Question for old timers about three pointers..

J_Dee

All-Conference
Mar 21, 2008
4,284
4,317
0
Had the three-point shot existed in college basketball prior to the mid-1980s, what UK players do you think would have had the mot potential to be three-point experts?
 

FlCATFan_rivals26961

All-Conference
Mar 10, 2003
3,593
1,951
0
I think that we'd have another banner in Rupp if the 3 point had been the rule in 1966. As mentioned Dampier was deadly from a distance. But Riley and Conley could also light it up from range.
 

westerncat

Heisman
Feb 19, 2012
15,923
20,891
0
Originally posted by docholiday51:

Dampier
Ronnie Lyons
Larry Steele
Jay Shidler
I agree with these names ...........Jay Shidler and Dampier really had range from deep.
 

CatBlue in LR

Redshirt
Jan 2, 2003
1,233
11
0
I can't believe I'm the first to mention Kevin Grevey. He would have averaged 40.

Also Dampier, Shidler. Hey, how about G.J. Smith? He was known as the London Long Rifle.
 

CoachR35

Senior
Apr 1, 2007
4,046
431
0
Originally posted by westerncat:

Originally posted by docholiday51:

Dampier
Ronnie Lyons
Larry Steele
Jay Shidler
I agree with these names ...........Jay Shidler and Dampier really had range from deep.
Not sure I'd classify myself as an old timer just yet, but I do remember the blonde bomber.
 

ala_kat2

Heisman
Jan 4, 2003
11,174
10,532
103
CoachR35, before Jay Shidler, the "blonde bomber" was Cotton Nash.

I would say definitely Louie Dampier, but there are so many as already mentioned: Greevey, Macy, Hardin, Shidler, and a host of others that I just can't think of right now.
 

UK Cats Rock

All-Conference
Nov 30, 2001
5,557
3,631
103
Originally posted by Willy4UK:

I loved Roger Harden's jump shot.

Yep. Also Kyle Macy, Jay Shidler, and Jim Master come to mind for me. (I also thought about Ed Davender, but I am thinking he showed up right around the time the 3-point line did? Not doing research on it, but maybe he went to UK before the 3-point era and left after it came to be?)
 

Al Big

Redshirt
Jan 2, 2003
124
26
0
Charles "Cotton" Nash from Lake Charles LA was dubbed the "Bayou Bomber" and "King Cotton". My Uncle was a former UK player but it was Nash, also known as the "Louisiana Long Rifle", who was the player who got me hooked on UK BB. He was silky smooth and could shoot it.
 

knotonalog

Redshirt
Feb 28, 2015
617
2
0
Re: Question for old timers about three pointers..[/URL]
Al Big posted on 4/3/2015...
Charles "Cotton" Nash from Lake Charles LA
was dubbed the "Bayou Bomber" and "King Cotton". My Uncle was a former
UK player but it was Nash, also known as the "Louisiana Long Rifle", who
was the player who got me hooked on UK BB. He was silky smooth and
could shoot it

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Verne Hatton would have had field day with the 3 pointer, but Macy, Dampier and Issell probably the best.
 

gakat3

Freshman
Apr 5, 2008
977
96
0
Dampier.

Then Ronnie Lyons, Shidler, Cotton Nash, Grevey and a name not mentioned, Larry Pursiful, truly a long rifle.
 

UKWildcatT

All-American
Apr 9, 2009
75,546
8,113
0
Originally posted by gakat3:
Dampier.

Then Ronnie Lyons, Shidler, Cotton Nash, Grevey and a name not mentioned, Larry Pursiful, truly a long rifle.
Larry Pursiful is a friend and before my time, but good call.

This is going to show you how good of athletes these guys playing today are. We became friends with him in 87 when he started attending our church. I was a teen and he was in his mid 40s. Our group were good athletes, played in high school, but at his age, most of us still couldn't stop him and he rarely missed.

I cant imagine the athletes of today if he was that good in his mid 40s
 

Bank Cat

All-American
Dec 8, 2011
3,724
5,644
113
I'm 46, so I am only going on my 'era'. Shidler, Macy, Master, Troy McKinley
 

Waterview Catfan

Redshirt
Dec 28, 2014
6,735
7
0
Was alive but don't remember Dampier, but most who remember him say he was the best shooter they ever saw. Shidler could flat out fill it up from 25 feet too.
 

huck

Sophomore
Apr 27, 2007
2,455
106
0
Originally posted by CoachR35:
Originally posted by westerncat:

Originally posted by docholiday51:

Dampier
Ronnie Lyons
Larry Steele
Jay Shidler
I agree with these names ...........Jay Shidler and Dampier really had range from deep.
Not sure I'd classify myself as an old timer just yet, but I do remember the blonde bomber.
Dont let them batteries run out....lol Im a 64
 

BoulderCat_rivals187983

All-Conference
May 22, 2002
7,871
3,227
0
As other's have said the first 3 that jumped to my mind were Dampier, Macy, and Shidler. As I recall he was known as the blond bomber in his day.

