Trice passed away on Wednesday. He was 57. Trice was a standout player for Vashon’s 1983 team that won the Missouri Class 4A state championship. It was the first of many state championships during the legendary career of Hall of Fame coach Floyd Irons.
The Vashon program is a statewide powerhouse that has also become well-respected nationally over the decades. The Wolverines championship dynasty under Irons all started in 1983 with Trice and fellow backcourt partner Altonio “Shotgun” Campbell as the cornerstones of the program.
However, Trice and Campbell were more than just basketball players to Irons. They were like his sons and he treated them as such. And when Irons’ son was born, he named him Altonio Ramon Irons, who is currently the head coach of Vashon.
“He meant so much to me,” Floyd Irons said. “He was one of the cornerstones of what made me who I am. I showed my appreciation by naming my son after him. He was always loyal to Vashon and the basketball program. He is going to be missed.”
“Pistol was a big brother to me,” said Tony Irons, who has directed Vashon’s recent championship dominance on the court. “He was always there for support, advice and encouragement. For my dad to name me after him, says a lot about the person he was.”
On the court, Trice was a slender 6’3” shooting guard who can score from anywhere. He had a feathery shooting touch from the perimeter and he could score on a myriad of moves. As a junior in 1983, Trice averaged 16 points a game to lead Vashon in scoring. He also averaged five rebounds a game while shooting 56 percent from the field.
Trice came through on the state’s biggest stage when he scored a game-high 23 points in the Wolverines 75-62 victory over Van Horn in the state championship game. He was an All-State and All-Metro performer in 1983 and he also earned those post season honors as a senior in 1984 after leading Vashon to another berth in the state-championship game.
Trice began his college basketball career at Fresno State, but after two seasons, he returned home to finish his career at Saint Louis University. He became a valuable player who provided instant offense off the bench for the Billikens during the 1987 and 1988 seasons.
He had one record-setting performance on February 16, 1987 when he was a perfect seven of seven from beyond the 3-point line in the Billikens’ victory over Butler. Trice’s record for most 3-pointers in a game would stand for more than 30 years.
Although he graduated from Vashon nearly 40 years ago, Trice was still a very loyal and visible member of the Vashon community. He remained close with the basketball program and his namesake Tony Irons throughout the years.
“He was more than my namesake and he will be missed beyond belief,” Tony Irons said. “He will be missed and our entire community will feel the void of him not being around.