Ronald B. Saunders Picks His All Time Los Angeles Lakers Starting Five ( 5 ) Kareem Vs. Wilt: Who Should Start ?

BLACK BUZZ SPORTS NEWS
West Point, Virginia
May 20, 2010

Blogger Black Buzz started playing basketball at the tender age of eight at the Centre Avenue YMCA, which is located in the Hill District section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Black Buzz use to keep score of the powerful Hill District Church League games that were played at the Centre Avenue YMCA. The Hill District Church League, was a far more talented League than the Pittsburgh High School Scholastic League, and many of the best players elected to play church league ball rather than play for Schenley, Fifth Avenue, or any of the other local high schools in the Pittsburgh area.

The church league featured such outstanding ball players as Ray Daniels, the late Barry Nixon, and hundreds of other great players. And sometimes poor grades kept many of the better ball players from playing school boy ball.
The Hill District was the mecca for outstanding basketball, and for all sports.
Black Buzz never played organized basketball with any team in his youth. Black Buzz was known for excelling in playing baseball, swimming, running track, and playing football.

John Brewer Sr. who taught Black Buzz at the famed Robert L. Vann, Elementary School located on Watt Street in the Hill District once said in his fifth grade physical education class that " Saunders is the best baseball player that has ever come through Vann School. John Brewer Jr. is the present owner of the Coliseum in the Homewood section of Pittsburgh, and the founder of the Trolley Station. Black Buzz says that baseball, & football were the two sports that he enjoyed the most.

Black Buzz did manage to play JV., and Varsity basketball for Slippery Rock Area Joint High School in 1957-58, 1958-59, and 1959-1960. Black Buzz played on the same Slippery Rock basketball team as Schenley High(Pittsburgh PA. ) School retired football, and track & field coach Fred Raymond Lucas. Black Buzz's JV coach was Sid Bergman who was Jewish, and his Varsity coach was Donald Todaro. Black Buzz said he enjoyed playing for Bergman, but Bergman thought that Black Buzz should have been just like Oscar Robertson, and super human. What a stereotype !
Black Buzz stated that he didn't particularly care for his varsity coach, Donald Todaro, but he chooses not go into the reasons at this point in history.

Black Buzz was a student/pupil of the legendary basketball coach Carol Lucas of Central State University, in Wilberforce Ohio. Black Buzz earned a letter grade of B in the Coaching of Basketball, (201 ) from the famed coach Lucas. Coach Lucas was one of the most respected coaches in the history of College basketball. Central State University Marauders, won the 1965 NAIA National Championship, and they dominated the NAIA in 1950's, 1960's 1970's. Coach Lucas was coach of the year for the state of Ohio in 1965. That was a great feat for Coach Lucas, considering the fact that basketball powerhouses Ohio State, Cincinnati, and Dayton were also playing some of the best ball in the country. Centrals record for the 1964-65 season was 30-0, and coach Lucas's teams had won 54 out of the last 57 games. One of Central's players was a number 4 round draft choice of the Philadelphia 76ers, and his name was Kenny Wilburn of Inkster Michigan. Central's back court mates of Ted Day of Zenia Ohio, and Darius Cunningham of Chicago may have been the best two guards in all of college basketball. Black Buzz says he knows for a fact that Ted Day, and Darius Cunningham were quicker and more physical than UCLA's Gail Goodrich, Lacey or Gross. How many remember how the little small obscure team called Texas Western U, and their guards outplayed the All America guards from Kentucky. Texas Western won the NCAA Title in 1966 over the heavily favored Kentucky Wildcats ? And what about the play of big daddy Latin in the paint. If Day and Cunningham were playing today they be playing for Georgetown, or North Carolina. That's how good they were. The Civil Rights Act of 1964, only became effective in July of 1965, and that was roughly four months after Central won the NAIA National title. The great Negro prep ball players back in the sixties didn't have one third of the opportunities of today's high school players.

For his final project in the coaching of basketball, Black Buzz had to run, and coach his own offense, and then run and coach a defense to stop that offense. Black Buzz ran a figure 8 offense, which required constant running, and moving with precision flawless passing. In Black Buzz's figure 8 offense you couldn't stand around, and watch what was going on like in today's game. You had to run, and screen, and pick constantly. The figure 8 was run just like the number 8 from high to low, and back out. Black Buzz ran a shifting zone defense, to the defend the figure 8 but, coach Lucas felt that a man to man defense would work better. Coach Lucas was right; The man to man defense did work better. I got a B out of that class, which was 3 credits. Most of the players Black Buzz used for his project were players on the Varsity, and JV basketball team. Central State ran a fast break offense, and they also played a very disciplined high octane methodical offense that utilizes constant movement. Black Buzz also says that coach Lucas, taught him how to run the full court zone trap press, which relied on relentless up in your face pressure, and more pressure.

Black Buzz says he successfully used the full court zone trap press defense in the Salvation Army Junior League, and that defense caused many turnovers, which were converted to 2 points.
The other League coaches tried to make the necessary adjustments to the full court zone trap press, but by the time they figured out how to counter that defense the game was out of their reach.

