Four of the Top Players in School History Are Depicted Here Including Charles Smith, Don Hennon, Billy Knight and Jerome Lane
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Four of the top players in school history are depicted here including Charles Smith, Don Hennon, Billy Knight and Jerome Lane. Smith, Hennon and Knight are the three Pitt players to have their jerseys retired. All three have found success beyond basketball as Hennon became a medical doctor, Knight serves as General Manager for the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and Smith, following a productive NBA career, is a successful businessman and chairman of the Charles D. Smith Foundation, an organization dedicated to providing a positive alternative for today’s youth. An NBA veteran, Lane is shown here throwing down his backboard shattering dunk against Providence on Jan. 25, 1988. “Send it in Jerome!” proclaimed ESPN broadcaster Bill Raftery minutes after Lane’s thunderous dunk prompted a 30-minute delay in the game. Pitt went on to claim a 90-56 victory, then went on to capture the 1987-88 Big East regular season title. The game is forever labeled as the “Night the House Came Down.” RECORDS & ACHIEVEMENTS NATIONAL HONORS Charles Smith, H.M., 1987-88 BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME The Sporting News Naismith Memorial Basketball Brandin Knight, 2ndTeam, 2001-02 Hall of Fame Henry Clifford “Doc” Carlson, M.D., Scripps Howard News Service Elected, 1959 Charles Smith, 1st Team, 1987-88 Charley Hyatt, Elected, 1959 USBWA All-America Helms Athletic Foundation Hall of Jerome Lane, 2nd Team, 1987-88 Fame Henry Clifford “Doc” Carlson, M.D. NABC All-America Don Hennon, Inducted, 1970 Don Hennon, 2nd Team, 1957-58 Charley Hyatt Don Hennon, 2nd Team, 1958-59 Billy Knight, 2nd Team, 1973-74 NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR Jerome Lane, 3rd Team, 1986-87 Charles Smith, 2nd Team, 1987-88 Helms Foundation National Player Aaron Gray, 3rd Team, 2006-07 of the Year Charley Hyatt, 1929-30 Helms Foundation All-America Charley Hyatt, 1927-28 ALL-AMERICA HONORS Sykes Reed, 1927-28 Charley Hyatt, 1929-30 General Awards Don Hennon Don Smith, 1932-33 Charley Hyatt, 1927-28 was inducted Claire Cribbs, 1933-34 Sykes Reed, 1927-28 into the Helms Claire Cribbs, 1934-35 Athletic Charley Hyatt, 1928-29 Don Hennon, 1957-58 Foundation Hall Charley Hyatt, 1929-30 Don Hennon, 1958-59 of Fame in 1970. Don Smith, 1932-33 A two-time All- Claire Cribbs, 1933-34 America Consensus All-America 130 Claire Cribbs, 1934-35 selection, (AP, UPI, USBWA, TSN, NCAA) Hennon is also Don Hennon, 1957-58 Charley Hyatt, 1st Team, 1928-29 listed as one of Don Hennon, 1958-59 Charley Hyatt, 1st Team, 1929-30 the best-ever Billy Knight, 1973-74 college Don Smith, 1st Team, 1932-33 Charles Smith, 1986-87 basketball Claire Cribbs, 1st Team, 1933-34 Jerome Lane, 1986-87 players Claire Cribbs, 1st Team, 1934-35 according to the Charles Smith, 1987-88 Don Hennon, 1st Team, 1957-58 NCAA Jerome Lane, 1987-88 Don Hennon, 1st Team, 1958-59 publication, Brandin Knight, 2001-02 “Men’s Billy Knight, 2nd Team, 1973-74 Brandin Knight, 2002-03 Basketball’s Jerome Lane, 2nd Team, 1987-88 Aaron Gray, 2006-07 Finest.” Wooden Award All-America Wooden National Player of the Joey David, 1986 Brandin Knight, 2002-03 Year Award Nominees Darren Morningstar, 1992 Charles Smith, 1986-87 Associated Press All-America Charles Smith, 1987-88 Verizon/CoSIDa Academic All- Don Hennon, 1st Team, 1957-58 Jerome Lane, 1987-88 America Don Hennon, 2nd Team, 1958-59 Sean Miller, 1991-92 Joey David, Second Team, 1986 Sam Clancy, HM, 1978-79 Vonteego Cummings, 1998-99 Jerome Lane, 2nd Team, 1986-87 Brandin Knight, 2001-02 USBWA Most Courageous Athlete Jerome Lane, 2nd Team, 1987-88 Brandin Knight, 2002-03 Orlando Antigua, 1994 Charles Smith, HM, 1987-88 Julius Page, 2003-04 Brandin Knight, 3rd Team, 2001-02 Carl Krauser, 2003-04 NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR Brandin Knight, HM, 2002-03 Carl Krauser, 2004-05 Carl Krauser, HM, 2003-04 Aaron Gray, 2006-07 National Coach of the Year Honors for Aaron Gray, 3rd Team, 2006-07 Ben Howland in 2001-02: FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICA Associated Press National Coach of the UPI All-America Year Don Hennon, 1st Team, 1957-58 Sam Clancy, Second Team, 1977-78 Naismith Coach of the Year Don Hennon, 1st Team, 1958-59 Charles Smith, First Team, 1984-85 USBWA Henry Iba Award Billy Knight, 3rd Team, 1973-74 Chris Taft, Second Team, 2003-04 ESPN Magazine College Basketball Jerome Lane, 3rd Team, 1986-87 Coach of the Year OTHER NATIONAL AWARDS The Sporting News Coach of the Year A two-time All-America selection, Brandin Knight NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship was named to the Wooden All-America team in Tom Richards, 1976 2002-03. 