Ernie Calverley
Ernest A. "Ernie" Calverley (January 30, 1924 – October 20, 2003) was an American basketball guard for the University of Rhode Island.
College career
He was retroactively declared the men's basketball season scoring leader for 1944. But Calverely was most notable for one particular shot. Dubbed the "shot heard round the world", it was a midcourt shot from 62 feet away, as time expired at Madison Square Garden in the 1946 National Invitation Tournament against Bowling Green to tie the game and send it to overtime. Even after fifty years, he stated that he didn't think it was going to go in, as he had to make sure it did not hit the scoreboard while shooting with both hands. [1] Rhode Island State (now known as Rhode Island) would win 82-79 in overtime to send them to the semifinal round. The Rams would eventually lose in the NIT final against Adolph Rupp's Kentucky Wildcats by one point. Not soon after, Calverly would join the BAA.
Career
Calverely led in assists per game in the league's first and second years, while playing for his home state team, the Providence Steamrollers. In his rookie season, Calverley was selected to the All-BAA Second Team. In his career, he missed only three games (one for each season). He had a 70.7% free throw percentage, which contrasted with his 29.1% lifetime field goal percentage. He was drafted by the Boston Celtics from the Providence Steam Rollers in the dispersal draft in 1949 after the team disbanded. A month later, he was put on waivers, and he never played again.
Later life
He later returned to URI to coach the Rams and led them to two NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament appearances in 1961 and 1966, losing both times in the First Round. Calverely died of complications of an infection after insertion of a pacemaker on October 20, 2003. [2]
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