Albuquerque Journal, N.M., Rick Wright column [Albuquerque Journal, N.M.]
By Rick Wright, Albuquerque Journal, N.M. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
For that matter, we don't know he didn't; maybe that's why Peterson came up 8 yards short.
"I want to congratulate the guy," Pino said of
"He seems like a nice kid. I haven't met him, but I've met his dad (UNM men's basketball coach
That Pino's record of 1,033 points for the 1962-63 St. Michael's Horsemen lasted a half-century is a bit surprising, considering he played before there was a 3-point line.
Then again, a 3-point line would have been of no help, and of no need, to Pino. A 7-footer with a soft, accurate hook that he could shoot with either hand, he scored virtually all of those 1,033 points in and around the paint or at the free-throw line.
"One thing I can say," Pino said Friday in a phone interview from
In truth, no one played better defense against Pino than his coach at
Shelley's 1961-62 team, labeled "The Mighty Midgets," had come within three points of a big-school state title before losing to Sandia. Pino didn't play a single minute in that game, even though the Matadors started two talented big men in 6-8
Looking back, Pino is philosophical.
"We had the Mighty Midgets," he said. "... They could go the whole game fullcourt pressing; they were phenomenal. I couldn't keep up with them. It just wasn't my style of play."
The next season, though, Shelley decided to cast his lot with Pino. The big center responded by pouring in points at a record rate, including an 80-point outburst in a single game against
In March of '63, Pino led the Horsemen into the state tournament. Despite his 31 points, they lost in overtime to
"I don't know if you know about Tex," Pino said, of Winter, now 91, "but he's a true gentleman."
Pino's career averages at K-State were modest: 10.6 points and 7.2 rebounds. But he had some monster moments for the Wildcats, three times scoring more than 20 points and grabbing 20 rebounds in a single game.
The former Horseman was selected in the sixth round of the 1968
Besides, the
"Why they drafted me, I don't know," Pino said.
Pino left the game at that point and started an insurance business -- first in
He played there for one season, helping a team from
Pino then returned to his business in
For the same reason, he was unable to be at the Pit when Alford surpassed his record -- finishing with 1,050 points on the season.
"Maybe his record," Pino said, "will last 100 years."
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