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Show 1963-4 T-bird Basketball Team Honored The team that took the original plunge into four-year four-year competition for Southern Utah State College will be honored at a "modern day" SUSC basketball game Saturday at War Memorial Fieldhouse. Actually, it was only back in the 1963-64 season that the Thunderbirds started the transistion into a four-year program with an 81-59 loss to Pasadena College. Boyd Adams, who coached that crew, . is still at SUSC, but in a different capacity (track and cross country coach). "This was a real step up for us in our athletic program,". Adams remembers. "Recruiting was very . difficult. At that time the only four-year major we had to offer was in elementary education, so that was the only academic program we could promise. We knew that other programs would be added, but it was uncertain just which ones." Today, SUSC offers majors in over 30 academic areas and also has a number of four-year preprofessional programs and a full vocational-technical of fering. Members of the 1963-64 squad included Mel Wadsworth, Dennis Belliston, Neil Petty, John Johnson, Doug Peterson, Glen Gray, Dennis Johnson, Jim Ash, Lewis Tebbs, Larry Dehlin, Lynn Jensen, Gary Marshall and Bob Chambers. By the conclusion of that first year, the T-Birds had compiled a record of eight victories and 12 losses against a mixed slate of opponents that include junior colleges, four-year institutions and an alumni squad. "We'd play anyone who would schedule us," Adams recalls. Today, the Thunderbirds play only four-year competition com-petition and has a good portion of its opponents predetermined through membership in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Con-ference. SUSC also has a junior varsity program which includes competition with many of the same junior colleges on the '63-64 schedule. Sixteen years ago, the team split two games with Colorado School of Mines and defeated Western New Mexico University, currently members-with SUSC-of the RMAC. The 'Birds also split with Westminster, formerly a member of the RMAC before forced to drop its athletic program for financial reasons. Perennial NAIA rival Grand Canyon defeated SUSC, 84-77. Five members of the team averaged double figure scoring. Wadsworth led the way with 13.7 points per game. Others were Johnson (12.5), Chambers (11.7), Peterson (11.3), and Dehlin (10.9). Wadsworth was also the top rebounder with an average of 12.4 takedowns per game. After a pregame dinner, team members will be guests of SUSC at the New Mexico Highlands game. At halftime they will be presented honorary SUSC letter certificates and will be given honorary Quarterback Club Membership. "We thought that it would be appropriate to honor this team as a means to renew our relations with alumni members and athletes from past years," Steve Lunt, SUSC athletic director, explains. "We think there is value in giving this sort of recognition; it is our plan to try to do something like this each year." The 1963-64 SUSC basketball squad (with current addresses): Mel Wadsworth (248 W. 1725 North, Cedar City) Dennis Belliston (883C Kingshill Drive, Salt Lake Neil Petty (535 South 300 West, Cedar City) John Johnson (1570 West 7575 South, West Jordan) Doug Peterson (205 North 500 West, Richfield) Glen Gray (4717 Lisa Street, N.E. Salem, Oregon) Dennis Johnson (9904 South Yorkshire Drive, South Jordan) Jim Ash (266 East Kathryn Circle, Sandy) Lewis Tebbs (374 South 5 th West, Lehi) Larry Dehlin (11622 South 1605 East, Sandy) Lynn Jensen Gary Marshall Bob Chambers (Salt Lake City) |