Phil Spence

Last updated

Phil Spence
Phil Spence.jpg
Spence from the 1974 Agromeck
Personal information
Born (1954-03-13) March 13, 1954 (age 70)
Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school Broughton
(Raleigh, North Carolina)
College
NBA draft 1976: 6th round, 92nd overall pick
Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks
Position Forward
Career history
As coach:
1979–1989 Cary HS
1989–1999 East Wake HS
2000–2004 North Carolina Central
Career highlights and awards
As player
As coach
  • CIAA Coach of the Year (2003)

Phil Spence (born March 13, 1954) is a retired American basketball player and coach. [1] He was a key contributor on the 1974 North Carolina State Wolfpack national championship team. [1]

Contents

Early life

Spence was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. [1] He attended Broughton High School in Raleigh where he starred on the basketball team. [1] As a junior center, he led Broughton to the state 4-A tournament in 1971. [1] His senior year, Spence was Wake County Player of the Year. [2] He was also a Converse All-American. [1] He graduated from Broughton in 1972. [3]

Spence was recruited to by junior college Vincennes University as a forward. [1] His freshman year, he was selected a National Junior College Athletic Association All-American for 1972–1973. [1] However, he transferred to North Carolina State University his sophomore year, graduating with a B.S. in vocational industrial education in 1976. [4]

Career

Basketball

Spence transferred to North Carolina State University (NC State) in time to become a key reserve on a team that was the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) regular-season champion, the ACC tournament champion, and the 1974 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship team. [1] [5] As a sophomore, Spence was the first player off the bench and averaged 6.0 points and 6.3 rebounds a game as the Wolfpack went 30-1 and broke UCLA's string of seven straight titles. [2] [5]

Spence used to call himself and the team's other Black players "The Jive Five." [2] NC State's first Black basketball player to have a full scholarship was selected in 1969, so this "group of tall Black students at NC State was new" in 1973 when just 3% of students were Black. [2] The Jive Five included Dwight Johnson, Moe Rivers, Phil Spence, and David Thompson. [2]

Spence started the next two seasons at NC State, his junior and senior years. As a junior, he led the team with 281 rebounds and was third in scoring with 368 points, averaging 13.1 points and 10.0 rebounds a game. [1] [6] He was the top rebounder in sixteen of the team's 28 games in the 1974–1975 season, and high scorer for three games. [7]

In his senior year, he was the team's second-leading scorer and rebounder with 438 points, averaging 14.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. [6] [1] He was the top rebounder in ten of thirty games and was the high scorer twice. [7] That year, NC State did not win the ACC Tournament to gain entry to the NCAA championship; however, they did play in the National Invitational Tournament, winning two games and losing the third by one point. [7]

Throughout is college career, Spence's field goal average was 54.2% and his free throw average was 74.3%. [6]

The 6 foot 8 inches tall and 215-pound Spence was selected in the 6th round of the 1976 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks (6th pick, 92nd pick overall), however, he did not make the final roster. [8] [6] [2]

Coaching

Following the end of his basketball career, Spence turned to coaching. [1] He spent a year teaching and volunteering as an assistant varsity boys' basketball coach under his former head coach Ed McLean at Broughton High School starting in 1977. [1] He then coached basketball at Cary High School from 1979 to 1989, serving as the junior varsity coach for four years and as head varsity coach for six years. [4]

He was the head coach at East Wake High School in Raleigh from 1989 to 1999. [1] He led East Wake to three consecutive state playoff appearances and won the Tri-6 Conference championship four times. [1] He was selected the Wake County Coach of the Year and the Tri-6 Conference Coach of the Year in both 1991 and 1992. [1]

After leaving East Wake, Spence worked with behavior emotional disadvantaged youth in grades 6 through 12 as the career development coordinator at Longview School in Raleigh. [4]

On July 14, 2000, Spence was named head coach of North Carolina Central University (NCCU), replacing Greg Jackson. [9] Spence coached four seasons at NCCU through the 2003–04 season, [10] He was the 2003 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Men's Basketball Coach of the Year. [9] The team was 16-13 his final season, with a four-year record of 49–64. [10]

In March 2004, NCCU announced that they were not renewing Spence's contract. [10] NCCU athletics director William Hayes said, "We appreciate the service and dedication that Phil has given to the men's basketball program at NCCU during the past four seasons. At this time, however, we feel we need to head in a new direction." [10]

