Didn't Searcy actually go to Duquesne, but then leave before he played a game? I seem to remember hearing that the under the table money wasn't what he'd been promised, so he went back to NYC.
Who are the best basketball players who ever played a game in Pgh?
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Could be. Basketball Reference has him 3 seasons at St. John's. Freshmen weren't eligible then.
I do remember fans mocking John Cinicola, the Duquesne coach, yelling "Put Searcy in!"
It's getting fuzzier every year.
Yeah, I think it's pretty widely known that the Sixers were playing in Hershey that night. Every story I've ever read on that game mentions the location.[/QUOTE]
Wilt wasn't with the Sixers then. He was with the Warriors, who were still in Philadelphia.
Couldn't have been. He was from North Carolina. (BTW, he's the brother of Jim Bibby, who pitched for several MLB teams, including the Pirates.)
You may be thinking of someone else. McMillian was BORN in North Carolina, but he played his college ball at Columbia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_McMillian
February 21, 1966. I'm certain of the date because it was my birthday, and I was treated to the game as a birthday gift. The Sixers, then with Wilt, and basically the core of their 1968 championship team (Hal Greer, Luke Jackson, Chet Walker, Billy Cunningham et al.) vs. the St. Louis Hawks (who still had ancient Bob Pettit, and also Lenny Wilkens and a young Zelmo Beaty) at the Civic Arena. And, if I'm not mistaken, another ancient, Richie Guerin, was the Hawks' player-coach.
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Wilt wasn't with the Sixers then. He was with the Warriors, who were still in Philadelphia.[/QUOTE]
Brain cramp there. The Sixers were still the Nats then.
Think of the era when the WPIAL was producing guys who went on to become college standouts and even pros, and the WPIAL playoffs were held at the Fitzgerald Field House and the Civic Arena (televised on Channel 13, play-by-play by "Chilly" Billy Cardille):
Norm Vanlier (as the name was spelled then), Midland (and his teammate, Simmie Hill)
Stu Lantz, Uniontown
Dick DeVenzio, Dennis Wuycik, and Frank Kaufman, Ambridge
George Karl, Penn Hills
Wil Robinson and Gus Gerard, Laurel Highlands
Jack Marin, Farrell (I'm too young to have seen Willie Somerset and Brian Generalovich play for Farrell, but I know they played there)
Just to name a few.
Norm Vanlier (as the name was spelled then), Midland (and his teammate, Simmie Hill)
Stu Lantz, Uniontown
Dick DeVenzio, Dennis Wuycik, and Frank Kaufman, Ambridge
George Karl, Penn Hills
Wil Robinson and Gus Gerard, Laurel Highlands
Jack Marin, Farrell (I'm too young to have seen Willie Somerset and Brian Generalovich play for Farrell, but I know they played there)
Just to name a few.
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Duquesne had quite a few great local players in their heydays . The Nelson twins ,Mickey Davis , Jarred Durham , Billy Zoft . It’s a lot easier to recruit if your backyard is fruitful !
That would have been one year before they won the title, which was in 1967. The Celtics won in 1968, and 1969.
My team was in the championship WPIAL game in 1977 (Fox Chapel), it was on channel 13. we beat Beaver Falls, who was loaded with athletes. not sure if Chilly Billy was still announcing. Beaver Falls had the kid who became a stud WR for Pitt, name is escaping me at the moment.
I was at that game. Magic was not in it. Banks won the MVP, gave it to Clancy, who also deserved it.
Man. my keyboard must have really been sticking when I posted. I had to go back and edit several typos in my previous posts. Somehow I even managed to mistype my birthday!
yes, thanks Harve. Dwight was only a freshman and was one of their best players. He had 15 that game. they had Alvin Gibson and a guy named Scott that was a big, pretty good.
Was going to add that.
Drove down both night , freezing cold weather.
First game of night one was Duquesne v Pitt and it was a barn burner....Dukes were loaded and it was set-up so those teams played each other but expectation was Dukes would play the Bruins.
Pitt gave them a gave them a game in the first half but 5 minutes into the second it was clear who were the defending National champs.
Unfortunately for some reaso the 4th team in it was a dog, maybe Wm &mary.
