Forgotten Legends

Jon Teitel's "Forgotten Legends": Lipscomb Great John Pierce

Jon Teitel — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 13:57:04 -0400

In the lastest installment in his "Forgotten Legends" interview series, CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with Lipscomb great John Pierce. During his four seasons in Nashville, Pierce lit up scoreboards to the tune of 4,230 points, a college record that stands to this day. After a five-year career in Australia and Japan, Pierce returned to Nashville where he's now a teach and coach at Franklin Road Academy.

Jon Teitel: In 1990 you came to Lipscomb and were roommates with Philip Hutcheson, who finished his career as college basketball's all-time leading scorer (4106 PTS). What was he like as a roommate, and did you feel pressure to fill his large shoes after he graduated?

John Pierce: Living with Philip was a great way for me to start my time at Lipscomb. Not only was he a great basketball player, but he was also a great friend. At that time coach Don Meyer tried to room seniors with incoming players, so I was able to learn not just about how the basketball team worked but also all about the school. I could not have asked for a better roommate. He never seemed upset to have a freshman rooming with him, but instead he included me throughout the campus in different activities.

It would have probably been good if he had washed his sheets at least once every semester, but that is a different story! I did not feel like I had to fill his shoes after he graduated because at that time we were playing different positions. As a redshirt I was learning behind our power forward Darren Henrie (a two-time All-American), so I was much more focused on Darren and how I could possibly try to play like him and fill his shoes.

JT: You had 22 points and nine rebounds in 21 minutes in your Lipscomb debut. How were you able to come in and contribute from the start?

JP: Being able to have a redshirt year really helped me grow physically, as I went from 6-5, 185 pounds as a high school senior to 6-7, 235 pounds in my first year on the court for Lipscomb. I was also able to learn about the system that Coach Meyer used so I was ready mentally. I was also fortunate to get to play center in a system whose main focus was to get the ball inside, which meant that I was always going to get opportunities to score.

JT: In 1992 you scored 54 points to break Bruce Bowers' school record. Was it just one of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were "in the zone", and did Bowers (who was in the stands that night) say anything to you after the game?

JP: I never talked to Bowers (which is sort of ironic because he was in the stands that night), but it was not that strange for former players to be at games. It was a very tight community and we are all extremely proud to have played for the Bisons and Coach Meyer. There is a level of understanding that we all have for each other as far as what we went through in our time at Lipscomb.

That particular night was like most games as far as our focus as a team, to get the ball inside first and take perimeter openings from there. I guess the team we were playing was not as focused on stopping the post game that night! Usually teams would focus on doubling the post or slowing the post down if we got rolling in there, and then the perimeter would open up.

JT: On February 24, 1994 you made a bank shot against Cumberland to break Hutcheson's record and become college basketball's all-time leading scorer. What do you remember about that night, and how did it feel to break the record?

JP: I remember several things. I remember the excitement in McQuiddy Gym that night: it was sold out and there were news crews there to cover the story, as well as many of my family members from out of town and friends from all over. I felt a lot of pressure to get the record that night because of the amount of people that were there to see it. I remember that Cumberland really tried to stop the ball from coming inside to me so my teammate Andy McQueen (who had a college basketball record 515 career three-pointers) made a school-record 11 threes that night. I remember I shot a lot of free throws I think the referees wanted to see the record broken as well. I remember getting the game ball after breaking the record and throwing it to my father who was sitting in my parents' usual seats on the rail of the second level.

JT: Your 4,230 career points is still the most ever scored by a college basketball player. Do you think anyone will ever break your record, and how proud are you of that achievement?

JP: I really do not think much about it: it is really more of a testament to the program that I played for. I have great pride to have played for Lipscomb and Coach Meyer. I am sure the record will be broken one day: that is what records are for. It is obvious to me that it would only be broken by someone who played all four years for a small school. Anyone at a Division I school who was averaging 30 points per game as an underclassman would opt to play in the NBA before graduating.

JT: You also hold the school record with 1,497 career rebounds. How were you able to get so many rebounds while making so many shots?

JP: We got a lot of shots up because we had a lot of possessions. I was never a very good rebounder or defender. I liked scoring too much so I focused too much on that. However, because we had so many possessions there were a lot of rebounds to be had in our games.

JT: You were named All-American during each of your four seasons, and you were named NAIA National Player of the Year in both 1993 and 1994. Were you just better than everyone else on the court, and why did you decide to go to Lipscomb instead of to a Division I basketball power?

JP: I chose Lipscomb for a couple of reasons. I really wanted to go to Vanderbilt but they did not want me. As I was a 6-5, 185-pound post player coming out of high school I was sort of an in-between guy, so my choice of Division I colleges was pretty limited. I really wanted to go to a program where I had a chance to win a championship and the Division I schools that offered me a scholarship did not have championship-caliber teams at that time. I also had a lot of respect for Coach Meyer and felt that he would improve my game and improve me as a person more than most of the other coaches who recruited me.

My best friend from high school Mark Campbell (who has won four NAIA titles since 2005 as coach of the Union University Lady Bulldogs) had already signed with Lipscomb, which I knew would make the transition to a new place easier for me. The Lipscomb players also did a very good job of recruiting me when I was in high school. I remember Philip Hutcheson coming to many of my high school games during my senior year. He even came to some of my soccer games in the spring after basketball season was over!

JT: After graduating you played five years in Australia and Japan. What did you learn from the experience, and how did it compare to college basketball?

JP: My time in Australia and Japan was fantastic. I was able to take my wife with me for the last three years overseas, and it was a chance for us to almost have an extended honeymoon. We were able to see things we would never had a chance to see and spend so much time together getting to know each other. We moved back to Nashville when she got pregnant with our first child.

Basketball overseas was good but more of a business, and I missed the camaraderie of my college teams. I made some very good friends in my travels around the world (some who I still talk with regularly), and got to visit places that I never would have gone to otherwise. Overall, basketball has given me many opportunities that I am extremely thankful for.

JT: You currently are a teacher and coach at Franklin Road Academy in Nashville. Which job do you enjoy the most, and what do you hope to do in the future?

JP: I do not see a lot of difference in my roles as a teacher and coach, but I do enjoy the coaching more than the teaching. There are more opportunities for kids to learn some life lessons when you are on the court than when you are in the classroom. As a coach, the best part of being a coach is when you can get a kid to totally invest in the idea of "team" over the idea of "self", and that opportunity presents itself many more times on a basketball team than in a classroom. I think I will always be coaching in some form or fashion for the rest of my life.

Pierce is also on Jon's list of best fantasy player in Atlantic Sun history.

East Tennessee State: Keith Jennings (1991) 1,988 PTS (#4), 983 AST (#1), 334 STL (#1), 223 3PM (#2), 49.3 3P% (#1), 86.1 FT% (#2), All-American, 2-time conference POY
Florida Gulf Coast: Bryan Crislip (2005) 985 PTS (#3), 373 REB (#2), 606 AST (#1), 194 STL (#1)
Jacksonville: Ben Smith (2010) 1,971 PTS (#2), 515 AST (#1), 230 STL (#1), 220 3PM (#2)
Kennesaw State: Ronell Wooten (2008) 1,633 PTS (#2), 615 REB (#5), 262 3PM (#1)
Lipscomb: John Pierce (1994) 4,230 PTS (#1), 1,497 REB (#1), 4-time All-American, 2-time national POY
Mercer: James Florence (2010) 2,287 PTS (#1), 436 AST (#2), 222 STL (#1), 242 3PM (#1)
North Florida: Donny Lotz (2005) 1,412 PTS (#2), 660 REB (#2), 77 BLK (#2), 105 STL (#4)
Northern Kentucky: Craig Sanders (2002) 2,007 PTS (#1), 356 3PM (#1)
Stetson: Kerry Blackshear (1996) 1,826 PTS (#1), conference POY
USC Upstate: Ulysses Hackett (1992) 2,688 PTS (#1), 908 REB (#2), 227 STL (#3), 67.1 FG% (#1), 3-time All-American, 2-time conference POY

Jon Teitel's "Forgotten Legends": Maine's Jeff Cross

Jon Teitel — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 14:45:49 -0400

In the latest installment in his "Forgotten Legends" interview series, CHN writer spent some time with Maine great Jeff Cross. Cross' story is a remarkable one, as in five years he went from a player who struggled to make his high school team to ECAC North Player of the Year. Cross is now the director of merchandising at Converse.

