In Reply to: I was stationed in San Diego as an Engineering Plant Rep posted by traprh on December 02, 2024 at 08:56:53
ah, too bad. He was quite something.
I have certain pictures emblazoned in my memory - Joe Caldwell in the LA City HS playoffs with his jump shot that was so flat, it appeared from a few rows up in the stands as a line drive the exact height of the rum but then you would see the hoop fly up as it went through; Penebacker leaping over guys half a foot or more taller than he to grab a rebound and start a fast break; Sidney Wicks as a sophomore - first college year - making two amazing plays in a row - taking off near the FT line and leaping so quickly even sitting high in Pauley (on the baseline) I'd have to jerk my head to keep him in view as he scored and then tossing a pass several rows up into the stands - Coach Wooden pulling him out, sitting him down, talking to him to calm him down again and then sending him back in to repeat the process; Willie Naulls playing within himself - and, in the years without Moore to play the post playing out of position at that - having what felt sitting there in the arenas like a nice game only to hear the announcer at game's end citing his scoring in the 20s and rebounds iirc in double digits as well; Walt Hazzard, his first year, throwing passes through traffic that actually hit teammates in the face the first 11 games or so until they got it that Hazzard was going to get the ball through to them.
And of course Shackelford's shot as the buzzer sounded with our team trailing SC at the Sports Arena, his shot hanging in the air seemingly forever as the packed Sports Arena went dead silent and we waited and waited and then the ball making that wonderful swishing sound as it went through the hoop to send the game into overtime - after which we romped, complexly nullifying what had been a terrific effort by SC - to our great delight on the blue side of the arena.
But that Fab Five UH team is among them and Penebacker quite literally above all.