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Post by hchoops on Jul 14, 2017 7:26:37 GMT -5
Let's list the best HC backcourts each of us has seen.(Cousy-Laska and anyone else Cooz played with would have to be No. 1) My favorites, in order: 1-Blaney-Shea 2-RP jr-Bobby Kelly 3-Wendelken-Joe Kelly 4-Jave-Kham 5-Pernell-Williams 6-Breslin-Walker
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Post by sarasota on Jul 14, 2017 7:31:32 GMT -5
blaney-shea
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Post by rgs318 on Jul 14, 2017 7:33:32 GMT -5
What about Simmons and Thomas?
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Post by hchoops on Jul 14, 2017 7:39:03 GMT -5
Keith played more of a 3-small forward- especially the 3 seasons he played with Kham at the 2.
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Post by lou on Jul 14, 2017 7:49:30 GMT -5
Wendy among the best of the best
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Jul 14, 2017 8:23:47 GMT -5
I'd have to go with RP Junior and whoever was with him at the time in the backcourt
I never saw the Blaney-Shea backcourt but really wish I had--the two must have been great
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Post by hchoops on Jul 14, 2017 8:38:20 GMT -5
I'd have to go with RP Junior and whoever was with him at the time in the backcourt I never saw the Blaney-Shea backcourt but really wish I had--the two must have been great RP jr played with Bobby Kelly for two seasons. Kelly was the classic pass first point, one of HC's best who transferred to St John's. Another good point Perry played with was Kevin McAuley for Perry's freshman year.
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Jul 14, 2017 9:57:52 GMT -5
Kevin McAuley was a fan favorite as I recall. I believe he was a double Holy Cross guy, having gone to Holy Cross High School.
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Post by hchoops on Jul 14, 2017 10:04:42 GMT -5
Kevin McAuley was a fan favorite as I recall. I believe he was a double Holy Cross guy, having gone to Holy Cross High School. Correct
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Post by dadominate on Jul 14, 2017 10:06:09 GMT -5
any comments on the games of wendelken/kelly for those of us who weren't watching (or alive) back then?
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Post by rgs318 on Jul 14, 2017 10:10:00 GMT -5
Wendy was great to watch. He had a clear picture of the court and players at all times. He made even good defenders look like they were not much of a challenge. And, do not overlook his contributions to the baseball team.
He would bean outstanding point guard today, but IIRC he did not have a strong outside shot.
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Post by hchoops on Jul 14, 2017 10:22:20 GMT -5
any comments on the games of wendelken/kelly for those of us who weren't watching (or alive) back then? Joe Kelly was the classic pass first point guard, plus a tenacious defender. If steals had been kept, he would have had a ton. Not that my game as a freshman means much, but I hated to have to bring the ball up vs Joe when we scrimmaged. He would steal it in multiple ways. just checked his stats-started all 3 years, averaged 9 ppg, inc 9 during Jack the Shot's senior year (and Joe's soph campaign,)when he averaged 33 ppg., Kelly shot 46% from the field, 78 from the line Wendy was a complete guard: fine shooter, driver, passer, defender. An unusual right side of the head arm extended outward but quick release, and very accurate. Averaged 19.5 in three years, 8th best average in HC history.. shot 45%. in a classic three half scrimmage vs the Syracuse backcourt of Dave Bing and Boeheim, Kelly and Wendy held their own.
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Post by Non Alum Dave on Jul 14, 2017 10:55:02 GMT -5
Jave with Brian Wilson wasn't bad either.
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Post by hc89 on Jul 14, 2017 15:02:21 GMT -5
McCaffrey-Reale were fun to watch.
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Post by another65er on Jul 15, 2017 19:06:34 GMT -5
John Wendelken was an outstanding outside shooter who spent an incredible amount of time on his own, working on his jump shot. He spent a lot of time shooting in low or no light in the fieldhouse. Apart from his basketball and baseball skills, he was a terrific individual. I was his corridor mate in our last two years and he was always kind, thoughtful and quiet. A true gentlemen of whom Holy Cross can be more than justifiably proud. He also had an encyclopedic knowledge of oldies. He could identify the B side on most any rock song you could name. That alone made him an all-time great.
If his teammate and classmate Lloyd Hinchey had not suffered an ACL injury, they may have eclipsed any other backcourts. Lloyd was also an excellent infielder and another gentleman.
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Post by rgs318 on Jul 15, 2017 19:14:15 GMT -5
John Wendelken was an outstanding outside shooter who spent an incredible amount of time on his own, working on his jump shot. He spent a lot of time shooting in low or no light in the fieldhouse. Apart from his basketball and baseball skills, he was a terrific individual. I was his corridor mate in our last two years and he was always king, thoughtful and quiet. A true gentlemen of whom Holy Cross can be more than justifiably proud. He also had an encyclopedic knowledge of oldies. He could identify the B side on most any rock song you could name. That alone made him an all-time great. If his teammate and classmate Lloyd Hinchey had not suffered an ACL injury, they may have eclipsed any othe backcourts. Lloyd was also an excellent infielder and another gentleman. Well said...and all true IMHO. In the pre-three point shot era, I was not sure he had that sort of long range eye. I remember his jump shots well, but honestly could not tell you how far he was outside when he took them.