Jon Teitel: You did not start playing organized basketball until high school. Why did it take so long to get you on the court?

Jeff Cross: I always played basketball but was not very good at it. Being a big kid my favorite sport was football, and I was quite good at it from a young age. The other thing that played a huge role was that I started snow skiing with my family when I was age 5 and I loved the sport. This took up the majority of my winters; even today my wife and I ski 15-20 times a year. I still tried out for basketball each year in high school because that is just what you did as a football player/jock.

I was cut as a freshman and sophomore. My junior year the head coach (New England Basketball Hall of Fame Coach Danny Parr) said that I was getting better and that if I wanted to play he would keep me as the 13th man...on a 12-man roster! I eagerly accepted but only played in 4-5 games despite being 6-7. My senior year I grew another inch and was much better but was still riding the pine. We had a game at Nashua before Christmas and our starting center missed the bus after sliding into a snow bank on the way to school. I started that game and had a double-double in a very tight win over the best team in the state. To make a long story short, I started the rest of the season but only got my chance because Lenny Best missed the team bus!

JT: Why did you decide to go to Maine?

JC: Nobody recruited me out of high school so I did a prep year at Worcester Academy. I grew two more inches to a legit 6-10, and Coach Tom Blackburn turned me into a very good player. By the end of the year I was getting phone calls from the likes of Jim Boehiem and being offered full scholarships to some very good Division I schools. Maine Coach Peter Gavitt contacted me early in the year and said that I was on their radar screen, and he did a great job of keeping me a priority. He really was the sole reason I picked Maine. I had a very strong connection with him. So while it is hard to believe, I picked Maine over Syracuse!

JT: You had three teammates also named Jeff during your junior season. Was it hard for the coaches to call out different plays for different guys named Jeff?

JC: No. I was the go-to guy so if he said "Jeff" we all knew who was getting the ball. Just joking! Everyone liked to make a big deal about the 4 guys named Jeff but we all went by our nicknames anyway. I was "Crossy", Jeff Topliff was "Toppy", Jeff Wheeler was "Wheels", and Jeff Sturgeon was "Sturge". There really was never any confusion and they were a great group of guys.

JT: One of your more famous teammates was Rick Carlisle. Are you more surprised that he won an NBA title as a player or as a coach?

JC: I only played with Rick for one year at Maine because he transferred to Virginia after his sophomore year. Rick was an amazing ball-handler for a 6-5 guy; he had massive hands. I only saw Rick get picked once in his life. It was when he was at Virginia and he was being guarded by some little-known player from North Carolina by the name of...Michael Jordan! I am not surprised at any of his success to be honest. Rick played on one of the best teams in the history of the game. As for coaching, Rick had the best basketball mind of anyone I have ever met, period. I would have been surprised if he did NOT win a championship in his coaching career. He is that good and that talented.

JT: You were named all-conference during each of your final two seasons at Maine. How were you able to remain so consistent from year to year?

JC: A lot of hard work and very good coaching. Coach Gavitt did wonders for my career and really turned me into a player who loved defense and rebounding. I was a good offensive player but my game was fueled by the boards, blocked shots, and defense. Head coach Skip Chappelle constantly challenged me to take my game to a new level and I worked hard to do that. He always said that I should strive for (and see) improvement in part of my game every week. There were always ways to get better no matter how insignificant the improvement may seem. I took that to heart.

JT: In 1983 you were named ECAC North Player of the Year. What did it mean to you to win such an outstanding individual honor?

JC: It was quite an honor and quite exciting. I had made my high school varsity team out of mercy because Coach Parr liked me, and only five years later I was POY in a Division I conference. It really was a team effort to win that award. I never could have accomplished that without some amazing coaches (Parr, Blackburn, Gavitt and Chappelle) and teammates. The "Jeffs" played a very large role as well, but the one person at Maine who had the biggest role in my success was Kevin Green.

I met Kevin at Worcester Academy during my prep year while he was recovering from a brutal injury he sustained during his junior year of high school. Kevin was the most dedicated and focused athlete/person I had ever met at that point in my life. Kevin ended up walking on to the basketball program at Maine and became a starter. He was also my roommate for four years and was always there for me through good times and bad, just an amazing guy!

JT: In the summer of 1984 you were drafted in the third round by Dallas. Did you see that as a validation of your college career, the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA, or other?

JC: It is funny because I actually grew up dreaming of playing in the NFL, not the NBA. The Steelers and the Cowboys were my favorite teams. Basketball was still very new to me. It was very exciting and a huge honor to be seen in the same light as some of the best basketball players on the planet. It was almost surreal.

JT: In January 1986 you signed with the Clippers and played 21 games for them. What is your favorite memory from your time with the Clippers?

JC: Unfortunately my career was cut short by my third broken foot after my first year with the Clippers. I was a fringe NBA player, and with three different breaks over six years I was also a physical liability. My favorite person by far was Cedric Maxwell. Growing up in New Hampshire I was a huge Celtics fan, so being able to play, practice and hang with Cedric was a dream. He is one of the funniest people I have ever met and a terrific basketball player. It was also cool just to be playing on that team because it was a virtual who's who of All-Stars. Maxwell, Norm Nixon, Marques Johnson, Junior Bridgeman, etc.

The thing that I will never forget was the night that I played against the Rockets and their Twin Towers of Ralph Sampson and Hakeem Olajuwon. I played a career-high 20 minutes that night and had seven rebounds and three blocked shots. There was one sequence when I blocked Olajuwon cleanly two or three times in one possession. I was leaving the locker room after the game and I saw him standing there. He went out of his way to come over to me, shake my hand, and say, "Big man, I have no idea who you are but you played a really good game tonight!!" Not only did that make my day, it made my career.

JT: You currently work as Director of Merchandising at Converse. How do you like the job, and what do you hope to do in the future?

JC: I have been in the sneaker business since 1990 and have worked for Nike, Reebok, Puma, and Converse over the past eight years. I love the business and love my job at Converse: I hope to work here until I retire. As far as my future, I want to spend as much of it as possible with my beautiful wife of 26 years Carol and stay closely in touch with my two amazing sons. Carson is a RHP on the Connecticut baseball team and my youngest son Elliott will be attending New Hampshire this fall is and is the most amazing person I know. He inspires me daily. Oh yeah, I also want to ski a ton!

JT: When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most?

JC: I want to be remembered as a guy who worked hard, did the little things that it took to get better, and was a bear on defense and the boards. Most importantly, I want my teammates and other people to look back and say that I was a real nice guy.

Cross is also on Jon's list of best pro players in America East history.

Albany: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
Binghamton: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
Boston University: Gary Plummer (1985)
Hartford: Vin Baker (1994)
Maine: Jeff Cross (1986)
UMBC: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
New Hampshire: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
Stony Brook: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
Vermont: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA

Jon Teitel's "Forgotten Legends": Clemson guard Terrell McIntyre

Jon Teitel — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 22:24:05 -0400

In the most recent installment in his "Forgotten Legends" interview series, CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with former Clemson point guard Terrell McIntyre. McIntyre, who had to retire professionally due to arthritis in his hip, ranks as one of the best players in school history. McIntyre is still the school's all-time leader in made three-pointers, and he ranks in the top three in scoring (2nd), assists (3rd) and steals (2nd) as well.

Jon Teitel: You played for Rick Barnes at Clemson. What made him such a great coach, and what was the most important thing you learned from him?

Terrell McIntyre: He understood his players and demanded a lot from us. He treated everyone the same, which is rare. I learned the definition of hard work from him because that is what he preached.

JT: What are your memories of the 1996 NCAA tournament (McIntyre scored ten points in a seven-point loss to Georgia)?

TM: It was a long time ago but I remember that we were just happy to be there. We kind of lost our focus that we actually had a game to play.

1997 NCAA tournament

JT: You scored ten points in a ten-point win over Miami (OH). What did you learn from the loss in 1996 that helped you succeed in 1997?

TM: We learned to go in focused and ready to play and we felt confident that we could go far that year.

JT: You scored 17 points in a six-point, double-overtime loss to Minnesota (Tony Christie made a finger roll at the end of regulation, but Bobby Jackson had a career-high 36 points in 49 minutes). How devastating was that loss, and where does Jackson's performance rank among the best you have ever seen?

TM: In college Jackson was one of the best I ever played against. He just willed his team to a win even after we took the lead in the second overtime. Even with Jackson's performance we still could have won if we had just held his teammate Sam Jacobson under 20, but he also had a big game and scored 29 points.

