Clemson Basketball Program to Hold Reunion on Saturday

Jan. 11, 2008

Clemson, SC – Nearly 60 former Clemson men’s basketball players will return to campus this weekend for the Tigers game with Florida State on Saturday. The former Tigers will have an opportunity to see an important ACC game in Littlejohn Coliseum as the 12-3 Tigers face the 12-4 Seminoles. Tipoff is 7:00 PM. The game will not be televised.

The group will have a pre-game buffet in the Littlejohn Coliseum Annex, then attend a pre-game scouting report on the game from the Tigers coaches. At halftime the group will be introduced individually on the court at Littlejohn Coliseum. They will then have the opportunity to meet with the Tiger coaching staff and players after the game.

“We are very excited to have our former players return for this weekend’s game,” said Head Coach Oliver Purnell. “Our former players are a big part of our program’s history and we enjoy honoring them each year for what have done for the program. And, we will look forward to their support in what is a very big ACC game on Saturday.”

Among the 59 players who have registered to attend will be all four Mahaffey brothers, Don, Randy, Tommy and Richie. A Mahaffey was a member of every Clemson team between 1959-70, the only time in ACC history four brothers from the same family played for the same program. One of the brothers led Clemson in rebounding for nine consecutive season between 1960-68.

Other former Tigers expected to be in attendance on Saturday are Bobby Conrad, the starting point guard from the 1980 Clemson team that reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, Jim Brennan, who led Clemson to the championship game of the 1962 ACC Tournament, Garry Helms, who still holds the Clemson record for points in a single game by a forward with 37 against Georgia Tech in 1966, and Grayson Marshall, Clemson’s career leader in assists.

Four of the players returning to campus played in the late 1940s and early 1950s. That group includes Bill DeLoach, Marvin Robinson, Tommy McCulough and Willie Poole. Robinson averaged 11.8 rebounds per game over his career, second in Clemson history to Tree Rollins.