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Post by hchoops on Jul 15, 2017 19:14:45 GMT -5
Totally agree on all counts Well,said
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Post by Xmassader on Jul 16, 2017 7:05:48 GMT -5
John was an "informal" RA on Wheeler 2 in '66-'67, probably his second year of grad school. I echo the previous comments---a quiet gentleman and first class guy. It was only through our RAs (hchoops' classmates and seniors) that we (freshmen) learned of John's career at HC.
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Post by sader1970 on Jul 16, 2017 7:12:57 GMT -5
Am I mis-remembering or did Wendelken do color commentary after he graduated on WCHC or perhaps the local radio? I never saw him play but thought I recalled hearing him on the radio that he was a recent past HC basketball great.
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Post by hchoops on Jul 16, 2017 7:24:57 GMT -5
Possible, but unlikely considering his quiet and reserved personality
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Post by another65er on Jul 16, 2017 14:31:48 GMT -5
John was draft ed by the old Baltimore Bullets and went to their preseason camp. After drills the first two days, the players scrimmaged and he lit the place up both days scoring well over 30 in each regulation length game. On the second dfay, he went out to his car and saw a parking ticket on the windshield. John took the ticket inside and asked Bib Ferry the Bullets' GM what to do with the ticket. Ferry responded (this may sound harsher than it actually was), "Don't worry about it. You won 't be here after tomorrow." The difficulty of making the NBA hitting you squarely in the face.
After that John played in the New England Basketball League for Christy Drygas and was the leading scorer in the league. I was working in the newspaper business in Danbury, CT in 1968 or '69 and Christy played a Sunday afternoon game in the Danbury War Memorial. John pumped in more than 40 that afternoon against a team from Bridgeport. Why they were playing in Danbury remains a mystery to me.
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Post by hchoops on Jul 16, 2017 14:35:02 GMT -5
Thanks for the story. RPJr had a similar experience with Bill Fitch when he tried out with the Celtics.
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Post by timholycross on Jul 17, 2017 12:15:33 GMT -5
Thanks for the story. RPJr had a similar experience with Bill Fitch when he tried out with the Celtics. RP Jr.did last until the last day or two along with Rufus Harris (from my other alma mater, Framingham South)...everyone else was long gone. They kept this guy instead...and his very brief career ended in January, when they picked up a veteran. www.celticslife.com/2010/03/what-hell-happened-towayne-kreklow.htmlI knew Ronnie was a goner when I went to the final exhibition game at MSG and, along with the Rufe, he never took his sweats off. I don't think Kreklow played either, he was pretty much the kind of guy Red would keep over the local guy (so he wouldn't get bugged by the fans or the press for not playing the guy). I was told by someone who knew RPJr that at least one knee was bone-on-bone due to the cartilage tear(s) he suffered between junior and senior years*...Fitch did him a favor by "helping" him choose baseball as a career. In fact, he had to give up baseball because of that. *can't remember if he had it surgically repaired and came back too soon, or just played with it. In either case, always wondered if he screwed himself out of a major league career.
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Post by Tom on Jul 17, 2017 13:36:17 GMT -5
Thanks for the story. RPJr had a similar experience with Bill Fitch when he tried out with the Celtics. RP Jr.did last until the last day or two along with Rufus Harris (from my other alma mater, Framingham South)...everyone else was long gone. They kept this guy instead...and his very brief career ended in January, when they picked up a veteran. www.celticslife.com/2010/03/what-hell-happened-towayne-kreklow.htmlI knew Ronnie was a goner when I went to the final exhibition game at MSG and, along with the Rufe, he never took his sweats off. I don't think Kreklow played either, he was pretty much the kind of guy Red would keep over the local guy (so he wouldn't get bugged by the fans or the press for not playing the guy). I was told by someone who knew RPJr that at least one knee was bone-on-bone due to the cartilage tear(s) he suffered between junior and senior years*...Fitch did him a favor by "helping" him choose baseball as a career. In fact, he had to give up baseball because of that. *can't remember if he had it surgically repaired and came back too soon, or just played with it. In either case, always wondered if he screwed himself out of a major league career. I have it in the back of my mind that there was some contract stuff going on with Tiny Archibald and that Perry was kept a little longer as an insurance policy against a potentially sudden Archibald departure. I have no corroboration, just my memory of 35 year old rumors Tough timing for Perry with the Celtics. Coming to a team coming off the best record who also did a 2 for 1 with a draft pick so Parish and McHale were coming at the same time. If the Celts kept the #1 pick (Joe Barry Carroll) or Perry got drafted by a crappy team, he might have made an NBA roster
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