JT: In January 1998 you missed a shot at the end of a one-point loss at Duke, lost to them by four at home that February and then William Avery scored in the final second of a two-point Duke win in the ACC semifinals in March. Did Duke just have your number that winter, and do you think that you should have won some or all of those games?

TM: We felt that we should have won the ACC tournamet game and also had a good chance at home but they just had our number.

JT: What are your memories of the 1998 NCAA tournament (McIntyre finished with ten points and four steals in a three-point loss to Western Michigan)?

TM: I was injured for most of that year and never got in a good rhythm, so I barely got to practice. It did not get a lot of attention but we also had a lot of off-the-court problems that affected our play.

JT: In 1999 you led the ACC with 17.9 points per game. What is your secret for being a great scorer?

TM: I could always score the ball from the point guard position. My high school coach said that I would have to put up big numbers to get noticed due to my small size.

1999 Postseason NIT

JT: You scored 20 points in a three-point win over Xavier after Lenny Brown's three-pointer at the buzzer bounced off the rim. Did you think that Brown's shot was going in, and what was the mood of the team like going into the title game?

TM: The shot had a chance to go in, but we were up by 20 during that game and we should have never let them back into it. We were confident going into the championship game.

JT: You scored 17 points in a one-point loss to California (Geno Carlisle's three-point play with five seconds left won the game). What was the feeling like in your locker room afterwards, and what was the reaction like when you got back to campus?

TM: Carlisle made a tough "and-1" to win it. Our fans were always great and greeted us and treated us well even though we did not make the NCAA tournament.

JT: You won the Italian Championship with Montepaschi Siena for four straight seasons and were named Italian League Finals MVP in three straight title series. Did you consider yourself to be the best point guard in Europe, and do they treat you like a rock star over there?

TM: During that stretch I felt that way. I do not like talking about myself but to have the impact we did in Europe made me feel like the best American point guard over there.

JT: You were named first team All-Euroleague in both 2008 and 2009. What is the biggest difference between college basketball and European basketball?

TM: European ball is similar but more physical. The bigger guys are better shooters and everyone in a ten-man rotation can play. The crowds are unbelievable. They treat every game like Game 7 of the Finals and if you lose it is also a big deal.

McIntyre is also on Jon's list of best fantasy players in ACC history.

Boston College: Troy Bell (2003) 2632 PTS (#1), 272 STL (#2), 300 3PM (#1), 86.8 FT% (#1), 2-time All-American, 2-time conference POY
Clemson: Terrell McIntyre (1999) 1839 PTS (#2), 577 AST (#3), 194 STL (#2), 259 3PM (#1)
Duke: Christian Laettner (1992) 2460 PTS (#2), 1149 REB (#2), 243 STL (#5), 145 BLK (#5), 48.5 3P% (#1), 3-time All-American, conference POY, national POY, NCAA MOP
Florida State: Bob Sura (1995) 2130 PTS (#1), 435 AST (#5), 209 STL (#3), 214 3PM (#2), 2-time All-American
Georgia Tech: Mark Price (1986) 2193 PTS (#3), 240 STL (#1), 44 3P% (#1), 85 FT% (#1), 3-time All-American
Maryland: Juan Dixon (2002) 2269 PTS (#1), 333 STL (#2), 239 3PM (#1), 85 FT% (#3), 2-time All-American, conference POY, NCAA MOP
Miami (FL): Rick Barry (1965) 2298 PTS (#1), 1274 REB (#1), All-American
North Carolina: Tyler Hansbrough (2009) 2872 PTS (#1), 1219 REB (#1), 4-time All-American, conference POY, national POY
NC State: David Thompson (1975) 2309 PTS (#2), 3-time All-American, 3-time conference POY, 2-time national POY, NCAA MOP
Virginia: Ralph Sampson (1983) 2228 PTS (#4), 1511 REB (#1), 462 BLK (#1), 4-time All-American, 3-time conference POY, 3-time national POY, NIT MVP, HOF
Virginia Tech: Dell Curry (1986) 2389 PTS (#2), 407 AST (#5), 295 STL (#1), All-American, conference POY
Wake Forest: Dickie Hemric (1955) 2587 PTS (#1), 1802 REB (#1), 2-time All-American, 2-time conference POY

Jon Teitel's "Forgotten Legends": Hawaii's Tom Henderson

Jon Teitel — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 18:12:16 -0400

CHN writer Jon Teitel was able to spend some time with Hawai'i great Tom Henderson, who also played in three NBA Finals and won a title with the Bullets in 1978. Henderson was also a member of the 1972 U.S. National Team that was famously robbed of the gold medal in the 1972 Summer Olympics.

Jon Teitel: You grew up in the Bronx and played for high school power DeWitt Clinton (alma mater of such NBA legends as Dolph Schayes and Nate Archibald). How big a deal was basketball at your high school?

Tom Henderson: It was a big deal. Ricky Sobers was also good but he did not go to school.

JT: You lost the 1968 PSAL title game to Boys High on a Dale Davis shot in the final seconds and the 1970 PSAL title game to Wingate by one. How frustrating was it to get so close and keep coming up short?

TH: Boys High was the largest school in the city and we were the second-largest. They had a great team but we were up by seven with under four minutes to play. Their baseball team showed up to our game with bats. The refs made a call and someone jumped out of the stands with a knife! We were up by 20 at halftime to Wingate...and then the bottom fell out in the second half. My high school coach was the best coach I ever had. He taught me all the fundamentals and made me appreciate defense.

JT: You started your college career at San Jacinto JC (where you averaged almost 30 points/game and were a two-time All-American) before transferring to Hawai'i. How were you able to be so dominant on the JC level, and why did you decide to go to Hawai'i?

TH: San Jacinto had some great players and I did not want to go to prep school for a year. I gained 25 pounds after three months of three good meals a day! We had great teams but could not get out of the regional in Texas. I looked at Long Beach State but Jerry Tarkanian was too open with the things he did. Hawai'i was great.

JT: In the 1972 Olympics you were the leading scorer for Team USA before the controversial one-point loss to the Soviet Union in the gold medal game. How devastating was that loss, and is that something that haunts you even today?

TH: When you are young you do not understand how politics are involved in basketball. As you get older you realize how these things come into play. I am at peace with it but we did not accept the silver medal because we felt that we were cheated. We had a 50-page protest after they took the ball out three times against us. It was devastating at the time but now I just roll with it. Our average age was 20 but our coach was 70, so we did not even understand a lot of his jokes. We had a hell of a team that mostly ended up being first round picks. We should have ran their asses back to Russia instead of passing the ball back and forth.

JT: In the 1974 NIT you scored a career-high 33 points in a loss to eventual champion Purdue. How were you able to play your best when it mattered the most?

TH: We beat them earlier that season in the Rainbow Classic, but they were a big team. I just took it upon myself to generate some offense but we could not stop them on defense.

JT: In the summer of 1974 you were drafted seventh overall by Atlanta (seven spots ahead of Maurice Lucas). Did you see that as a validation of your college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA, or other?

TH: It was a dream come true. You never know how far you can go. I was the first guard picked in the draft.

JT: In 1977 you lead the league with 87 games played (second-most ever by an NBA player) and finished with 598 assista (fourth-most in the NBA, ahead of great guards like Kevin Porter and John Lucas). How exhausted were you by the end of that season, and what is the secret to being a great point guard?

TH: It took me two and a half years to get adjusted to the pace of the NBA after playing only 30 games a year in college, but after that I was very durable and consistent. I was fortunate to not have any serious injuries or operations. The key to playing point guard is to just make the players around you better. I would work with Mitch Kupchak before games and once he got into the game he was ready. I tried to be like a coach on the court, move the ball around to whoever was hot, and keep everyone happy. When you watch an NBA game keep an eye on who wants the ball in the final minute. I wish more coaches would just let their players run.

1978 NBA Finals (with the Washington Bullets)

JT: In Game 3 you stole an inbounds pass from Dennis Johnson with 10 seconds left and scored to cut the Sonics' lead to one before Bob Dandridge missed a shot at the buzzer. How were you able to steal the ball from a Hall of Famer, and did you think Dandridge's shot was going in?

TH: I thought the shot was going in. We knew we were in a dogfight, so we were just hoping it would go seven games.

JT: DJ went 0-for-14 from the field in Game 7 as you won the title with the Bullets. What did it mean to you to win the title, and what was the reaction like when you got back to D.C.?