Awards and honors

Personal life

Spence is married to Paula. [1] They have two daughters, Porche and Pauletta. [1]

In December 2001, Spence had a mild stroke and was hospitalized. [12] After his stroke, he changed his diet, lost weight, and tried to reduce his stress levels. [13] Spence also used his platform of the 2002 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Men's Basketball tournament to talk to others about reducing the risk of stroke and to offer health screenings. [13] He said, "I think everything happens for a reason." [13]

On Sunday mornings, Spence and his former North Carolina State teammates share their version of church via text. [2] David Thompson, called "Deacon David," starts the service videos of gospel songs. [2] Spence texts "an informal worship service" and Tommy Burleson or "Pastor Tommy" sends a devotional. [2] Dwight Johnson also participated until his death in 2019. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina Central University</span> Public historically black university in Durham, North Carolina, US

North Carolina Central University is a public historically black university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by James E. Shepard in affiliation with the Chautauqua movement in 1909, it was supported by private funds from both Northern and Southern philanthropists. It was made part of the state system in 1923, when it first received state funding and was renamed as Durham State Normal School. It added graduate classes in arts and sciences and professional schools in law and library science in the late 1930s and 1940s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everett Case</span> American basketball player and coach

Everett Norris Case, nicknamed the "Old Gray Fox", was a basketball coach most notable for his tenure at North Carolina State University, from 1946 to 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norm Sloan</span> American basketball player and coach (1926–2003)

Norman Leslie Sloan Jr. was an American college basketball player and coach. Sloan was a native of Indiana and played college basketball and football at North Carolina State University. He began a long career as a basketball coach months after graduating from college in 1951, and he was the men's basketball head coach at Presbyterian College, The Citadel, North Carolina State University, and two stints at the University of Florida. Over a career that spanned 38 seasons, Sloan was named conference coach of the year five times and won the 1974 national championship at North Carolina State, his alma mater. He was nicknamed "Stormin' Norman" due to his combative nature with the media, his players, and school administrators, and his collegiate coaching career ended in controversy when Florida's basketball program was under investigation in 1989, though Sloan claimed that he was treated unfairly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enloe High School</span> American public, magnet school in North Carolina

William G. Enloe GT/IB Magnet Center for the Humanities, Sciences and the Arts, also known as Enloe Magnet High School or Enloe High School, is a public magnet high school offering Gifted & Talented and International Baccalaureate programs located in eastern Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. It is operated under the Wake County Public School System. The first integrated public high school in the city of Raleigh, it was named after William Gilmore Enloe, the Mayor of Raleigh at the time the school was opened.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leesville Road High School</span> Public school in North Carolina, United States

Leesville Road High School, is a comprehensive public high school located in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is a part of the Wake County Public School System. Established in 1993, it has approximately 2,500 enrolled students and offers a variety of extracurricular activities, including band, computer science club, solar car team, model UN, foreign language, newspaper, yearbook, National Honor Society, Student Council, Speech and Debate, and many other clubs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Hope High School</span> Public school in Cary, North Carolina, US

Green Hope High School is a secondary school located at 2500 Carpenter Upchurch Road in Cary, North Carolina. It is a part of the Wake County Public School System. Green Hope High School has a current enrollment of over 2,000 students, and is one of the highest performing high schools in North Carolina. After only ten years as a Wake County High School, Green Hope earned the North Carolina Honor School of Excellence designation, an honor that only a few high schools in North Carolina have achieved.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Stoddard</span> American baseball player

Timothy Paul Stoddard is an American former professional baseball pitcher. A right-handed pitcher, he played for six different teams in Major League Baseball between 1975 and 1989, and was a member of the 1983 Baltimore Orioles championship team. He is currently the pitching coach for the baseball team at North Central College. Stoddard is one of only two men to have played in both a World Series and a Final Four of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, along with fellow East Chicago Washington High School alumnus Kenny Lofton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NC State Wolfpack</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of North Carolina State University

The NC State Wolfpack is the nickname of the athletic teams representing North Carolina State University. The Wolfpack competes at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for all sports since the 1953–54 season. The athletic teams of the Wolfpack compete in 22 intercollegiate varsity sports. NC State is a founding member of the ACC and has won eleven national championships: five NCAA championships, two AIAW championships, and four titles under other sanctioning bodies. Most NC State fans and athletes recognize the rivalry with the North Carolina Tar Heels as their biggest.

