The best city league basketball players ever

[cbpitt2]

I was trying to think of some of the well-known and best city league players throughout the years that had nice college careers and I was wondering who else I’m not thinking of at the moment:



Melvin Bennett, Peabody - Pitt

Chuck Cooper, Westinghouse - Duquesne

DeJuan Blair, Schenley - Pitt

Maurice Lucas, Schenley - Marquette

Sam Clancy, Fifth Avenue - Pitt

Billy Knight, Braddock - Pitt



Thanks.

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

Will Herndon of Allderdice comes to mind pretty quickly.

Collins and Frank Dobbs. Also might be Dice guys.

 

[pitt2533]

Jeep Kelly is definitely up there. Briefly played at UNLV and Hawaii before running into some personal troubles I believe.

Ricky Coleman is another one.

 

[Sec36R21S1]

How about Dwight Clay ?

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

Ha. An obvious one. Darrelle Porter. His teammate Ricky Cannon wasn’t bad either.

He didn’t get as much publicity cause he was so good at football but Major Harris was dam good too. Probably wouldn’t have been as high of a level as football but he could have likely played D1 hoops as well.

 

[Frabjous]

Ken Durrett, Schenley HS and LaSalle College.

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

DJ Kennedy and DeAndre Kane.

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

Maurice Stokes

 

[cbpitt2]

How about Dwight Clay ?

I didn't realize Clay was from here. Good stuff.

 

[PittAU]

One of the funniest things I have ever seen on YouTube was the 1971 Schenley state title game with Maurice Lucas. The player introductions were awesome.

I would say my pick is either Cooper, Lucas or Sam. For untapped potential I would say, from what I heard from older fellows, Jeep Kelly

Here it is...1971 Schenley v Norristown.

 

[wbrpanther]

Ken Durrett, Schenley HS and LaSalle College.

One of the best.

Maurice Stokes

Potentially the best of them all if tragedy didn't strike.

 

[Franb]

I was trying to think of some of the well-known and best city league players throughout the years that had nice college careers and I was wondering who else I’m not thinking of at the moment:



Melvin Bennett, Peabody - Pitt

Chuck Cooper, Westinghouse - Duquesne

DeJuan Blair, Schenley - Pitt

Maurice Lucas, Schenley - Marquette

Sam Clancy, Fifth Avenue - Pitt

Billy Knight, Braddock - Pitt



Thanks.

Braddock was not in the City League.

 

[wbrpanther]

One of the funniest things I have ever seen on YouTube was the 1971 Schenley state title game with Maurice Lucas. The player introductions were awesome.

I would say my pick is either Cooper, Lucas or Sam. For untapped potential I would say, from what I heard from older fellows, Jeep Kelly

Here it is...1971 Schenley v Norristown.

Nice find. saw both those teams play in the Cambria County War Memorial tourney in Johnstown. Henry Williams was a tough kid. That Tournament was the best in the country into the mid 70s when every Tom Dick and Harry started their own tournaments and they couldn't get the best teams anymore.

 

[Gep Dawg]

In Philly Kenny Durett is a legend. That’s all you need to know about how great he was.

 

[PittAU]

It is scary just how much talent went through the City League. Now there's barely even a City League.

 

[pitt2533]

It is scary just how much talent went through the City League. Now there's barely even a City League.

Uh, Allderdice just beat the WPIAL Champs. I think the lack of talent is more than City league, it is area wide although there are some kids in the next few years coming through now who can play.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Moe Cravitz

 

[ameoba defense]

Maurice Stokes was the first black superstar in the NBA. In my book, it's between him and Durrett. After them, in no particular order:
Lucas
Clancy
Blair
Kelley
Coleman
Sonny Lewis
Warner Macklin
Larry Anderson
Bennett
Petey Gibson
Frank Dobbs

 

[MarshallGoldberg]

I heard from the late, great Father Jack O'Malley (who probably could have played pro basketball if he didn't become a priest) that Jack Twyman was cut three times at Central. I guess Central Catholic was never City league but he was a city kid (West End.) Anyway, don't give up was the point of the damn story.

Back on topic, Ron Carter was probably the best to ever play at Perry high school. Very big guard for his time, played at VMI and for the Pacers and Lakers in the NBA.

 

[MarshallGoldberg]

Smaller name: Darrick Suber, Schenley. Averaged like 30 a game as a Spartan, played at Rider, then pro in New Zealand.

Will Macon would be another Perry name. Played at DePaul. Great Perry team that I think lost to Donte Calabria (sp?)

Happy Dobbs, now coaching at Bryant. Four year guard at Villanova, very good Dice player.

 

[PittAU]

Uh, Allderdice just beat the WPIAL Champs. I think the lack of talent is more than City league, it is area wide although there are some kids in the next few years coming through now who can play.

Read again my comment. I said that there is barely a City League. I did not say that there was NO City League. I did not say there were no talented players in the City League.

Schenley is closed. Oliver is closed. Peabody is closed. South is closed. Fifth Avenue is closed. Allegheny is long closed. There are what, six teams now in the City League?

It's a lot different than it used to be due to right-sizing of schools, schools being closed and schools being changed.

THAT is what I said.