ADVERTISEMENT

UR`s greatest centers/big men

Gallipoli

Gallipoli

Graduate Assistant
Aug 20, 2017
4,694
2,404
113
The Doghouse
The list of UR`s best big men would have to include Bill Flye. He was a leader and a consummate role player. I would include

Mike Winiecki
Bill Flye
TJ Cline
Grant Golden
Jeff Pehl
Joe Bryant
Terry Allen
Ross Geriot
Jason McKinney
Peter Woolfolk
Bob MCurdy
Jim Shields
Steve Kratzer
Herb Hash
Rick Edwards
George Atwell
Eric Poole
Wilton Ford
Theryl Willis
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: UR80sfan
I think you have to include Terry Allen on this. What he was able to do (with at times so little around him) was remarkable.
 
Those of us from the 70s must add Bob McCurdy, scoring champion and Peter Woolfolk
at 6’5” who was David Robinson’s worst nightmare.
 
Jim Shields was a CAA tournament MVP. We don't have too many conference MVP's in our history.

But I knew Jim, and I don't think he would put himself on this list. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: mojo-spider
Gallipoli said:
Was Woolfolk more of a Power Forward? I thought McCurdy was a guard.
Click to expand...
UR had many 4s playing center over the years. Woolfolk played mostly against big man for other teams and McCurdy was 6'8" and played as a 4 or 5. Usually other teams center covered him.
 
urmite said:
Yes, Kratzer was more the "Admiral, you get 8 points today and so do I" Center on that team...
Click to expand...
Well Terry Allen in,this post is more a 3 or 4 and Odobba was the center. Woolfolk took the opposing center on a majority of time due to his girth and strength. Krazert was quicker outside and better outside shooter
 
CarolinaSpider said:
Well Terry Allen in,this post is more a 3 or 4 and Odobba was the center. Woolfolk took the opposing center on a majority of time due to his girth and strength. Krazert was quicker outside and better outside shooter
Click to expand...
The opposing Center defended Woolfolk (and never very well). Kratzer fronted the opposing post players on defense.
On offense, Kratzer shot well going down the lane (67% as a Jr), but 45% from FT line, never attempted a three. His Jersey Number was is FT % just like John Davis.
 
Last edited:
No love for Herb Hash, center and first-team all-state on the undefeated 1934-35 team? Went on to pitch for the Red Sox.
 
Robbie Hummel was a perimeter guy- a small forward. Goodtymes favorite.

I do think winning is part of the equation. Some guys (SDJ) can put up stats but not quite get it done at winning time. I think Grant is going to be a winning time type of player.
 
spider23 said:
I know it is not the end all be all, but guys like Gonzo, KA, KA2, Curtis Blair just willed their teams to NCAA appearance. That counts, BIG TIME, in my book.
Click to expand...

This team also though has 3 guys who will likely end up with their numbers retired (and possibly all 3 could end up top 10 in career scoring) so I'm not sure making the tourney could be considered Grant carrying the team like any of them may have done (but I know KA had another future NBA player on that team with him).

TJ is 8th in career scoring for Richmond in only 3 seasons! Shawndre Jones (another recent great) had fewer points in 30 more games! Hell Grant is catching TJ (right now he's 175 points shy) and is currently 15th all time and just passed Kevin Anderson in 34 fewer games. But even with being 175 points shy of TJ he has played in one more career game than TJ did.

Sherod is around 31st in career scoring and Gilyard is around 28th.

Amazing thing about Grant is he joined TJ as the school's only other member of the 500 point, 200 rebound, and 100 assist club. TJ also won A10 player of the year and recorded the school's only triple-double. With how things are going now I would imagine Grant would be on the preseason shortlist for A10 player of the year (only other player to win that award is Kevin Anderson). It is difficult to win those awards, even as good as Gilyard has been he hasn't won one. The only spider to win was Tony Dobbins (who did it twice - man I wish I would have been able to watch him play).

TJ has the 8th most points in a single season, 10th most rebounds in a season, and 2nd most assists in a season! Those guys were all very good but I firmly believe TJ is the best big man we have ever had and by a wide margin (which says a lot given the others we have had).

Not to bring any disrespect to any of the other guys you mentioned, they were obviously great. I also kind of got lost in my point in this post and was looking up stats and just figured they were interesting so I apologize for being all over the place.
 
urmite said:
Over Christian Laettner or Danny Manning?

Who is the Big man with most NCAA games?
Click to expand...

That's a good question. Hummel was at Purdue 6 years and they made the tourney all 6 years and I'm really not sure if anybody else can say that.
 
spider23 said:
Robbie Hummel was a perimeter guy- a small forward. Goodtymes favorite.

I do think winning is part of the equation. Some guys (SDJ) can put up stats but not quite get it done at winning time. I think Grant is going to be a winning time type of player.
Click to expand...

I don't think not winning the tourney can be put on Shawndre as opposed to just the lack of bench play due to Mooney's recruiting. It was long before I ever found this board but did anybody else cringe or scream no every time Deion Taylor took a jump shot?
 
plydogg said:
That's a good question. Hummel was at Purdue 6 years and they made the tourney all 6 years and I'm really not sure if anybody else can say that.
Click to expand...
Yes, but did he have NCAA Tournament minutes all 6 years? I believe only 2.
Laettner with stats in 23 NCAA games..

And now back to your Spider Sports Network...
 
urmite said:
Yes, but did he have NCAA Tournament minutes all 6 years? I believe only 2.
Laettner with stats in 23 NCAA games..

And now back to your Spider Sports Network...
Click to expand...

I have no idea, Hummel was still a little before my time. He started college when I was in 7th grade. Laettner was WAY before my time but I like to forget about duke as much as possible
 
CarolinaSpider said:
UR had many 4s playing center over the years. Woolfolk played mostly against big man for other teams and McCurdy was 6'8" and played as a 4 or 5. Usually other teams center covered him.
Click to expand...
..”..other teams center covered him”. But so did guards and forwards. Most double and triple teamed player I’ve ever seen
 
TJ is ahead of Grant - not even close. Grant has better numbers, but I think some of those have been inflated by two losing seasons where he could put up good numbers in a lot of losing efforts. Not to say Grant is bad - he def makes the list as a top 5 big man at UR.
I would also put Geriot in there as well. What he was able to do, especially coming back from injury - and two NCAA appearances.

One name not on the list but is probably a big "what could have been" is Gaston Moliva - maybe more of a 4 than 5, but easily a big man. His frosh year on that 2004 NCAA team he was as solid as they come. Looked light a bright future under Wainwright where he would likely just ask him to rebound, set screens, and dunk. But with the coaching change - he was not even close to a fit for Mooney system and got lost. But I think in the right system - he could have been a force down low.
 
I-M-UR said:
..”..other teams center covered him”. But so did guards and forwards. Most double and triple teamed player I’ve ever seen
Click to expand...
Good point, I remember games against Furman who had 6’9” Clyde Mays and 7’0” Fessor Leonard and they would both collapse on McCurdy and somehow he would contort his body and get the ball softly up on the rim and in. He was good at getting a lot of fouls called on both of them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest posts

ADVERTISEMENT
Top Bottom
Back