TH: The Kingdome had a record crowd of about 39,000...but since it holds 80,000 it was not as loud as you would think. We did not have a single bottle of champagne waiting in the locker room because nobody had faith that we would win the game. DJ was talking a lot of noise in the newspaper the day before. We scored in the final five seconds of each quarter and I knew that we were ready. It was great in D.C. because they had never won a title before. I had finally reached the top of my field and gotten over the hump, and to be the starting point guard was very important to me. We went to Sonics guard Freddie Brown's house at 2 AM and made him celebrate because we were friends and had made a pact.

1979 NBA Playoffs (with the Washington Bullets)

JT: In Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals Dandridge made the game-winning 16-foot jumper with eight seconds left and then Elvin Hayes got his seventh block of the night on a James Silas shot to clinch the series. Where does that rank among the most exciting finishes to a series that you have ever seen?

TH: We were down 3-1 in the series and came all the way back to win the final three games. George Gervin was tough but Silas was a monster. We would just keep hitting Gervin as he ran through picks: by the third quarter he stayed outside and took jump shots. I was a physical player but not a dirty player.

JT: In a rematch of the 1978 Finals the Sonics beat you in five games as DJ redeemed himself by being named Finals MVP. How hard is it to win back-to-back titles, and how frustrating was it to be injured during this series?

TH: I twisted my knee earlier that year so I was just dragging my leg by the time we got to the Finals. The Sonics changed things up when they got Lonnie Shelton, and it was just their turn.

1981 NBA Playoffs (with the Houston Rockets)

JT: Calvin Murphy (the shortest player in the league) scored 42 points in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals to upset the Spurs. How big a deal was it to beat your in-state rival, and was it just one of those scenarios where every shot Murphy put up seemed to go in because he was "in the zone"?

TH: Calvin was in the zone and they could not figure out how to stop him. He was one of the greatest scorers I have ever seen along with Pete Maravich and Rick Mount.

JT: In the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the Finals Larry Bird made his famous follow-up shot of his missed jumper by catching the ball in mid-air with his right hand, switching the ball to his left hand and flipping it into the basket. Was that the most unbelievable individual move you have ever seen?

TH: He made a good shot but in the NBA you see people make good shots every year. We should have left Boston up 2-0 instead of tied 1-1. They were worn down from playing Philly in the previous series and I think we might have been able to beat them, but they had a good team with a lot of talent.

JT: This was your third NBA Finals in a four-year span. What is the secret to winning games in the playoffs?

TH: The key is to get a game plan and then stick with it. There might be ten good point guards in the NBA right now. They are a dying breed. Deron Williams is a good point guard but he was a shooting guard in college. You have to control the tempo and dictate the pace of the game.

Henderson is also on Jon's list of the best pro players in WAC history. (editor's note: Hawai'i is now a member of the Big West, and Fresno State and Nevada are now in the Mountain West.)

Fresno State: Ron Anderson (1985)
Hawai'i: Tom Henderson (1975)
Idaho: Gus Johnson (1964)
Louisiana Tech: Karl Malone (1986)
Nevada: Ramon Sessions (2008)
New Mexico State: Sam Lacey (1971)
San Jose State: Darnell Hillman (1972)
Utah State: Nate Williams (1972)

Jon Teitel's "Forgotten Legends": FAU's Earnest Crumbley

Jon Teitel — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 17:48:01 -0400

In the most recent installment in his "Forgotten Legends" interview series, CHN writer Jon Teitel caught up with Florida Atlantic great Earnest Crumbley. Crumbley, who helped lead the Owls to their first-ever NCAA appearance in 2002, is still the school's all-time leader in points, assists, steals and made three-pointers.

Jon Teitel: Your coach at Florida Atlantic was Sidney Green, who was an All-American at UNLV before becoming a 10-year NBA veteran. What made him such a great coach, and what was the most important lesson you learned from him?

Earnest Crumbley: I liked his basketball background so I figured that I could learn a lot from him.

JT: During your sophomore season you went 14 straight games without missing a free throw. Did it reach a point where you expected to make every single free throw, and what is your secret for foul shooting?

EC: I just practiced a lot. I was always a gym rat. Repetition makes you feel comfortable and confidence is also important.

JT: What are your memories of the 2002 Atlantic Sun tournament title game (Robert Williams made a free throw with six seconds left to clinch a one-point win over Georgia State and the first conference title in school history)?

EC: It was one of the best times of my life, as we accomplished our goal of putting the school on the map by getting to the tourney.

JT: What are your memories of the 2002 NCAA tournament, the first in school history (Crumbley had 18 points and nine assists in an eight-point loss to 2-seed Alabama, who was led by Mo Williams' career-high 33 points)?

EC: The atmosphere was amazing. We did not play in a lot of packed houses coming from a small school, and most of the crowd was cheering for us as the underdog. We showed that we could compete with teams at the high-major level.

JT: In 2004 you scored a school-record 39 points against Campbell while making a school-record 11 three-pointers. Was it just one of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were "in the zone"?

EC: Once I started making a couple of shots and my teammates started to look for me, I just tried to keep being aggressive and get our team a win so we could get a conference tourney berth.

JT: You also hold the school record for career steals. How were you able to balance your offense and your defense?

EC: I was taught that defense always came first so you would not get in the game unless you played both ends of the court.

JT: You are still the leading scorer in school history. Did you realize at the time how prolific a player you were?

EC: I was never big on statistics. I just wanted to win games, play hard, and be respected as a player and student. I wish everyone chasing my records the best of luck.

JT: After graduating you played professionally in Mexico. What did you learn from the experience, and how did it compare to college basketball?

EC: Once you get out of college it is a different world, and playing in Mexico was a great experience. However college was one of the best times of my life, so being a pro cannot compare.

JT: Your dad Earnest Sr. is the coach at St. Petersburg College, and your brother Kory played at Bethune-Cookman and St. Petersburg. How big of an influence was your dad on your decision to play basketball, and who is the best player in the family?

EC: My dad always pushed us to do whatever we wanted to do but I gravitated to basketball because I was always in the gym with him. I consider myself the best player in the family but my dad was the best athlete because he played several different sports.

JT: You are currently an assistant coach at Redlands CC. How do you like the job, and what do you hope to do in the future?

EC: So far Redlands has been a blessing to me. We have been able to influence the lives of our players and I have been able to make contacts in a different area (as I am from FL). We have a lot of second-chance kids who we help to turn around in a positive direction. We even sent one of our guards to St. John's. I eventually hope to be a head coach at the Division I level.

Crumbley is also on Jon's list of best fantasy players in Sun Belt history.

Arkansas State: John Dickson (1967) 1891 PTS (#2), 1139 REB (#2), 62.5 FG% (#2), 2-time All-American, conference POY
AR Little Rock: Derek Fisher (1996) 1393 PTS (#3), 472 AST (#2), 184 STL (#2), All-American, conference POY
Denver: Harry Hollines (1968) 1879 PTS (#1), 2-time All-American
Florida Atlantic: Earnest Crumbley (2004) 1559 PTS (#1), 505 AST (#1), 181 STL (#1), 286 3PM (#1), 79.2 FT% (#3)
FIU: Dwight Stewart (1993) 2101 PTS (#1), 806 REB (#2), 264 AST (#2), 128 BLK (#1), 172 STL (#3)
Lafayette: Dwight "Bo" Lamar (1973) 3493 PTS (#1), 520 AST (#4), 3-time All-American, conference POY
UL Monroe: Calvin Natt (1979) 2581 PTS (#1), 1285 REB (#1), 57.4 FG% (#4), 3-time All-American, conference POY
Middle Tennessee State: Kerry Hammonds (1989) 1616 PTS (#3), 955 REB (#2)
North Texas: Kenneth Lyons (1983) 2291 PTS (#1), 1095 REB (#1), 2-time All-American
South Alabama: Jeff Hodge (1989) 2221 PTS (#1), 461 AST (#2), 223 STL (#2), All-American, conference POY
Troy: Anthony Reed (1990) 1875 PTS (#1), 913 REB (#3), 149 STL (#5), 57.9 FG% (#2), All-American
Western Kentucky: Jim McDaniels (1971) 2238 PTS (#1), 1118 REB (#4), 3-time All-American, 2-time conference POY

Jon Teitel's "Forgotten Legends": Northwestern State's John McConathy

Jon Teitel — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 00:23:38 -0400

In the most recent installment in his "Forgoteen Legends" interview series CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with Northwestern State great John McConathy. The McConathy family has become synonomous with Northwestern State over the year, and John was the one who got things rolling. McConathy is one of three All-American players in the history of the program, averaging 21.6 points per game in 1951.

