By Paul Gotham
Let’s see who can do this without research.
The National Basketball Association by way of St. Lawrence County, New York – that is a short list. I am on that list. I do not know if anyone else is on that list, but I am on it. Here is an even shorter (if it can get any shorter) list – guys from St. Lawrence County, New York who have played in a NCAA Men’s D1 Final Four game and then gone on to the N.B.A.. Yeah, I started my college career at Maine, but I transferred after two years. I transferred to a school that earned a No.1 seed. We were bounced in the Elite Eight that year. Many have blamed our center who never lived up to his three Player-Of-The-Year awards. The next year, we advanced to the Final Four. My playing career in the Association was not much, but I did play on a champion. Few will remember, but I did play. In the playoffs, I got in 54 minutes and scored 19 points. Later, one of my teammates hired me as a coach. I am probably better known for time on the bench. I served as an assistant under Bill Fitch and Chuck Daly before getting my first head coaching gig. So far, I have coached teams to over 360 wins. The list is shorter now. A guy from St. Lawrence County, New York who played in the Final Four, won a NBA title, and is a head coach in the NBA.
Who am I?
Jeff Jones from UVA?
Great guess, but there is a better answer.
Doug – without research?
oh shoot! haha I didn’t see that asterisk… No I did heavy research haha
I can not think of ANYBODY from North Country, NY who fits that bill. UVA guy from McQuaid (Sheehey). vanGundy played in NBA, but doesn’t fit the rest. WOW! I’l have to research. I concede.
Give it time Pete. Let it sink in.
Not even a name I know. Never heard of him as a NYS athlete and do not follow the NBA enough to know his name as a coach. Good one! Tougher than naming a thoroughbred race horse – LOL!
Sheehey was a good connection although he has not coached yet. I think he only recently gave up playing overseas.
That was a helluva UVA team back then. It’s either the other Jeff … Jeff Lamp or Ricky Stokes. Any luck?
You have narrowed the list.
Stokes then.
No, I meant you narrowed the list by two. Neither of those guys are from St. Lawrence County.
I’m done then … I’d have to “cheat” and research it. Good mind-bender, Casey.
Here’s a small world story:
Lowe helps RIT win OT thriller (Basketball)
February 9th, 2010
Marcus Lowe of Anchorage was at his playmaking best tonight in helping Rochester Institute of Technology outlast Empire 8 rival Nazareth in an overtime thriller.
Lowe, of Service High fame, dished off a team-best six assists in an 89-87 victory. He added four points and three rebounds.
Better yet, the 5-foot-8 sophomore guard didn’t have a single turnover in 32 minutes, including all five minutes of OT.
The game featured a fantastic finish as Nazarene drilled a 3-pointer with three seconds left in regulation to force OT and RIT won it with a layup with six seconds left in the extra session.
The NCAA Division III Tigers of New York improved to 9-11 overall with five regular-season games left before the Emprie 8 Tournament.
Rick Carlisle? That is only guy I can think of..
Smitty – without research?
Carlisle is the correct answer. Flag on the play.
Rick Carlisle is the correct answer. Carlisle grew up in Lisbon, New York and attended high school there. His father’s law office was located on New York Avenue in Ogdensburg, New York – a stone’s throw from my grandmother’s house. I’m not going to lie. I often hoped I would see him out and about in town, but had no such luck.
Carlisle averaged 11 points and just under three rebounds for those Virginia Cavalier teams. He was drafted by the Celtics and played on the ’85-’86 team that won the title.
Carlisle is currently the coach of the Mavericks. He coached the Pacers for a while when Larry Bird was the President of basketball operations.
Carlisle (co) CAPTAINED the UVA team that went to Final Four (without Sampson). Oh ,the North Country – full of surprises. Too bad you did not meet him on the streets – you never know what might develop. I have a friend who lives in Columbus, IN and he ended up going to the AFC Championship game with NASCAR’s Tony Stewart. I do believe that’s Wally’s dream date!
I remember the Final Four game when the graphic came across the screen: Rick Carlisle / Ogdensburg, NY. I had no idea until then.