Villanova's Arizin Was Rags-To-Riches Story
Paul Arizin was one of basketball's most important pioneers
Dec. 14, 2006
By Bryan Armen Graham
CSTV.com
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BRYAN GRAHAM
Bryan is a basketball editor for CSTV.com and contributes on a regular weekly basis. |
The Game lost one of its most celebrated pioneers Tuesday night when Paul Arizin -- perhaps the greatest cager to wear a Villanova uniform and one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History -- passed away in his sleep at his suburban Philadelphia home. He was 78.
"Paul Arizin was the most dignified, classy and humble legend I've ever met," Wildcats coach Jay Wright said in a statement Wednesday. "He is adored and respected by anyone who has touched Villanova basketball. I'll always remember his undying support of our staff and players. He was a remarkable man who has left behind an unparalleled legacy and a beautiful family."
The asthmatic South Philadelphia native would have played for the team at La Salle College High School -- had the rail-thin youngster been good enough to stick with the club during his senior year. Legendary Catholic League coach Obie O'Brien famously cut the cowlicked scrapper from St. Monica's Parish several games into the season.
After playing in a number of intramural and church leagues, Arizin served in the Marine Corps during World War II before enrolling at Villanova as a chemistry major in 1946. Local legend follows that `Nova coach Al Severance discovered Arizin shooting in the university's field house.
The freelancer was invited to join the team as a sophomore and made an immediate impact with his fluid play and daring jump shot -- no small innovation in an era of two-handed set shots and deliberate, slow-down offenses.
"It came by accident," Arizin would recall many years later in an interview with The Christian Science Monitior. "Some of our games were played on dance floors. It became quite slippery. When I tried to hook, my feet would go out from under me, so I jumped. I was always a good jumper. My feet weren't on the floor, so I didn't have to worry about slipping. The more I did it, the better I became. Before I knew it, practically all of my shots were jump shots."
The 6-foot-4 forward poured in 85 points in a game against the Naval Air Material Center on Feb. 12, 1949 -- a Philadelphia-area collegiate record that stands to this day.
The hometown Warriors made Arizin the first overall pick in the NBA Draft and "Pitchin' Paul" remained in Philly for the duration of his NBA career. He made the All-Star team in each of his 10 seasons with the club, collecting a pair of scoring titles and sparked the franchise to its second NBA championship in 1956. Arizin's teammates during his decade-long tenure included Wilt Chamberlain, Joe Fulks, Tom Gola and Guy Rodgers.
His No. 11 jersey was raised to the DuPont Pavilion rafters in 1994.
Dean Smith has eschewed the spotlight since his retirement in October 1997.
But as Texas Tech coach Bob Knight creeps closer toward Smith's record for Division I coaching victories, the legendary North Carolina patriarch finds himself the subject of national attention.
During a rare press conference Friday afternoon, the gracious Smith expressed his admiration for the longtime Indiana coach and his willingness to pass along the hallowed mark.
"I'm not going to cry about that," Smith said.
Knight nabbed victory No. 877 on Saturday as the Red Raiders dispensed of Centenary, 98-64. The win broke his tie with Kentucky's Adolph Rupp for second place on the all-time list.
"The General" could break Smith's record as soon as Dec. 28, when his side hosts Nevada-Las Vegas in
Trivia Bag
Name two of the four teams in Division I which don't have a single player averaging double figures in scoring. (Answer below.)
Dragon Warriors
Longtime
But after scoring victories over the Hawks and Wildcats on consecutive Saturdays, the Dragons are staking a legitimate claim for the title of best team in the city.
Saturday night on the Main Line, the Dragons secured their first victory over Villanova in a series that has spanned 18 games over four generations. Bronx native and St. Raymond's product Frank Elegar posted his second double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 boards in the 81-76 victory at the Ski Lodge.
With the win, Drexel has defeated two Big 5 opponents in the same season for the first time since 1975-76.
"We don't get the respect that everybody else does," Drexel coach James "Bruiser" Flint told the Philadelphia Inquirer regarding his side's perceived second-class citizenship within the city's celebrated hoops tradition. "You have to get a couple victories to get people to look at you."
Drexel (6-2) has sprinted to the program's best start since the 1995-96 season, when the Malik Rose-led Dragons started with 12 wins in their first 14 games on their way to the NCAA tournament.
The Brady Bunch
Speaking of the Philly hoops thing, one of Phil Martelli's brightest disciples is thriving a few hours north of Hawk Hill in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Just two seasons and change into his head coaching career, Marist coach Matt Brady has assembled a contender from a team that won just six games the year prior to his arrival.
The Red Foxes rolled past Saint Peter's on Sunday afternoon in Jersey City to improve to 8-2 overall -- and 2-0 in the Metro Atlantic for the first time since the 2001-02 season. For the second straight week, the Catholic school appeared in CSTV.com's Cindex with a three-slipper ranking.
"The longer you're in coaching, the more you learn," said Brady of his apprenticeship on City Line Avenue. "I learned a lot -- not just being around a good coach but being around a lot of good coaches in the Atlantic 10 and being exposed to so many different styles of play in that league."
Point guard par excellence Jared Jordan is the straw that stirs the drink for the Red Foxes. The 6-foot-2 senior is leading the nation in assists for the second straight season with 8.2 per outing.
"He's a throwback kind of point guard that every kid should watch," Brady said. "He's a great college point guard."
Trivia Answer
The leading scorers on Bucknell (Donald Brown, 9.4 points), Prairie View A&M (Ivory McGilvery, 9.3), Princeton (Kyle Koncz, 9.7) and TCU (Kevin Langford, 9.3) are each averaging less than 10.0 points on the year.
Milli-Grahams
· Kansas State blue chip Bill Walker is poised to make his much-anticipated collegiate debut Sunday when Kennesaw State comes to Manhattan. The heralded 6-foot-6 swingman graduated from high school ahead of schedule and enrolled at State in October after administrators had determined that his prep eligibility had been exhausted. Playing alongside future Southern California point guard O.J. Mayo, the explosive
· If only they could play them all at home: Missouri dropped its first decision Saturday on the road against Purdue after winning its first nine -- all at Mizzou Arena.
· Just eight of the 336 teams in Division I woke up Thursday morning with unblemished records: Clemson (10-0),
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