Jon Teitel: After you hitchhiked 50 miles to the Northwestern State campus to try and join the team Coach Lee Prather said that he did not have a spot for you, but you hung around campus for a few days and eventually were given a scholarship on a day-to-day basis. Why was it so important for you to make the team, and were your parents worried when you did not return home that first night?

John McConathy: They were not worried because they knew I was going to campus to try and get into the school. My older brother was there on scholarship so I needed financial help as well. I was only 5-11, 165 pounds; I was a late-developer. They had offered a scholarship to someone else, but after the guy did not show up Coach Prather said he would give me an opportunity one day at a time due to my persistence. I did not play at all as a freshman but grew to 6-5, 200 pounds as a sophomore. I finally got to start halfway through my junior year and became all-conference as a senior. Coach Prather retired after my junior year and became the school's president.

JT: You played basketball and ran track in college. Which sport did you enjoy the most, and which one were you better at?

JM: I was a high-jumper who could get up to about 6-4, which was not too bad, but I enjoyed basketball the most.

JT: In 1951 you averaged 21.6 ppg and were named All-American. What did it mean to you to win such an outstanding individual honor?

JM: It was fantastic and a tremendous honor. I was only the second All-American in school history. I even got to play for Coach Adolph Rupp at the College All-Star game in Chicago.

JT: In 1951 you were drafted fifth overall by Syracuse. Did you see that as a validation of your college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA, or other?

JM: It was a dream come true. I was the only small-college player to get drafted that year. The money was not real great back then because the NBA had only been around for a few years at that point. I got around $6,000, while George Mikan made $25,000 and Bob Cousy made $15,000. I got to room with Hall of Famer Dolph Schayes at Syracuse.

JT: You only played 11 games in the NBA because you had to return home to National Guard meetings. What is your favorite memory from your time in the NBA?

JM: The Korean War was going on and my mother called me up and told me that I was AWOL! People would applaud when you dunked back then but now it seems like they dunk on every shot. My greatest thrill was when we played against Minneapolis with Mikan, Hall of Famer Jim Pollard, etc. Teams would put on pre-game exhibitions for the crowd, but I was a nervous rookie so I just dunked the ball several times.

JT: In 1960 as head coach at Bossier (Louisiana) High you set a state record with 41 wins, the last of which was a five-point win over De La Salle in the state title game. How big a deal was it to beat the three-time defending state champions, and what did it mean to you to win the title?

JM: De La Salle had won it several times: the New Orleans schools always had the best athletes. I was fortunate to coach there for six years as well as be the assistant principal. We had a fantastic team and good talent. It was a real shot in the arm for this area. They still write about it even today!

JT: Your son Mike was an All-American player at Louisiana Tech who scored over 2,000 career points and is the current coach at Northwestern State. What made him such a great scorer, and why did he decide to go into coaching?

JM: My two other boys also played basketball but Mike was a tremendous competitor. I will take a little credit for all three of them. I told them to devote the time it takes to become a good player. Mike had decided to go to Louisiana Tech and was later drafted by Chicago. I retired because Mike wanted to become a coach and I did not think it was fair for him to get a job while I was in the administration. He works with his kids to be the best they can on the court but also graduate and make a living. I have spent the past 25 years as chairman of a bank.

JT: Your brothers George and Leslie and grandchildren Michael and Logan also played at Northwestern State. How much is your family revered on campus, and do you hope the next generation follows in all of your footsteps?

JM: My older brother was the one who helped me get started there and George was a great all-conference player as well. It means a lot to us that Mike is there as coach. He has a lot of people pulling for him. My grandchildren were smaller point guards but were very knowledgeable. Logan ended up buying the house behind us so I get to see him every day.

JT: Your #14 jersey hangs in the rafters of the Prather Coliseum. Where does that rank among the highlights of your career?

JM: We have only had three All-Americans in school history so there were not a lot to pick from! I am proud of it.

JT: When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most?

JM: I was less than forthright but gave the best I had. I really paid a price to get to play and Coach Prather was extremely pleased with the way I developed.

John is also on Jon's list of best pro players in Southland history.

Central Arkansas: Scottie Pippen (1988)
Lamar: Clarence Kea (1981)
McNeese State: Joe Dumars (1986)
Nicholls State: Gerard King (1999)
Northwestern State: John McConathy (1952)
SE Louisiana: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
Sam Houston State: Frank Gates (1950)
Stephen F. Austin: James Silas (1973)
Texas A&M C.C.: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
Texas State: Jeff Foster (2000)
UT Arlington: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
UTSA: Devin Brown (2003)

Jon Teitel's "Forgotten Legends": UNCG's Kyle Hines

Jon Teitel — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 11:17:52 -0400

In the most recent installment in his "Forgotten Legends" interview series, CHN writer Jon Teitel caught up with UNCG great Kyle Hines. Hines is one of four players in the history of the Southern Conference to earn all-conference honors in each of his four seasons, and he remains the school's all-time leading scorer and rebounder.

Jon Teitel: As a freshman at UNCG you were named SoCon Freshman of the Year with a team-high 8.6 RPG, a conference-high 62.1 FG% (#7 in the nation), and a school-record 3.5 BPG (#4 in the nation). How were you able to come in as a freshman and be so successful so quickly?

Kyle Hines: I knew coming in that the college game was very different from high school. Even before I got to college I tried to prepare myself physically through weight training and different workouts that would help me get used to the faster pace of college basketball. I also owe a lot of my freshman success to coach Fran McCaffery. I feel that he gave me a lot of confidence by putting me in positions on the floor where he knew I could succeed.

JT: In 2005 Coach McCaffery left to coach at Siena and was replaced by Mike Dement. What was it like to go through a coaching change, and which coach did you enjoy playing for the most?

KH: Initially it was not easy because Coach McCaffery's move was very unexpected. We were coming off of a pretty successful season and I was looking forward to the following season. Coach Mac was one of the main reasons that I chose to attend UNCG, and after he left we all had a feeling of uncertainty about our future. After meeting Coach Dement those feelings of uncertainty quickly diminished, as he helped make the transition a lot easier than I expected. I enjoyed playing for both of them equally. Even though they had different coaching styles, they both helped me have success throughout my college career.

JT: In December 2005 you pulled down a career-high 21 rebounds against the College of Charleston. What is your secret for rebounding?

KH: My secret is positioning. Since I am shorter than most other post players I have to put myself in the best position possible in order to have an advantage on the boards.

JT: Later that month you scored 20 points at home in a loss to top-ranked Duke (led by 35 points from JJ Redick) before a school-record 21,124 people. What was it like to play the #1 team in the country on New Year's Eve, and could you tell at the time how good a player Redick would become?

KH: It was a memorable experience for many reasons. First, not many players have the opportunity to compete against the top team in the country. Secondly, it was the largest crowd that I had ever played in front of. To be able to showcase your talents in front of that many people was definitely a special event. That particular game also gave me a lot of confidence to know that I could play well against any team in the country. I always thought Redick would be a good NBA player because he is a great long-range shooter and there are not that many great shooters in the NBA. I also knew that he would have a good NBA career because he had a strong work ethic while at Duke, which I feel is one of the keys to having a successful career on any level.

JT: In 2006 you scored a career-high 38 points in a two-point overtime loss to Marshall (Markel Humphrey made two free throws with five seconds left in OT). Was it just one of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were "in the zone", and did you think that Ricky Hickman's three-pointer at the buzzer was going in?

KH: I just got in a really good rhythm from the start of that game. My teammates did a great job finding me, allowing me to get a lot of easy baskets early, and as the game went on the basket got bigger and bigger. I definitely felt like I was "in a zone". It felt like I was in my front driveway shooting the ball by myself. It was just one of those games where everything I did was right. I was certain that Ricky's shot was going in! Ricky is such a good player that I thought every shot he took was going in. He just happened to miss that one, but it was still a memorable game despite the loss.

JT: In 2007 you were named an All-American and became the first player in school history to be named conference POY. What did it mean to you to win such outstanding individual honors, and did you feel like you were one of the best players in the country?

KH: To be named an All-American was probably one of the greatest accomplishments of my college career. It was a dream to be named one of the top players in the nation, especially because coming into college I was not looked at as a highly-touted recruit. It was a sort of gratification that all my hard work was paying off. After that year I started to realize that I could compete and play with any of the top players in the nation, which gave me a new confidence entering my senior season.