Black Buzz began his formal coaching career at the Pittsburgh Temple of the Salvation Army in 1976. Black Buzz's teams won the Salvation Army Junior League Title in 1976, 1977, and 1978. In 1976, Black Buzz and his Pittsburgh Temple team, received an Award from Captain James Lovell, who was the Chair of President Ford's Council On Youth Fitness, and Sports. Also in 1977 Black Buzz's Pittsburgh Temple team was the runner up in the Big Beaver Valley Basketball Tournament. One of teams they beat had future Pitt star Big Boo Kirby on the squad, but Black Buzz's Temple team froze the ball, and won 14-13. Black Buzz's Salvation Army Pittsburgh Temple team was all white, and all the young men hailed from the Mt. Oliver section of Pittsburgh Pa. During the entire year of 1976/1977 Mt. Oliver, and the Beltzhoover section of Pittsburgh engaged in an intense racial mini war, were two citizens lost their lives.
Members of the Temple team were as follows
1. Donald Matthews- Little Mat
2 JJ Staley
3. Derk
4. Smitty Brown + Others

* Black Buzz's Salvation Army Team finished third in the famous Father Barry Tournament in 1977 and Eddie Haynesworth from Black Buzz's team was the MVP of the Tournament. Black Buzz also received the Coaches Award. Black Buzz's team also had the great Chris Gamboa and retired Pennsylvania State Police Sergeant Big David Penn on that squad. Note David Penn was an All American tackle at West Virginia State College. Eddie Haynesworth played professional basketball in the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, and South America. Eddie, Chris and David all lived on Whiteside road in the Hill District section of Pittsburgh PA. There was more talent on that one block on Whiteside road than any other block in the city of Pittsburgh, PA.
Black Buzz played on Herron Hill Jr. High School's solftball team with Jerry and Kenny Williams who also lived on that same block on White House Road.
David Dead Eye Trent who led Tuskegee in scoring (hoops) also lived on that block on White Side Road.  Leslie Cox, a Fifth Avenue high school Graduate won the mile run in the Pittsburgh Public School Track& Field  Championship, and he lived on that same block on Whiteside road.  Donald Mackey placed in the Pittsburgh Public School Scholastic championship in swimming while at Fifth Avenue High School, and he lived on that same block on Whiteside road.
The Fifth Avenue high school legendary hoopster Jeffrey Junkhead Burton lived on that same block on Whiteside road.

In 1977 Black Buzz's New Pittsburgh Courier team won the Adult Salvation Army League Championship.. Few of the players on that teams were as follows :

*1. Cleveland Edwards- Jr. College All American, Robert Jr. Morris College, Point Guard, University of Pittsburgh
*2. Kirk Bruce- Guard, Pitt- Final Four Member
*3. Jim Bolla- Center, Pitt-Final Four Member
*4. Carl Morris- Forward, Pitt-Final Four Member
5. Mickey Hornak-Guard/Forward, West Virginia, Wesleyan
6. Bucky Phillips- Guard, California University of PA.
7. Freeman Pee Wee Pamplin- Guard
8. Larry Mitchell- Guard
9. Ronald B. Saunders, Guard-Coach
10. Joel Vanucci- Center, Clarion University.

*In 1978, Black Buzz's Chatham Sports Center Team won the Hilltop YMCA Basketball League Championship with an 18-0 record.

*In 1978, Black Buzz's Chatham Sports Center team captured East End United Tournament in Uniontown PA. A team that featured the late Larry "Burg" Richardson, Ronnie McCray, Richard Cotton, Bum Cokes, Carl Grinage,  and Hoon Johnson. The boys from Uniontown featuring H. E. Johns and Buzzy Skillings could hang with the ball players from Manchester and Carl Grinage.

*Black Buzz's Chatham Sports Center team finished second runner-up in the Connie Hawkins Adult Summer League Tournament in 1978.

*In 1980, Black Buzz's Chathman Sports Center team won the Vandergrift Pa, Basketball Tournament, in which the late Nathan Sonny Lewis stoled the show. Also on that Black Buzz coached team was Duquesne University star B.B. Flenory, and the great Hosea Champine from Braddock Pa.
Sonny Lewis, and Hosea Champine were also drafted by NBA teams.

*In July of 1981, Black Buzz coached a squad from West Liberty State College that won the first annual Nathan Sonny Lewis Memorial Basketball Tournament held at the Homewood -Brushton YMCA. Black Buzz's squad beat the Cosmic Echoes in a hard fought game 87-75. The Cosmic Echoes were coached by Meat  Ball Johnson. Eddie Jeffries wrote about that victory on the front page of the New Pittsburgh Courier.

*In 1982, Black Buzz's Chatham Sports Center team captured second place in the rough, and tumble Homewood-Brushton YMCA League, that featured players from over twenty six colleges, and pro players.