2007-08 PITT BASKETBALL RECORDS & ACHIEVEMENTS ALL-AMERICA PLAYERS CHARLEY HYATT Three-time All-America (1927-28) (1928-29) (1929-30) 6-0 Forward Uniontown, Pa. Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1959. Member of the Helms Athletic Foundation Hall of Fame and member of its All-Time College Basketball Team. One of only 18 players in NCAA Division I basketball history to earn three All-America honors NCAA Consensus First Team All-America (1929 and 1930). Three-time Helms Foundation All-America selection (1928, '29 and '30). Named Helms Foundation Player of the Year (1930). Listed in the NCAA's "Men's Basketball's Finest" Publication. Member of two national championship teams (1928 and 1930). Led the nation in scoring twice (1927-28 and 1929-30). Both years, Pittsburgh won national titles. Member of the NCAA's first consensus All-America team (1929). Led Pittsburgh to a three-year record of 60-7, including national championships in 1928 and 1930. Scored 880 points during his career, averaging 13.1 points per game. Concluded career with 366 field goals made and 148 free throws made in 67 games played and averaged a season-best 14.3 points in 1928-29. SYKES REED One-time All America DON SMITH One-time All-America (1927-28) 6-0 Guard Braddock, Pa. (1932-33) 6-0 Guard Pittsburgh, Pa. Named Helms Foundation All- Named NCAA Consensus First America (1927-28). Team All-America (1932-33). Helped lead Pittsburgh to its first Selected Helms Foundation First national championship (1928). Team All-America (1932-33). 131 Known for his speed and Led the Panthers to a 17-5 record quickness. and Eastern Intercollegiate Senior captain on 1927-28 squad Championship in 1932-33. that finished undefeated at 21-0. Third All-America player coached One of two All-Americans on the by H.C. Carlson. 1927-28 squad (Charley Hyatt was the other). Backcourt mate on the 1927-28 national title team, Stanley Wrobleski, played at same high school, Braddock High School. DON HENNON Two-time All-America CLAIRE CRIBBS Two-time All-America (1957-58) 5-8 1/2 Guard Wampum, Pa. (1933-34) (1934-35) 6-0 Guard Jeannette, Pa. Elected to the Helms Athletic Foundation Hall of Fame (1970). Selected NCAA Consensus First NCAA Consensus (AP and UPI) Team All-America after both First Team All-America (1958). 1933-34 and 1934-35 seasons. UPI First Team All-America (1957- Named Helms Foundation First 58 and 1958-59). Team All-America in both 1933-34 Helms Foundation All-America and 1934-35. (1957-58 and 1958-59). Led Pittsburgh to three-straight Listed in the NCAA’s “Men’s Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball Basketball Finest” Publication. titles. Led Pittsburgh to two NCAA Member of the following Halls of appearances. Fame: Ohio Coaches, Scored 1,841 career points and Westmoreland County and Ohio averaged 24.2 points over his Chapter of the Dapper Dan. three-year career. Scored 30-plus points 23 times and 20-plus points 52 times. 2007-08 PITT BASKETBALL RECORDS & ACHIEVEMENTS BILLY KNIGHT One-time All-America (1973-74) 6-7 Forward Braddock, Pa. NCAA Consensus Second Team All-America in 1973-74. United Press International Third Team All-America selection in 1973-74. Considered Pittsburgh’s finest all-around player ever. Led Panthers to a 25-4 record, including a school-record 22 consecutive wins in 1973-74. Pittsburgh reached the 1974 NCAA Regional finals, losing in the NCAA “Sweet Sixteen” to top-ranked and eventual national champion North Carolina State. Concluded career with 1,731 points (22.2 points per game), 938 rebounds (12.0 rebounds per game) in 78 career games played. Averaged in over 20.0 points and over 10.0 rebounds per game in each of his three seasons, the only player in Pittsburgh history to achieve this distinction. Shot an astounding .522 from the field (750-1,436) over his three-year career. JEROME LANE Two-time All-America (1986-87) (1986-87) 6-6 Forward Akron, Ohio NCAA Consensus Second Team All-America selection by both the Associated Press and USBWA in 1987-88. AP, UPI and NABC Third Team All-America selection in 1987-88. Shortest player to lead the nation in rebounding since 6-foot-6 Elgin Baylor accomplished the feat in 1957. Led NCAA Division I in rebounding with a 13.5 average in 1986-87. Concluded career with a 13.1 points per game average and 10.4 rebounds per game and averaged over 12.0 rebounds per game in two consecutive seasons, one of only two players in school history to achieve this feat. Selected in the first round of the 1988 NBA Draft. Played in NBA for several teams including Denver, Milwaukee, Indiana and Cleveland. CHARLES SMITH Two-time All-America (1986-87) (1986-87) 6-10 Center/Forward Bridgeport, Conn. 132 Named a Scripps Howard First Team All-America in 1987-88.