JT: You are one of only four SoCon players ever to be named All-Conference four times. How were you able to continue to dominate throughout your career, and did you realize at the time how prolific a player you were?

KH: The SoCon has a very rich history. It is one of the oldest conference in the NCAA. Many great players have come out of the SoCon, so to be one out of only four to accomplish something is a great achievement. While I was in school I did not realize how prolific a player I was. Now that my college career is over and I look back I am starting to realize the magnitude of the things I accomplished, and I am amazed!

JT: You are one of only six college players with 2000+ points, 1000+ rebounds and 300+ blocks in their career (Alonzo Mourning, David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Pervis Ellison and Derrick Coleman, all of whom were top-2 NBA draft picks). What does it mean to you to be in such prestigious company, and how were you able to put up such numbers despite being only 6'6"?

KH: To be in the same company as all of these great players is truly an honor for me. Duncan, Robinson, and Mourning are three of the greatest NBA centers of all time, while Ellison and Coleman had great All-Star caliber careers. For me to be associated with this list of players is probably the biggest achievement of my career. I really do not know how I was able to put up such numbers despite only being 6'6". I have always been an undersized post player who always had to match-up against bigger guys. I just found ways to use my other attributes (quickness, strength, leaping ability, and length) to gain advantages over bigger and taller opponents.

JT: You played in Italy for two seasons, became German Championship Finals MVP in 2011, and won the Euroleague season championship in 2012. What did you learn from these experiences, and how does playing professionally in Europe compare to college basketball?

KH: The main thing I learned is how to be a professional and take full advantage of the opportunities that are given to you. I have had the privilege of playing with a lot of veterans that have had long successful careers over here, and they have taught me what it means to be a true professional athlete both on and off the court. The biggest difference between college and international basketball is the level of "basketball IQ" that many of the international players have. Many of the European players do not have the athletic ability that a lot of US college players have, but they are able to think the game through and make plays easier for themselves just by using their experience and basketball intelligence.

JT: Your father Reggie played in several NFL training camps, and your brother Tyler recently finished his basketball career at UMES. Do you credit at least some of your success to genetics, and who is the best athlete in the family?

KH: I credit a lot of my success to genetics. My family has a strong athletic background so I have been blessed with many athletic talents. I also credit my father's work ethic in athletics as something he passed down to both me and my brother. As a former athlete he knew what qualities were necessary to being successful. I am by far the best athlete in the family...but do not tell my dad that I said that because he still thinks he can beat me and my brother in everything!

Hines is also on Jon's list of best fantasy players in SoCon history.

Appalachian State: Donald Sims (2011) 2185 PTS (#1), 358 3PM (#1), 89.2 FT% (#1), conference POY
Charleston: Thaddeous Delaney (1997) 1564 PTS (#4), 1119 REB (#2), 203 BLK (#1), 54 FG%, All-American, conference POY
Chattanooga: Willie White (1984) 1972 PTS (#1), 197 STL (#2), 83.1 FT% (#3), conference POY
Citadel: Regan Truesdale (1985) 1661 PTS (#1), 688 REB (#5), All-American, 2-time conference POY
Davidson: Stephen Curry (2009) 2635 PTS (#1), 221 STL (#3), 414 3PM (#1), 41.2 3P% (#3), 87.6 FT% (#1), 2-time All-American, 2-time conference POY
Elon: Jesse Branson (1965) 2241 PTS (#1), 1969 REB (#1), 2-time All-American, conference POY
Furman: Frank Selvy (1954) 2538 PTS (#1), 3-time All-American, national POY
Georgia Southern: Chester Webb (1956) 2542 PTS (#1), 1685 REB (#1), 2-time All-American
UNC Greensboro: Kyle Hines (2008) 2147 PTS (#1), 1047 REB (#1), 185 STL (#3), 349 BLK (#1), 58.4 FG% (#4), All-American, conference POY
Samford: Steve Barker (1982) 1902 PTS (#2), 85 FT% (#1)
Western Carolina: Henry Logan (1968) 3290 PTS (#1), 1037 AST (#1), 221 STL (#1), 4-time All-American
Wofford: James "Daddy" Neal (1953) 2078 PTS (#4), 1521 REB (#1)

Jon Teitel's "Forgotten Legends": Lafayette's Tracy Tripucka

Jon Teitel — Tue, 22 May 2012 01:23:21 -0400

Recently CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with Lafayette great Tracy Tripucka, who is still the school's all-time leading scorer. Most basketball fans should be familiar with his younger brother Kelly, but Tracy was a three-time All-American who finished his collegiate career with 1,973 points.

Jon Teitel: Your dad Frank was an All-American QB at Notre Dame and later threw the first TD pass in the history of the AFL. What was it like to grow up as the son of a pro athlete, and did you ever consider going into football?

Tracy Tripucka: It was fun. The AFL had just been founded and my brother Mark and I were old enough to be ballboys and stand on the sideline for the games. I remember that DT Ernie Ladd from San Diego made a tackle near us one time. I had never seen such a large human being in my life. He was scary, especially to a skinny 11-year old! I was a little too thin to play football and really disliked like the monotony of the practices. Basketball practices (probably more than most sports) resemble actual games, and that was more fun.

JT: In 1969 you scored 37 points (16-22 FG) in your varsity debut in a win at Moravian. How were you able to come in and contribute from the start?

TT: Lafayette had been sort of on cruise control for several years before I got there. There was no real recruiting program and the talent level was below that of the other schools in our league. Coach Hal Wissel got the job in 1967 and began to recruit in earnest. My class had at least seven players who were better than the players that were already in the program, even the seniors. After we played together in freshman ball we were ready as a unit to play as sophomores and started to turn around the program.

JT: In 1969 you scored a career-high 41 points vs. Syracuse, and in 1975 your brother Todd scored a career-high 42 points vs. St. Joseph's. Was it just one of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were "in the zone", and what was it like to see your brother beat you out by a single point?

TT: I do not know if shooters get in a "zone" as much as the opponent gives you openings and your teammates find you in the right spot and are willing to share the ball. My brother Todd and I competed not as much on total points but more on my team against his team. I am convinced to this day that we had a better team, even though the teams that he was on played very well.

JT: What are your memories of the 1972 NIT (you scored a game-high 25 points and Jay Mottola made a free throw with three seconds left in a one-point upset win over nationally-ranked Virginia)?

TT: It was really "David vs. Goliath" when we played Virginia in the NIT. They had won the ACC regular season title but lost in the ACC tournament so they ended up in the NIT. As I remember we were not intimidated by them, although we probably should have been because they had some great players! The real story of the game was Mottola, who outplayed All-ACC guard Barry Parkhill and hit the winning free throw. In the next round we gave Jacksonville a little bit of a run, but they were just too big for us.

JT: You are still the all-time leading scorer in school history despite playing only three years on the varsity and playing before the three-point line was instituted. Did you realize at the time how prolific a player you were, and how untouchable do you think your scoring record would be if you had another year and to play and an arc to shoot behind?

TT: As I said before great shooters/scorers need to have teammates who are willing to find them, and I had that. Another year would have been nice but I would not have been a very good three-point shooter because I did not have the range for that. I shot mostly short jumpers inside the top of the circle. You do not see this "middle" game that much anymore in basketball. Everything is either a drive to the hoop or a kick-out for a three.

JT: In the summer of 1972 you were drafted in the seventh round by the Knicks, but after not making the team you went to play in Switzerland. Were you thrilled to realize your dream of getting drafted or disappointed that you got cut, and what did you learn from your time overseas?

TT: I knew with my size and position that I would not be drafted high but it was nice to at least be drafted. I spent two summers trying out and got to meet and play with guys like Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, Bill Bradley, and all the other greats from the 1970 and 1973 championship teams. That is an experience that I will never forget. Switzerland was great but I only stayed for one year. Looking back on it I should have stayed longer.

JT: In 1978 you got to coach your brother TK for Fordham in a loss to your brother Kelly's Notre Dame team at MSG. What was it like to have such a family reunion, and what are your memories of that night?

TT: That night was great. A coach and two brothers on opposite teams: it was fun. We actually had them nervous (especially in the first half), but their size and talent took over in the second half. We still talk about that game within the family. There was a great shot on the back cover of the NY Post with all three of us on the court and my parents watching. A friend gave me the photo, and I still have it.

