Quinn Cook the second coming of Steve Vacendak

[acc hoops]

After seeing the results of the All ACC teams I started thinkng back to other Duke players who maybe should have made First team All ACC.
In 1966 The POY award was given after the tournament but the All team were announced earlier.
Steve Vacendak a 6 ft 1 guard who weighed 190 was second team All ACC. In the tournament he led Duke to a come from behind victory over UNC in the semis. Dean Smith went to 4 corners the whole game but Duke prevailed. Vacendak then led Duke to a win over State in the finals which was played in Reynold Colisieum. When voting was done for POY Vacendak won becoming only player to win that honor but not be on first team All ACC.
Duke went on to lose in the National Championship game 83-79 as their star Bob Verga was hardly effective with a strep throat.
For those that never saw Vacendak play he was about the same size as Cook but he played the game like Justice Winslow. Pound for pound he would be in the top ten for toughest Duke players ever. He could guard much taller players. I liked it better when the POY award came after the tournament.
But then again the tournament meant a lot more back then. Only one team advanced.

 

[kwyjibos13]

duke lost in the ff to uk in 1966...

 

[Heyman25]

Originally posted by acc hoops:
After seeing the results of the All ACC teams I started thinkng back to other Duke players who maybe should have made First team All ACC.
In 1966 The POY award was given after the tournament but the All team were announced earlier.
Steve Vacendak a 6 ft 1 guard who weighed 190 was second team All ACC. In the tournament he led Duke to a come from behind victory over UNC in the semis. Dean Smith went to 4 corners the whole game but Duke prevailed. Vacendak then led Duke to a win over State in the finals which was played in Reynold Colisieum. When voting was done for POY Vacendak won becoming only player to win that honor but not be on first team All ACC.
Duke went on to lose in the National Championship game 83-79 as their star Bob Verga was hardly effective with a strep throat.
For those that never saw Vacendak play he was about the same size as Cook but he played the game like Justice Winslow. Pound for pound he would be in the top ten for toughest Duke players ever. He could guard much taller players. I liked it better when the POY award came after the tournament.
But then again the tournament meant a lot more back then. Only one team advanced.

Vacendak was a true warrior, the kind you want on your side. He often played the small forward position and could hold his own against the big boys. Truly one of the best Duke players most folks on this board have never even heard of. OFC

 

[acc hoops]

You are exactly right.KwyJWiBOS13 Remembering events from 49 years ago at 3 am in the morning my Duke educated brain does not seem to be holding up.

This post was edited on 3/9 7:03 AM by acc hoops

This post was edited on 3/9 7:04 AM by acc hoops

 

[topps coach]

If I am not mistaken, he was instrumental in the initial hiring of K

 

[Willcampbell]

I arrived at Duke in the fall of 1966, so I just missed seeing Vacendak and Marin by one year. There was a lot of talk about them still going on. Did see Verga and Lewis, to make up for it.
OFC

 

[skysdad]

Right young kid when Vacendak played. Loved the way the announcers said his name. Another great Duke player that has been lost in the shuffle of time fading by. I hope some of us OFC members hang around a while to keep these guys contributions to Duke alive. Believe someday if this world is here long enough some Duke fan will ask " who in then world is Christian Laettner ? " This can happen if we aren't careful . OFC

 

[Willcampbell]

Christian who?
OFC

 

[Willcampbell]

Hey, Sky: Here is a list of the guys I saw while I was there who should never be forgotten...and anyone I left out, it's only because the list would be too long...I loved watching all of you:
Bob Verga
Mike Lewis
Stave Vandenberg (helluva piano player)
Ron Golden
Tim Teer (great baseball player too)
Fred Lind
Randy Denton
Dick DeVenzio
God bless all of the above, and thanks for your contribution to Duke and to my experience.
OFC
Sorry, meant Dave Golden.

This post was edited on 3/10 4:52 PM by Willcampbell

 

[skysdad]

Originally posted by Willcampbell:
Hey, Sky: Here is a list of the guys I saw while I was there who should never be forgotten...and anyone I left out, it's only because the list would be too long...I loved watching all of you:
Bob Verga
Mike Lewis
Stave Vandenberg (helluva piano player)
Ron Golden
Tim Teer (great baseball player too)
Fred Lind
Randy Denton
Dick DeVenzio
God bless all of the above, and thanks for your contribution to Duke and to my experience.
OFC
Sorry, meant Dave Golden.

This post was edited on 3/10 4:52 PM by Willcampbell

Great list and thanks for sharing. Some guys that came a little after that I loved were Willie Hodge, Bob Fleisher, George Moses (oldest Duke player ever I believe), Gary Melchioni, Alan Shaw, Bob Reidy and the list could go on and on. OFC