Cary High School is one of six public high schools in Cary, North Carolina, and is part of the Wake County Public School System. In 1907, Cary High School became the first state-funded public high school in North Carolina. It was selected as a Blue Ribbon School in 2002.

The NC State Wolfpack men's basketball team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. NC State is one of the seven founding members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Prior to joining the ACC in 1954, the Wolfpack were members of the Southern Conference, where they won seven conference championships. As a member of the ACC, the Wolfpack has won eleven conference championships, as well as two national championships in 1974 and 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broughton High School (North Carolina)</span> Public school in North Carolina, United States

Needham B. Broughton High School, commonly known as Broughton High School, is one of thirty-two high schools in the Wake County Public School System. It is located at 723 St. Mary's Street, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Broughton was named after businessman and politician, Needham B. Broughton, who contributed much to the public schools of the Raleigh area. Broughton is known for its castle-like stone facade design and tall bell tower. The architect was William Henley Deitrick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenny Carr</span> American basketball player, power forward

Kenneth Alan Carr is an American former basketball player. Carr was drafted in the first round of the 1977 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers and played ten seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monte Towe</span> American basketball player and coach (born 1953)

Monte Corwin Towe is an American basketball coach and retired basketball player. He was a starting point guard on the 1973–74 North Carolina State Wolfpack men's basketball team which won the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship. At five feet seven inches, Towe is also one of the ten shortest players in NBA history.

The 2008–09 Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball season was the 56th season for the league. North Carolina won the regular season crown while Duke won the ACC Tournament championship. The season saw Tyler Hansbrough set conference records in points and free throws made (982), while Miami's Jack McClinton ended his career as the conference's all time three-point marksman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LeVelle Moton</span> American basketball player and coach

LeVelle DeShea Moton is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach of the men's basketball team at North Carolina Central University. He was a former player at North Carolina Central, having graduated in 1996.

The NC State Wolfpack women's basketball team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Division I women's basketball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina A&T–North Carolina Central rivalry</span> American college football rivalry

The North Carolina A&T–North Carolina Central rivalry is an ongoing series of athletic competitions between North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and North Carolina Central University, both of which are located in North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wendell Moore Jr.</span> American basketball player (born 2001)

Wendell Horace Moore Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isaiah Todd</span> American basketball player (born 2001)

Isaiah Todd is an American professional basketball player who last played for the NBA G League Ignite of the NBA G League. He was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the best power forwards in the 2020 class. A former Michigan commit, Todd chose to forgo his college eligibility to become the first player in history to sign with NBA G League Ignite. He finished his high school career at the Word of God Christian Academy in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Jibri Blount is an American football tight end who is a free agent. He played college basketball for the Cleveland State Vikings and the North Carolina Central Eagles. He converted to football and signed with the Miami Dolphins in 2021.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 "NCCU Names Spence Men's Basketball Head Coach". NC State University Athletics. July 14, 2000. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Drescher, John (December 9, 2021). "N.C. State's Band of Brothers". The Assembly. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Phil Spence Player Profile, NC State - RealGM". basketball.realgm.com. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 "NCCU introduces Phil Spence as men's basketball coach". Onnidan Black College Sports. July 14, 2000. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 "1974 Men's Basketball Team (2016) - NC State Athletic Hall of Fame". NC State University Athletics. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Phil Spence College Stats". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 "1974-75 NC State Wolfpack Schedule and Results". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  8. ↑ 1976 NBA Draft Basketball Reference. Accessed July 17, 2022
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "Preview: NC Central at North Carolina". North Carolina Rivals. November 7, 2003. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "NCCU Removes Phil Spence as Head Men's Basketball Coach". HBCU Sports Forums. March 1, 2004. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  11. 1 2 "Phil Spence Gallery | Trading Card Database". www.tcdb.com. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Phil Spence Suffers Stroke". Duke Basketball Report. December 7, 2001. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  13. 1 2 3 "N.C. Central's Phil Spence Coaching Others About Stroke Prevention". WRAL.com. March 4, 2002. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.