RIP Lorenzo Charles

[CarolinaBuff]

Sad to see this, I didn't see it mentioned anywhere. Charles made one of the biggest and most famous baskets in NCAA tournament history.

RALEIGH, N.C. — It’s one of the most lasting images from the NCAA basketball tournament.

A buzzer-beating two-handed dunk by muscular forward Lorenzo Charles gives heavy underdog North Carolina State a stunning national championship game win in 1983 versus powerhouse Houston — known as Phi Slamma Jamma. Wolfpack coach Jim Valvano spills onto the court, scrambling for someone to hug.

Charles, 47, the hero from that memorable game, was killed Monday when an empty bus he was driving for Elite Coach crashed along Interstate 40 in Raleigh, said general manager Brad Jackson.

http://blog.syracuse.com/sports/2011/06/lorenzo_charles_hero_of_nc_sta.html

 

[Buffnik]

I was 10 years old for that game and I still remember it. Amazing run by NC State to be in that game and one of the greatest upsets ever. It was like real life Rocky on a basketball court. 47 is too young and I'm not clicking the link because, in my mind's eye, I always want him to be that 20 year old slamming home the shot that fell short.

 

[Hoops Fan]

47 is too young and I'm not clicking the link because, in my mind's eye, I always want him to be that 20 year old slamming home the shot that fell short.

Amen to that! I agree with you.

Colorado has some round about ties here. Derek Whittenburg (a former CU Assistant) was the guard to got the ball to Lorenzo. Some thought it was a pass and others thought it was a an airball ... but it dodn't make any difference because Lorenzo stuffed the ball as the buzzer went off ... and the other guard/ ... well that was non other than Sidney Lowe (who just vacated the NC State head coaching job after last season). Both Derek and Sidney played at Dematha High in Maryland and went to NC State together. The Maryland Terrapin fans never go over that.

 

[Scotch]

I was 6 then, and it's the first final I remember. Watched it with my Dad and some of his friends. They went nuts when Charles made that play.

 

[Mick Ronson]

Valvano won several games in that tournament with NCSU being down and fouling teams to send them to the line in the 2nd half. shooting 1 and 1's before the double bonus rule. they were not a top seed. and by "several" i really mean 2 or 3.

 

[Scotch]

Valvano won several games in that tournament with NCSU being down and fouling teams to send them to the line in the 2nd half. shooting 1 and 1's before the double bonus rule. they were not a top seed. and by "several" i really mean 2 or 3.

I remember Knight doing the same thing to the Orangemen in the '87 Final.

 

[Buffnik]

I remember Knight doing the same thing to the Orangemen in the '87 Final.

That was a great Syracuse team, too. A lot better than Melo's national championship team. Seikely and Sherm Douglas plus a young Derrick Coleman. I think the starting 5 each averaged double figures. As great as Boeheim is, Bobby Knight absolutely schooled him that night.

 

[Mick Ronson]

That was a great Syracuse team, too. A lot better than Melo's national championship team. Seikely and Sherm Douglas plus a young Derrick Coleman. I think the starting 5 each averaged double figures. As great as Boeheim is, Bobby Knight absolutely schooled him that night.

Melo's team mos def got hot at the right time. they were pretty good with Hakim Warrick and McNamera. they bitch-slapped the Big XII....as i recall they beat OU, Texas and Kansas en route to winning. the funny thing, now that i've said that, is that OK State had them on the ropes...Pokes are up double digits early on the Cuse in the first round.....i remember watching that game and thinking OSU is take these guys down. as it turns out, not so. kinda one of those deals where you are watching, by chance, a complete seminal sports moment. Cuse comes together, beats the Pokes, and run everyone out of the gym the next two weeks. championship.

Bob Knight was always willing to use a foul. his best IU teams and even at Tech he's got some guy (at Tech is was always some guy from Slovenia who looks like a 280 lb, 6' 9" pete townsend).....whose job on the floor is set picks and foul your 4 and 5. as much as this is a little too "realpolitik" for a hoops fan like me, CU could have used this guy every year since Julius Ashby.

 

[Scotch]

Melo's team mos def got hot at the right time. they were pretty good with Hakim Warrick and McNamera. they bitch-slapped the Big XII....as i recall they beat OU, Texas and Kansas en route to winning. the funny thing, now that i've said that, is that OK State had them on the ropes...Pokes are up double digits early on the Cuse in the first round.....i remember watching that game and thinking OSU is take these guys down. as it turns out, not so. kinda one of those deals where you are watching, by chance, a complete seminal sports moment. Cuse comes together, beats the Pokes, and run everyone out of the gym the next two weeks. championship.

Bob Knight was always willing to use a foul. his best IU teams and even at Tech he's got some guy (at Tech is was always some guy from Slovenia who looks like a 280 lb, 6' 9" pete townsend).....whose job on the floor is set picks and foul your 4 and 5. as much as this is a little too "realpolitik" for a hoops fan like me, CU could have used this guy every year since Julius Ashby.

Never seen a KU team choke at the FT line as bad as they did against the 'Cuse that night. It was unbelievable.