Doyle Durkee
Basketball and Track
Fluid, sleek and an unyielding competitor, he led the Beavers to back-to-back district titles and a regional championship, averaging 20 points per game. He left his mark on the track as a four-sport state finalist and owned several school records for many years. Demanding but fair as a coach, his basketball acumen expertly served scores of boys and girls for more than a dozen years, leaving a lasting impact on his community, on the court and off.
Basketball and Track
Senior year
UPI Class C All State First Team
Averaged 20.5 points per game
Conference, District, Regional Champs
All JPC First Team
Midland Daily News Player of the Year
Midland Daily News Area Scoring Leader
Detroit Free Press Class C All State Second Team
23-2 Record
Junior year
Averaged more than 20 points per game
Midland Daily News Player of the Year
Midland Daily News Area Scoring Leader
District Champs
All State Honorable Mention
All JPC First Team
First place JPC finishes in high jump, pole vault and high hurdles made him a state finalist
Upon graduation, he owned BHS records for high jump, pole vault and high hurles; his pole vault record was broken by his son, Brad
Coached BHS varsity girls team from 1983-92, bringing home three district titles and a regional championship; also coached junior high boys hoops for 14 years
His post-BHS athletic career included numerous city and three-on-three championships and decathlon events
You've spent an unusually large amount of your life on a basketball court. Why? What is it about the sport that made you love it so much?
It was a form of competition, which I have always loved. It was a sport that allowed me to play competitively during and after my high school days. It is a sport that showcases technique, athletic ability and intelligence. Brute force is not always the deciding factor.
You enjoyed quite a bit of success on the playing field. Which teammates helped bring out the best in your game? How did they do that?
To pick out one or two teammates would really be unfair. Everybody on our team had a huge part in our team and my success. Without the quality of teammates I was able to play with, I would never have gotten the recognition that I was so fortunate to receive. I guess if I had to pick one player that stood out to me, it would have to be Jeff Roehrs. He was such a force inside both offensively and defensively that it allowed me a tremendous amount of freedom from the guard position. He was a very under rated player.
Who were the players from other schools who gave your team the most headaches? What was your approach in trying to beat them?
The first one that comes to mind is Eric Droght from Houghton Lake. He was a pure shooter that could drop 30 on you any given night. Greg Onnaly from Benzie Central was a great athlete and a tremendous scorer. Another player that stands out in my mind is Dennis Dunkel from USA. He was another great athlete and player I had the chance to play against.
Who was the coach that you learned the most from, and what did he or she teach you?
Roy Johnston was without question the coach that taught me the game. I was just a skinny country boy with a little bit of athletic talent and a desire to win at all costs. He was the one who really taught me the basics and showed me how to play the game and play it the right way. He showed me how to get the most from my ability in the three years we were together.
What are your favorite three memories from your playing days?
Qualifying for the state track and field meet in all four events I was able to enter.
Winning the Regional basketball championship my senior year.
Winning the District basketball championship my junior year.
In basketball, who’s your all-time Beaverton High School starting five?
Jeff Johnston is head and shoulders above any player who ever played at Beaverton. He did it all in high school and went on to play four years of college basketball. Mike Garvin was the purest shooter to ever wear a basketball uniform at Beaverton. He never had the chance play with the quality of players that some did but was an amazing player. Brandon Calhoun was just a physical specimen on the court. He created such mismatches with his size and strength that other teams just could not match up with him. It is hard to separate the fourth and the fifth and I think they will always be tied together in basketball history at Beaverton: Adam Mickler and Brent Mishler. Adam was a great scorer and Brent was one of the best all around players to ever play at Beaverton.
How has the game of basketball evolved from when you played until now?
The game has gotten so physical in the last 10 or 15 years. The players are bigger stronger and more athletic. The three point line has really changed the way the game is played now verses when I played.
What is your proudest BHS moment as a player, coach or fan?
Watching my son play his first varsity game, making us the first father/son combination to ever play for Mr. Johnston. That was a very special moment.
BHS basketball seems to strike a particularly resonant chord with sports fans in Beaverton. Do you have any thoughts on why that is?
I guess winning is something that any community loves to rally behind. Since 1974 when Mr. Johnston took over the program, he has created a winning atmosphere year in and year out. His program is one of the best in the entire state and the community appreciates a winner.
What thoughts and/or memories can you share on each of the other members of your Hall of Fame class?
Roy Johnston was and still is one of my heroes. He took a group of raw kids, pushed us, taught us and turned us in to a pretty decent basketball team. He was tough on us but we always knew he would be there for us if we needed him. I remember a new pair of high-top shoes showing up in my locker when I sprained my ankle severely my senior year. He knew my parents could not afford to buy me that pair of shoes. As was his style he never mentioned where they came from but I always knew.
Jeff Christian was without a doubt the greatest distance runner I have ever seen. Some of his records might never be broken. He was so gifted and worked so hard to be the absolute best he could be.
Mike Loar is another of my childhood heroes. Watching him was like watching a man play football with a bunch of boys. He was the most dominating high school football player I ever saw in this area. He could do anything he wanted on a football field and there was not much the other team could do to stop him.
How does it feel to be enshrined alongside those athletes - as well as names like Larry Gerow, Dan Grant, Dick Van Wieren, Becky Phillips, Ken Govitz and Clarence Metzger - in the BHS Hall of Fame?
Like the three guys in this year's class, these people are heroes of mine; just to be mentioned in the same breath with them is such a special honor for me. Everyone on that list was not only a great athlete or coach but they are all tremendous people who have given back to the Beaverton Community.
If you grew up around Beaverton basketball pretty much anytime in the 70s, 80s or 90s, you were probably an admirer of Doyle Durkee's work on the court. With a handle as smooth as glass, a trigger-quick shot release and a motor that ran straight through halftime, Durkee was the total hoops package, and a handful on the track as well. Whether it was dominating the city leagues or imparting his basketball knowledge to the young men and women he coached, Durkee is a true lifetime 'Mr. Basketball' title holder. And now he's a Hall of Famer as well.
Doyle Durkee Brag Board
“A great ball player and great person. I have a lot of respect for Doyle Durkee. He was as smooth on the floor as they come and you didn’t have to tell him something twice – he had a wonderful attitude. One of my favorites without a doubt.”
– Roy Johnston
“One of the best we’ve had in Beaverton without a doubt – he could do it all on the court.”
– Mike Loar
“In the Summer of 1989, Doyle took Matt Schelich, Jason Stone and Dusty to a 3-on-3 Gus Macker Tournament in Saginaw. With his playing and coaching ability, Doyle guided his team to a division championship in the tournament. What a great experience for these three young guys. It was always fun to watch Doyle on the basketball court.”
– Larry Gerow
“Doyle was the best shooter Beaverton ever had. I enjoyed rebounding for him – I just wanted to get him the ball. He was a good guy outside of basketball and fun to hang with off and on the court. He was a lot of fun to play with.”
– Jeff Roehrs
“Doyle was one of Beaverton’s best on the basketball court. He always managed to find a way to score. Doyle worked hard at his sport. He listened to Coach Johnston and remained coachable through his high school career Even when you are as talented as Doyle was, it takes work and good coaching to be the kind of star player he was. He enjoyed a close family life as a teen, and was always a gentleman on the court and off. I considered it a pleasure to know Dolye and his family.”
– Dick Van Wieren
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