Don’t forget Henry Bibby and Steve Patterson.
Searcy and Elmore played on probably the second best Power Memorial team, second of course to Alcindor's team. They had a couple of other real good players in Jap Trimble and Al Young. Saw them play in the old Cambria County war memorial Tournament In Johnstown.
Matt Miklasevich bullied Ewing....should be on this list.
I'm sure Dave Bing played at Pitt.....and the late, great Kenny Durrett did, too. Jerry West, for sure.
Not exactly correct. Rowe & Wicks played in the late 70's with Kareem. Mooney was gone after 1974.
His big game was at Pauley Pavilion...Wooden said he was the best player they faced all year.
Too bad they didn’t have the 3 pt shot back then . ( not to mention freshman eligibility )
Frosh eligible in 73, I think....and you couldn't dunk in college ball into the 1980's.
Wali Jones.......rumor was he played with a toothpick in his mouth!! Saw that group at the old Convention Hall...Cunningham was the 6th man.
Well you could dunk until a kid name Lew Alcindor started playing !
Collins played center for BF for 4 years at 6-0. Ended up at PG for PA in the Dan. Led them in scoring, I think. He was a PIAA champ in the 200 (100 too?), and a baseball stud, too. Phenomenal athlete.
Wicks and Rowe played mostly after Alcindor/Jabbar, although they overlapped during the '68-69 season.
Billy Knight's Pitt career coincided with the Walton/Keith Wilkes seasons, '71-72 thru 73-74. The big scoring game at Pauley Pavillion was during his junior year, '72-73.
I know Wicks and Rowe's UCLA team played in the Steel Bowl in the '70-71 season. I don't know if Alcindor/Jabbar ever played in a Steel Bowl but I don't think so. I always thought UCLA was a regular in the Steel Bowl, but I can't find any other times they played there except the 1970-71 season game.
Billy Knight's Pitt career coincided with the Walton/Keith Wilkes seasons, '71-72 thru 73-74. The big scoring game at Pauley Pavillion was during his junior year, '72-73.
I know Wicks and Rowe's UCLA team played in the Steel Bowl in the '70-71 season. I don't know if Alcindor/Jabbar ever played in a Steel Bowl but I don't think so. I always thought UCLA was a regular in the Steel Bowl, but I can't find any other times they played there except the 1970-71 season game.
Geez....I was thinking late 70s....it was late 60's. Rowe started, Wicks came off the bench. The guards were Sweet & Vallely, Shackelford at SF. LaSalle that year had Durrett, Cannon, Wiliams & Fatty Taylor (all pros) and Stan Wlodarczyk at center. Those were the 2 best teams in the country in 69. LaSalle was on probation...$15 laundry money? Tom Gola was coach. That team was voted best ever in the Big5.
If memory serves me right, it was his senior year at LaSalle. He would recover enough to play a few seasons in NBA, but he was never anything close to what he was before the injury.
The starting guards on the Bruin team were John Valelly and Kenny Heitz. Billy Sweek came off the bench but played a lot. I was a HUGE UCLA fan back then. The Wicks and Rowe combo were the bridge between the Alcindor powerhouses and the Walton powerhouses in 70 and 71.
Heitz rings a bell, although Walton was class of 1974, and wasn't eligible to play varsity until '71-72.
Sweet was the weakest link. Fatty was Kelli's Dad. JUCO from DC via Kansas. Quick as hell. He or Bernie Williams both led the ABA in steals. Bernie was from DeMatha....guarded Alcindor some and outscored him when they beat Power Memorial.
LaSalle recruited a kid from Louisiana with Cannon, Williams & Wlodarczyk....Isaiah "Sky" King. 6-5 pogo stick. Flunked out of school. Frosh weren't eligible, but they'd announce their scores at the Palestra....ridiculous....50 point margins. Durrett came 2 years later....blew out his knee early in the 70-71 season. Still drafted in the top 3 (??) that year. Never fully recovered. Was voted as the greatest Big5 player, ever about 15 years ago.
How you doin" these days?? Do you get to the Pete?
I saw Clancy and Banks play in a game in Johnstown. West Philly won. The best game I ever saw.
I remember Banks trying to give the trophy to Sam. But I don't remember him accepting it.
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