JT: Kelly led Notre Dame in scoring during each of his four years there, was a two-time NBA All-Star, and was later named New Jersey Boy's Basketball Player of the Century. When could you 1st tell that he was going to be the best player in the family, and how proud are you of all his success?

TT: Kelly was bigger and stronger and a better athlete than any of us at comparable ages. When I was in college he was still in grade school but he used to play with us all the time, usually when we need another guy to fill in. He got a heck of a basketball education beginning at a very young age. As he grew bigger and stronger his fundamentals and game experience that began in grade school helped him immensely in developing as a player. He did very well and our whole family was very proud of him. We had an enormous amount of fun watching him play at Notre Dame and in the pros.

JT: After retiring you worked as an assistant coach at several schools (including Navy, Fordham, and Utah). Which school did you like the most, and how what effect did being a great player have on your ability to be a great coach?

TT: I think I enjoyed my time at Navy the most. The head coach there was a man named Dave Smalley. He was wonderful to work with and we became great friends even after our coaching days. He passed away in 2007 and they named the court at Navy after him. I was never a great coach because I did not have the necessary passion. I had the passion to become as good a player as I possibly could, but somehow I could never summon up the same passion for the game as a coach. When I realized this I knew it was time to try something else, so I did.

JT: You currently work as a VP at Kearny Federal Savings Bank. How do you like the job, and what do you hope to do in the future?

TT: I enjoy commercial lending very much. We lend money to small businesses, but as you know it has become a very difficult and challenging business in this environment. In terms of the future, retirement is gaining ground very rapidly. I would someday like to have grandkids who are interested in all sports (and basketball in particular) so that I can watch them develop and enjoy the game as much as I do.

Tracy is also on Jon's list of best players in Patriot League history.

American: Russell Bowers (1981) 2056 PTS (#1), 54.5 FG% (#4)
Army: Kevin Houston (1987) 2325 PTS (#1), 379 AST (#3), 126 STL (#2), 86.9 FT% (#2), 47.7 3P% (#1), 2-time All-American, conference POY
Bucknell: Mike Bright (1993) 1670 PTS (#3), 206 3PM (#3), 120 BLK (#3), 286 STL (#1), conference POY
Colgate: Adonal Foyle (1997) 1776 PTS (#2), 1103 REB (#1), 492 BLK (#1), 54.7 FG% (#2), 2-time All-American, 2-time conference POY
Holy Cross: Ron K. Perry (1980) 2524 PTS (#1), 88.5 FT% (#2), 4-time All-American, conference POY
Lafayette: Tracy Tripucka (1972) 1973 PTS (#1), 83.4 FT% (#5), 3-time All-American
Lehigh: Daren Queenan (1988) 2703 PTS (#1), 1013 REB (#1), All-American, conference POY
Navy: David Robinson (1987) 2669 PTS (#1), 1314 REB (#1), 516 BLK (#1), 160 STL (#3), 61.2 FG% (#1), 2-time All-American, 3-time conference POY, national POY

Jon Teitel's Forgotten Legends: Fairleigh Dickinson's Desi Wilson

Jon Teitel — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:02:30 -0400

Recently CHN writer Jon Teitel caught up with former Fairleigh Dickinson great Desi Wilson as part of his "Forgotten Legends" interview series. Wilson scored 1,902 points during his time at FDU and remains the school's all-time leading scorer. Wilson went on to play pro baseball in both the MLB and Japan before becoming a minor league hitting instructor.

Jon Teitel: In 1990 you led the conference with 22.3 points and 9.1 rebounds per game and was named conference POY. What did it mean to you to win such an outstanding individual honor?

Desi Wilson: It was hard work. I did not get a scholarship until the summer of 1987 because I was not highly recruited out of high school. I told them that I would be the hardest-working player they had ever seen, so I tried to prove myself to them every year.

JT: You remain the all-time leading scorer in school history. Did you realize at the time how prolific a player you were, and do you think that anyone will ever break your record?

DW: At the time I did not even think about that. I was just focused on trying to get to the NCAA tourney. I think someone will eventually come along and break my record; they are meant to be broken.

JT: You were drafted by the Red Sox in 1987, the Astros in 1989 (the final player selected that year), and the Rangers in the 1991 amateur baseball draft. Why did teams keep drafting you after seeing that you refused to sign, and why did you eventually decide to join Texas?

DW: I was drafted by the Red Sox out of high school but was not yet ready mentally. I wanted to be the first person in my family to go to college. It was kind of tough to play both sports together so I did not sign with the Astros because I wanted to keep playing basketball. I have no regrets about signing with Texas.

JT: You are 6'7". What effect did your size have on your success both on the field and on the court?

DW: The key was my athletic ability. I was blessed to have the talent to play both sports. Baseball was my first love and I took less of a pounding on the field than I did in the paint! In college we had to work out several times a week, so as basketball players we were in the best shape. In basketball there is contact for four quarters so you take a beating.

JT: Danny Ainge is one of the few people to play both pro baseball and basketball. Do you think we will ever see someone excel in both sports on the pro level?

DW: Bo Jackson succeeded at both football and baseball. It is not easy but I think that someone will eventually be able to do both. Baseball is a year-round sport. You always have to get stronger and learn how to play your position. It takes a special person to play at the pro level so it might not happen in the near future.

JT: In 1996 you played 41 games with the San Francisco Giants. What is your favorite memory from your time in the majors, and what was it like to have Barry Bonds as a teammate?

DW: To see my family, friends and coaches at Shea Stadium when we played against the Mets and realize that I finally made it to the big leagues was fantastic. If you persevere then good things will happen to you. Barry was one of the premier players in the game but just made it look so easy. His numbers are what they are because he was a very intelligent player who studied the pitchers, and he was also an excellent base runner.

JT: In 1998 you played in Japan for the Hanshin Tigers. What is the biggest difference between American baseball and Japanese baseball?

DW: It is the same game but the offseason is very different. Over here you just work on getting stronger, while in Japan they practice after every game and have two full months of spring training. Japanese players tend to break down more because of the larger workload they go through. In the US we keep our pitchers on pitch counts, but that is not so in Japan.

JT: In 2005 you had a 30-game hitting streak, batted .411 to set a Golden Baseball League record, and earned league MVP honors. What is your secret to being a great hitter?

DW: Just believing in myself and being a student of the game. You have to be mentally tough no matter what league you are playing in. I was in good shape and was focused with a good approach, so the game slowed down for me and I knew how the pitchers were trying to pitch to me. My many years of work gave me confidence.

JT: After retiring as a player you became a minor league hitting coach. How do you like the job, and what do you hope to do in the future?

DW: I love my job. I get to help young players try to succeed and prepare them for playing the game. There are no shortcuts. You have to follow a routine even if you do not get a hit every day.

JT: When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most?

DW: I want to be remembered as a hard-working guy who made himself into the person I still am today. I want to get to the big leagues as a hitting coach but it will take hard work. I am currently helping out the Korean baseball team in Florida. There is no off-season for me yet!

Wilson is also on Jon's list of best fantasy players in NEC history.

Bryant: John Williams (2006) 1754 PTS (#4), 323 3PM (#1), conference POY
Central Connecticut State: Rich Leonard (1984) 1697 PTS (#4), 1001 REB (#5), 329 AST (#5), 256 STL (#2)
Fairleigh Dickinson: Desi Wilson (1991) 1902 PTS (#1), 780 REB (#5), 176 STL (#2), conference POY
Long Island: Robert Cole (1983) 1800 PTS (#2), 610 AST (#1), 274 STL (#1)
Monmouth: Ron Kornegay (1969) 2526 PTS (#1), 2-time All-American
Mount St. Mary's: Jack Sullivan (1957) 2672 PTS (#1), 1216 REB (#3)
Quinnipiac: Frank Vieira (1957) 2649 PTS (#1)
Robert Morris: Jeremy Chappell (2009) 1875 PTS (#3), 681 REB (#4), 266 STL (#4), 243 3PM (#1), conference POY
Sacred Heart: Darrin Robinson (1993) 2402 PTS (#2), 219 3PM (#2), 43.4 3P% (#2), 2-time All-American, conference POY
St. Francis (NY): Darrwin Purdie (1989) 1613 PTS (#1), 748 REB (#2)
Saint Francis (PA): Maurice Stokes (1955) 2282 PTS (#2), 1819 REB (#1), All-American, NIT MVP
Wagner: Terrance Bailey (1987) 2591 PTS (#1), All-American, conference POY

Jon Teitel's Forgotten Legends: Colorado State's Pat Durham

Jon Teitel — Fri, 04 May 2012 23:25:14 -0400

In the latest installment in his "Forgotten Legends" interview series, CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with Colorado State great Pat Durham. By the time Durham left Fort Collins he was the program's all-time leader in both points and rebounds, marks he still holds to this day.