That rule really changed the game, and helped level the playing field. It's one of the things that makes what this year's UK team has done even more amazing. That '76 IU team didn't have to face the possibility of a team getting hot from behind the line.
 

docholiday51

Heisman
Oct 19, 2001
22,011
26,718
0
Originally posted by swflCAT:


Originally posted by CoachR35:

Originally posted by westerncat:


Originally posted by docholiday51:

Dampier
Ronnie Lyons
Larry Steele
Jay Shidler
I agree with these names ...........Jay Shidler and Dampier really had range from deep.
Not sure I'd classify myself as an old timer just yet, but I do remember the blonde bomber.
Dont let them batteries run out....lol Im a 64
I remember several blondes that were bombs,none of them played basketball but they had talent.
 

UncleVre

Redshirt
Nov 8, 2012
26
2
0
Don't remember where I heard this, may be apocryphal, but here goes.

One time when Dampier played at UK, during a practice Rupp noticed as soon as Dampier shot all the other players, both those on his squad and the opposing squad, would turn and take off for the other end of the court. They were that sure the shot was going in.
 
A

anon_q409idbs5m40a

Guest
IMO, Dampier, Macy, Master, Shidler and Troy McKInley. Can't recall if McKinley had already graduated prior to institution of the three point shot but he would've averaged about 5-6 more ppg.
 

Anon1636470744

All-Conference
Jun 26, 2010
2,483
1,480
113
Dampier had incredible range. He made shots on a regular basis from 25 to 28 ft. Riley made a lot of long jumpers on that team also. I spent a lot of time listening to that team on the radio with Cawood calling the games.
 

lawrencekash

Junior
Apr 16, 2006
5,147
210
0
Johnny Cox ! Most of his shots were beyond where the 3 point line is now. When he took a shot you could hear the crowd go ah! He was also one rugged player. I do have to agree that Cotton Nash and Dampier would have excelled with the 3 pt play.
 

Spica Orbit

All-Conference
Apr 7, 2007
2,309
2,145
0
A few others that would have loved the 3-point line:

Jimmy Dan Connor
Kent Hollenbeck
Tom Parker

Spica Orbit
 

Indy Cat

Junior
Apr 16, 2003
10,027
213
0
Louie Dampier & Kevin Grevey were the two best pure shooters at Kentucky before the "3" imo. Larry Pursiful & Bob Tallent were also good from outside along with Macy.
Issel & Cotton did most of their scoring from close-in & midrange shots.

NOTE: Bob Tallent transferred from UK to Geo Wash & led the nation in scoring there.
 

katwest

Heisman
Feb 16, 2003
39,850
13,715
113
Louie Dampier
Kyle Macy
Jay Shidler
Jim Master
Kevin Grevey
Jimmy Dan Connor
Truman Claytor
Dan Issel
 

Johnfarrel

All-American
Oct 9, 2001
5,339
5,375
113
Dampier for the Cats.
But can you imagine what Pete Maravich would have averaged with the three point line? He averaged 44.2 per game over three years without it! Never been one like him before or since.
 

westerncat

Heisman
Feb 19, 2012
15,923
20,891
0
Originally posted by Spica Orbit:
A few others that would have loved the 3-point line:

Jimmy Dan Connor
Kent Hollenbeck
Tom Parker

Spica Orbit
I was trying to get a name out of this old brain and Tom Parker was it. He was deadly from the corner. We have had some great shooters at UK. Imagine if Pistol Pete had the 3 point line...MAN!
 

YouKay

Heisman
May 15, 2002
35,671
31,767
113
OMG, Kevin Grevey would have averaged about 35 ppg with a 3 point line. That corner shot was his moneymaker. UK would have beaten UCLA in 1975 for sure. Jimmy Dan Connor was not too shabby from outside either.

I watched the 1978 championship game once and counted 9 shots that would have been 3-pointers. That would have meant UK scoring 103 points! And in the regional final that year, Kyle Macy took at least 6 shots in the second half that would have been threes, as UK ran the same high screen play for him over and over. That team was ridiculously good from outside, and yet as a team they averaged over 50% fg for the season!
 

UKWildcatT

All-American
Apr 9, 2009
75,546
8,113
0
Originally posted by Johnfarrel:

Dampier for the Cats.
But can you imagine what Pete Maravich would have averaged with the three point line? He averaged 44.2 per game over three years without it! Never been one like him before or since.
He still would have be owned by the Horse and the rest of the Cats. :)
 

gakat3

Freshman
Apr 5, 2008
977
96
0
Originally posted by lawrencekash:

Johnny Cox ! Most of his shots were beyond where the 3 point line is now. When he took a shot you could hear the crowd go ah! He was also one rugged player. I do have to agree that Cotton Nash and Dampier would have excelled with the 3 pt play.
I had forgotten Johnny. In 1954 or '55, not sure which, but i watched Johnny Cox sit down in the coffin corner right on the side court line and wait for his defender to back off just a little. And he would fire that ball and didn't miss when Hazard won the state. I was there for the whole tourney and he carried that team to the title. Still remember him waiting in the corner. Great memories.