Zeke Bentley

Isaiah “Zeke” Bentley, Jr. was born on January 10, 1953, to Isaiah Bentley, Sr. and Luevenia “Ms. Honey” Bentley of Albertville. Both are deceased. Zeke had three brothers, William, Jesse and Sammy. Jesse, who passed away in 2018, was an All-Marshall County football player and track and field athlete. Zeke, Jesse and Sammy were all members of the Army ROTC program at AHS. Zeke tried to enlist in the Army following graduation, but was turned down due to his loss of vision in one eye from a childhood accident. Sammy enlisted and served our country in the U.S. Army for 20 years.

Even though Zeke lost vision in one eye, this did not deter his desire to excel in sports. He began his athletic career at Lakeview School in Guntersville alongside MCSHOF inductees Jimmie Lee Griffin, Kent Looney, Butch Looney and Connie Clyde Vaughn. After the desegregation of Alabama schools in the mid-1960s, Zeke took the skills that he had developed at Lakeview to Albertville High School where he became the first great African-American athlete to play for the Aggies.

In 1972, The Sand Mountain Reporter stated, “Isaiah ‘Zeke’ Bentley, Jr. might be the finest athlete to ever play for the Aggies.” According to MCSHOF Broadcaster Bill Yancy, “The 6’1” Super Jumper was 1st Team All-State Basketball, Birmingham Post Herald 1972.”

Zeke played varsity basketball for MCSHOF Basketball Coach Shannon Sloan for five years, starting in the eighth grade. Some of his accomplishments were Aggie records at the time. His scoring averages were 12 points per game as a Freshman, 14 as a Sophomore, 16 as a Junior and 18 as a Senior. This was before the three-point shot. Zeke also set a school record of 24 rebounds vs. the Boaz Pirates and had 23 vs. the Huntsville Panthers. In the 1972 Marshall County Tournament finals, Zeke scored 30 points and pulled down 16 rebounds against the Guntersville Wildcats. He was selected Tournament MVP. He was also chosen as MVP and All-NEAC in the North East Alabama Conference Tournament after a 59-56 Aggie victory over Gadsden HS in the tournament finals.

Zeke was also an outstanding Track and Field athlete. In the 1972 Marshall County Track Meet, Zeke won 5 events, the shot-put, discus, high jump, long jump and triple jump, to lead the Aggies to the County Championship. He also advanced to the Alabama State Track and Field Meet in 1971 and 1972, competing in both the Shot-Put and 100 Yard Dash.

Zeke played only one year of varsity football as a senior in the 1971 season under Head Coach Ken Barrett. Due to an injury, he only played eight games. However, Zeke was an outstanding player on both defense and offense. He was selected to the All-Region 10, All-Marshall County, All-NEAC and All-State Teams and won the Aggie of the Year Award.

Following his senior year, Zeke was offered a scholarship to play football at Samford University, but elected to play basketball for MCSHOF Coach John Kitchens at Snead State. In his freshman year, Zeke averaged 13 points and 6 rebounds per game.

After his college career, Zeke remained active in athletics, playing community league softball, baseball and basketball in Guntersville until his untimely death on August 2, 1979.

Zeke is survived by his wife, June, two sons, Isaac and Isaiah III, and seven grandchildren, Jordan, Tori, Jalyn, Destiny, Will, Zander and Katie Grace. Isaiah was an outstanding All-County basketball player at Guntersville HS. In the 1993 Regional Tournament at Wallace State, he hit the final basket as time ran out, sending the Wildcats to the Final Four Tournament in Birmingham. Isaiah’s son, Jordan, was an All-State running back for the Wildcats and a First Team Freshman All-American at Alabama A&M.