Jon Teitel: Colorado State head coach Boyd Grant liked to wear a fedora. What was he like to play for, and how did you like his ensemble?

Pat Durham: He usually wore slacks with the fedora but he was a very Bear Bryant-looking character, so it was both intimidating and funny at times.

JT: What are your memories of the 1988 NIT (CSU reached the semifinals before a two-point loss to Ohio State, then had a one win over Boston College in the third place game)?

PD: It was an incredible time for me and the university. The school had been absent from any postseason tournament for 20 years, so the excitement around the campus was just crazy. To this day I am still a little disappointed about the final results because we lost to Ohio State on a bad call in the final moments.

I felt that we should have won it all and I really wanted a piece of Connecticut and Cliff Robinson. As a competitor, you want to go head-to-head with other guys that are supposed to be better (according to the media or whatever). It is how you prove your talents.

JT: As a senior you served as national spokesman for the NCAA. How did you enjoy the gig?

PD: It was a great honor and great to have that kind of exposure on a national level, both for me and the university.

1989 NCAA tournament

JT: You scored 16 points in a win over Florida. What was the reaction like back on campus, and how far did you think your team could go?

PD: We felt as a team that we were robbed of an opportunity the year before because of Eric Leckner (who made a 19-foot fadeaway jumper at the buzzer to give Wyoming a two-point win in the WAC tournament semifinals). As a unit we felt that the NCAA tournament was the place where we belonged, and after being chosen for the tournament we also felt that we were one of the most underrated teams in the tournament so we definitely had a chip on our shoulders. We had a group of guys that just had no fear of any team. We were good defensively and believed that gave us an opportunity whenever we took the floor.

Getting SEC champion Florida was just what we needed to prove to the country that CSU was a legitimate team that could play and beat anyone, and we went about proving that in the first round. We had great fans that traveled to Dallas to watch us. Their support was just amazing.

It was also pretty cool for me to be back home playing in the tournament because my family and friends had a chance to watch the skinny kid they had seen before who some would say could not walk and chew bubble gum at the same time! When it came to basketball and leading a major university to the tournament with a national ranking, it was just awesome. The experience of playing on that level definitely fueled my confidence.

JT: In the second round you lost to Syracuse after Derrick Coleman returned from a back injury to score 12 points. Could you tell at the time that Coleman was going to become a star, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterwards?

PD: Syracuse was a different story because at the end of the day they just had overwhelming talent. We really believed as a team that we could go as far as the Final Four, and I still feel that if we would not have gotten a team as loaded with talent as Syracuse that we would have stood a better chance of advancing.

DC was an incredible player. It did not take a rocket scientist to figure out that he would be great! That entire team was immensely talented but you could tell that DC was cut from different stock. You are ALWAYS disappointed when you lose, but I think that every one of our players could look each other in the eye and know that we had given our best and that our best was just not as good as theirs.

We understood that we had just gone to battle with a superior team. My dad once told me, "Son, it is okay to be proud, but in your pride do not be stupid!" You always want to think of you and your teammates as being the best, but I do not think you can at times ignore reality.

As far as the feeling in the locker room, there was still a feeling of great accomplishment for that team. On a fishing trip with Boyd a few summers ago in Utah, he brought to my attention that our 1988 team won more games than any other team in school history. Boyd does not forget anything, but when you reflect on those things you realize that you accomplished some good things.

JT: You were a three-time first team All-WAC performer (Colorado State was a member of the WAC at the time). How were you able to dominate throughout your college career?

PD: I have no idea. You look at the WAC and it is fair to say that the conference produced some great talent at that time. For me to compete in that era was great because it brought out the best in me. I believe that the traits I had as a player in terms of my work ethic and competitive drive definitely helped my cause. I was a guy that always wanted to win. It did not matter whether it was basketball or checkers: I just loved to compete and win.

A secret about me that not many people know or understand is that I never loved basketball. I am not a fan and did not even start playing basketball until I was about 15 years old, so I was a very late bloomer (so to speak). It was never the love of my life, but I found out that I could be good at it and what I loved more than anything was competition. Basketball gave me the chance to compete day in and day out.

I wish I had loved the game more but in some ways it gave me the ability to look at the game more objectively. I think because of that I never cared about statistics, and I think most guys who played with me would tell you that I played the game the right way.

JT: You are still the all-time leading scorer and rebounder in school history. Did you realize at the time how prolific a player you were?

PD: The great thing about that is that at the time I really did not understand what it all meant. It is only now that I begin to realize that leaving that kind of legacy is something I can be proud of; it is a great accomplishment. My kids are getting to the age where they are interested in basketball, and to be able to look in the books and have your name mentioned with some of the greats in school history is very humbling.

JT: In the summer of 1989 you were drafted in the second round by Dallas (one spot ahead of Cliff Robinson). Were you thrilled to realize your dream of making it to the NBA or disappointed that you did not get selected earlier?

PD: Both I guess. I felt like I could have gone higher in the draft, but just to be selected given my pedigree at that time was special. Neither CSU nor the WAC were a hotbed for NBA talent, so in some respects I felt like I had to be a little better than guys who were at more high-profile schools.

JT: You averaged five points per game during your two-year NBA career. How satisfied are you with your career, and how do you want people to remember you the most?

PD: I am not satisfied because I felt that if I could have had more time then my talent would have been able to shine through a little more. However, I had some wonderful opportunities in the NBA and it was a great experience. My career was definitely hampered by the lockout. I chose to go back to Europe instead of waiting around for the lockout to end, and I think it definitely hurt the amount of time that I probably could have played.

JT: You played professionally in Europe from 1996-2007. What did you learn from this experience, and how did it compare to the NBA?

PD: It was a wonderful experience because it allowed me to open my mind. I think that I became more of a well-adjusted person for that experience, and I also met my wife in France! Today we have four boys together who I hope will have the desire to become players one day. Playing in Europe made me well-rounded because much more is asked of you and the teams put a lot of pressure on the foreign players; plus it is much more of a team game.

Now you see European players coming here and the NBA having a better appreciation for the skill set of the Euro players, so you are kind of seeing the evolution of the game in terms of that style of play becoming more accepted by the NBA. In Europe we went into games knowing that getting a win did not require a 100% effort each and every night. In the NBA the talent level is there night in and night out, so you have a different mental preparation.

JT: You are co-founder of Archiva Sports. What kind of work does the company do, and what has your company accomplished so far?

PD: Archiva is a unique company in that we were the first company to work with professional agents and move their video to what is now known as "the cloud", and from there give them the ability to move content anywhere in the world within minutes. When we started this was all a very new concept and we had to twist some arms just to get them to try it. Now it is much more prevalent but at the time we were the trendsetters in the industry.

We have extended our market into high schools and are currently working on making Archiva the largest database of HS video available. We allow schools, agents, and players, to put their video into a cloud environment and give third-party users access to that content via email.

Durham is also on Jon's list of best players in Mountain West history:

Air Force: Raymond Dudley (1990) 2178 PTS (#1), 148 STL (#3), 285 3PM (#1), 39.6 3PM (#5), 2-time All-American
Boise State: Chris Childs (1989) 1602 PTS (#5), 392 AST (#3), 215 STL (#1), 42.2 3P% (#4), 81.8 FT% (#1), conference POY
Colorado State: Pat Durham (1989) 1980 PTS (#1), 851 REB (#1), 109 STL (#5), 171 BLK (#3)
New Mexico: Kenny Thomas (1999) 1931 PTS (#2), 1032 REB (#1), 239 BLK (#2), All-American
San Diego State: Michael Cage (1984) 1846 PTS (#2), 1317 REB (#1), 54.8 FG% (#5), 118 BLK (#2), 2-time All-American, 2-time conference POY
TCU: Corey Santee (2005) 1832 PTS (#2), 575 AST (#1), 155 STL (#2), 243 3PM (#1)
UNLV: Stacey Augmon (1991) 2011 PTS (#3), 1005 REB (#3), 275 STL (#1), 41.9 3P% (#3), All-American, conference POY, 3-time defensive POY
Wyoming: Fennis Dembo (1988) 2311 PTS (#1), 954 REB (#3), 410 AST (#4), 176 STL (#2), 143 3PM (#5), All-American, conference POY