 I coached a teenage all white girl's team from Monroeville Pennsylvania in the Greater Pittsburgh YWCA League in 1985 and
 Black Buzz's girl's beat a team from Wilkinsburg coached by Evelyn Tunie, 53-19 for the League Championship.
 Black Buzz retired from coaching in 1985 and he is more than qualified to Pick his All Time Los Angeles Lakers team.


*These are Black Buzz's selections for his All Time Los Angeles Lakers team.
At Point Guard- Ervin Magic Johnsont 6'9' inches how would 6'2' Bob Cousy match up against Magic ? Even if you put Sam Jones on Magic, could Cousy effectively guard Jerry West or 6'6' Kobe Bryant ?
Advantage Lakers at Guard.

Shooting Guard- Jerry West or Kobe Bryant. West was Mr. Clutch, and Kobe is the best player since Jordan to play the game. The match-up at the off-guard, or shooting guard between the Lakers, and the Celtics is more equal. Sam Jones could not stop West or Kobe, and Sam Jones or Hondo would score their fair share of points against West and Kobe. Hondo or Sam Jones may not have faced anyone with Kobe's overall intensity or defensive skills. Dennis Johnson would have matched up better against Magic than Cousy. Jo Jo White would have the same problem defending Magic as Cousy, lack of height. A Hondo (Kobe) match up would have been interesting. K.C. Jones was one of the greatest defensive players to ever play the game, and he have might slowed down Magic, Kobe, and West.
Advantage Lakers, but it could go to the Celtics in a 7 game series.
Magic Johnson gives the edge to Lakers, in a classic Lakers- Celtics seven game series.

Center- Wilt Chamberlain or Kareem Abdul Jabbar; Bill Russell didn't take a back seat to any center. Bill was arguably the greatest defensive center to ever play the game. If Wilt was told the only thing that he had to do was rebound it would have been an interesting match-up with Big Bill.
Wilt once had 52 rebounds against Russell.
Kareem could score on Russell with the sky hook, but Bill would dominate on the glass. Parish would back up Russell, and Dave Cowens could also spell McHale at the power forward position. Wilt and Kareem against Russell, Parish, Cowens, and Bill Walton. What about a young Shaq ?

How many people know that Bill Russell was a world class high jumper, and he would have made the U.S. Olympic Team in Track & Field if he chose not to play on the U.S. Olympic basketball team. Russell once jumped 6 feet 10 inches in a dual meet, and big Wilt once ran a quarter mile in 48 second flat at the fame Overbrook high school in Philadelphia. Not one of today's center's comes remotely close to matching the gifted physical talents, and skills of Russell or big Wilt. I have never seen a center run the court like Russell. Dave Cowens ran the court well, but he wasn't in Russell's class. Walt Bellamay and Nate Thurmond were tremendous physical ball players, but they couldn't run like Bill Russell. Wes Unseld was strong as an Ox, but he couldn't run like Russell. Moses Malone was one of the hardest working center's in the history of the NBA, but he couldn't run like Russell. The all world Dr. Erving couldn't win a title with the 76ers until they obtained Moses Malone. Bill Walton ran the court well, but he wasn't in the class with Russell or big Wilt. Russell had the best technical skills combined with great power, and speed. The key to rebounding is timing and great positioning. Every rebound that went up on the court, Russell had a plan in his mind that it was his rebound.
Its not how high you can jump.
*
Hakeem Olajuwon was the best center in the NBA in the mid-nineties, but he was a quarter step down from Russell and Wilt. Hakeem is one of the top five greatest centers in NBA history.
TIE, Only Because Bill Russell was that great.

Small Forward- The great Elgin Baylor; Truly the greatest all time Small Forward in NBA History. He would have to go-up against Larry Bird, who was the NBA's best all around forward in League history. Bird is really not a small forward at 6'9'. Baylor would score his points because of his great quickness, and skill in shooting the ball. But Bird would also score his share of points, and rebound well. Baylor was the greatest rebound er at 6'5' in League history. Baylor was heads and shoulders above Dr. J and Charles Barkley. Baylor could float, glide and walk on air driving with the ball toward the basket. Baylor was flying, and gliding in the air long before MJ or the Doctor.
But Bird at 6'9' is a difficult match-up for Baylor. Baylor played against many 6'9' players, but none had the overall talent of Bird.
Advantage-Celtics

*Power Forward- James Worthy; A Worthy, McHale match-up maybe the most difficult to predict. Charles Barkley said McHale was the greatest post-up player he ever played against. In a seven game series I'm leading toward McHale, but I'm not completely sold on McHale winning this battle. After all James has more rings at five ( 5 ). Who won those battles in 1980's and early 1990's ? KG could spell McHale, and McAdoo could spell Worthy.
Advantage- Celtics, but very close.

Riley Against Auerbach ! The Lakers win the seven games series because of the play of the guards Magic Johnson, Jerry West and Kobe Bryant. But what if the Celtics throw in Jo Jo White, Dennis Johnson along with Hondo, and Paul Pierce into the equation ?
I don't think Red would let the likes of Pat Riley, beating him two years in a row.