THE SCHOOL once known as West Virginia Tech began to set itself apart as a West Virginia Conference member in the 1954-55 basketball season. Making use of coach Neal Baisi's innovative full-court pressure defense, the Golden Bears set a national scoring record by averaging 111.9 points a game and, in doing so, often attracted 2,500 fans for games at the old Montgomery High gym on the banks of the Kanawha River.
THE SCHOOL once known as West Virginia Tech began to set itself apart as a West Virginia Conference member in the 1954-55 basketball season. Making use of coach Neal Baisi's innovative full-court pressure defense, the Golden Bears set a national scoring record by averaging 111.9 points a game and, in doing so, often attracted 2,500 fans for games at the old Montgomery High gym on the banks of the Kanawha River.
It was the first time that any team - high school, college or pro - had averaged 100 points for a season. Baisi even taught the defense to West Virginia coach Fred Schaus, who in later years was always gracious in crediting Baisi for his assistance.
The Golden Bears continued to post colossal scoring totals, converting steals to easy baskets, and it compiled a 55.2 shooting percentage in 1962. And in 1965 Baisi nearly made a move to the head-coaching job at West Virginia, a move that would have made good sense in those days but would be unfathomable today.
The Mountaineers' bid to lure Baisi away from Tech, incidentally, is as much a part of the Golden Bears' basketball lore as their extraordinary defense and national scoring mark.
WVU athletic director Red Brown offered the job to Baisi - at a salary of $20,000 a year and with former Mountaineer Willie Akers as an assistant - and agreed to meet with him to discuss the final details.
But fearing a Baisi rejection would lead to embarrassment for the state university, Brown insisted that the negotiations be done in secrecy. They decided to meet at the home of Bill Thompson, a Montgomery lawyer and chairman of the WVU Board of Governors, who lived in Charlton Heights, a half-mile from Baisi. It was also decided that Baisi would walk the half-mile for fear that the sight of Baisi's car parked alongside those of Brown and Thompson would arouse suspicion.
Baisi, of course, declined the offer, saying he wanted a second assistant and perhaps fearing that big-time opponents would be better able to counter his newfangled defense.
Tech's basketball golden era did not end there, however. Shortly after Baisi's decision to stay at the school, the Golden Bears' Mike Barrett, a Richwood native, emerged as perhaps the greatest shooter in WVC history, earned a spot on the 1968 U.S. Olympic basketball team and spent three seasons in the American Basketball Association. In the 1980s, Tech's Sedale Threatt distinguished himself as one of the conference's all-time greats and played 14 years in the NBA.
If tradition, nostalgia and history count for anything, Tech should still be a member of the West Virginia Conference - especially in light of its glorious basketball past.
But as we know, the school now known as WVU Tech is no longer a member, having chosen after the 2004-05 school year to abandon its 80-year WVC membership to join the Mid-South Conference of the NAIA. And instead of renewing rivalries in West Virginia that are both familiar and travel-friendly, the Golden Bears are playing football against such schools as Faulker, Bethel and Belhaven, opponents that not only require extensive travel but have all the familiarity of Rubik's Cube.
THE SCHOOL once known as West Virginia Tech began to set itself apart as a West Virginia Conference member in the 1954-55 basketball season. Making use of coach Neal Baisi's innovative full-court pressure defense, the Golden Bears set a national scoring record by averaging 111.9 points a game and, in doing so, often attracted 2,500 fans for games at the old Montgomery High gym on the banks of the Kanawha River.
It was the first time that any team - high school, college or pro - had averaged 100 points for a season. Baisi even taught the defense to West Virginia coach Fred Schaus, who in later years was always gracious in crediting Baisi for his assistance.
The Golden Bears continued to post colossal scoring totals, converting steals to easy baskets, and it compiled a 55.2 shooting percentage in 1962. And in 1965 Baisi nearly made a move to the head-coaching job at West Virginia, a move that would have made good sense in those days but would be unfathomable today.
The Mountaineers' bid to lure Baisi away from Tech, incidentally, is as much a part of the Golden Bears' basketball lore as their extraordinary defense and national scoring mark.
WVU athletic director Red Brown offered the job to Baisi - at a salary of $20,000 a year and with former Mountaineer Willie Akers as an assistant - and agreed to meet with him to discuss the final details.
But fearing a Baisi rejection would lead to embarrassment for the state university, Brown insisted that the negotiations be done in secrecy. They decided to meet at the home of Bill Thompson, a Montgomery lawyer and chairman of the WVU Board of Governors, who lived in Charlton Heights, a half-mile from Baisi. It was also decided that Baisi would walk the half-mile for fear that the sight of Baisi's car parked alongside those of Brown and Thompson would arouse suspicion.
Baisi, of course, declined the offer, saying he wanted a second assistant and perhaps fearing that big-time opponents would be better able to counter his newfangled defense.
Tech's basketball golden era did not end there, however. Shortly after Baisi's decision to stay at the school, the Golden Bears' Mike Barrett, a Richwood native, emerged as perhaps the greatest shooter in WVC history, earned a spot on the 1968 U.S. Olympic basketball team and spent three seasons in the American Basketball Association. In the 1980s, Tech's Sedale Threatt distinguished himself as one of the conference's all-time greats and played 14 years in the NBA.
If tradition, nostalgia and history count for anything, Tech should still be a member of the West Virginia Conference - especially in light of its glorious basketball past.
But as we know, the school now known as WVU Tech is no longer a member, having chosen after the 2004-05 school year to abandon its 80-year WVC membership to join the Mid-South Conference of the NAIA. And instead of renewing rivalries in West Virginia that are both familiar and travel-friendly, the Golden Bears are playing football against such schools as Faulker, Bethel and Belhaven, opponents that not only require extensive travel but have all the familiarity of Rubik's Cube.
Soon it will be basketball season, and the Golden Bears will be making 11-hour round trips Campbellsville and Lindsey Wilson.
Tech recognizes its mistake in leaving the conference and hopes to return, though it won't be easy. The school expects to apply for NCAA membership in June and, if it's accepted, will apply to the WVC for re-entry.
But nothing is guaranteed. Of the 18 schools that applied for NCAA membership last June, only 10 gained admittance.
"Getting in is a lot harder than it used to be,'' said Frank Pergolizzi, Tech's new athletic director. "[The NCAA] has decided to limit the number of schools that come in every year, and those requirements are pretty stringent. The supply exceeds the demand. We'll make every effort to apply for NCAA membership next June.''
Tradition aside, returning to the WVC would make sense, said Pergolizzi. "Our opponents will be closer, and our travel will be less and we'll have a lot more fans at the games,'' he said. "I think those are reasonable expectations.''
In the meantime, Pergolizzi and the administration are working to upgrade Tech's athletic facilities, partly in hopes of making a good impression on the NCAA. The athletic director admits, however, that his job would be easier as a WVC member.
"I sure wish we were still in it,'' he said.
Reach Mike Whiteford at 304-348-7948 or mikewhitef...@wvgazette.com.
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Good luck to Tech in their efforts to gain readmittance into the WVIAC.
So sad that Tech who for decades and decades was the icon in the WVIAC and now is in the position of knowing that its readmittance into the WVIAC is questionable.