Men's Basketball
1988 PSAC East Championship Team Recognition
Feb. 2, 2008 - Keystone Hall

THEN...

Sitting left to right: Shane Stafford and Brad Binder; kneeling left to right: Bill Bedsom, James Ballard, Matt Dennis, Butch Hills, Charlie Chisholm, Pat Tulley and Eddie Savage; standing left to right: athletic trainer Rennie Sacco, volunteer assistant Rick Stafford, assistant Steve Hahn, Maurice Williams, Jody McMillan, Richard Johnson, Marty Eggleston, Doug Liptak, Rodney Shorter, Koye Wilson, Dave Stafford, head coach Rick Binder and equipment manager Dave Steigerwalt.

NOW...

Members of the 1987-88 men's basketball team were on hand Feb. 2, 2008, for a reunion and recognition of that storied season.  Pictured left to right are assistant coach Steve Hahn, assistant Coach Dave Stafford, Pat Tulley, Maurice Williams, Eddie Savage, head coach Rick Binder, Marty Eggleston, Butch Hills, Matt Dennis.

2.4.08 - Men's Basketball Some truly Golden Bears gather to remember a title By Rich Scarcella Reading Eagle (click here to read this story at the Reading Eagle Website)

1987-88 Season Recap

       The 1987-88 Kutztown University men’s basketball season was a magical one, to say the least. 

       The team won the only Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division Championship in KU men’s basketball history.  It also was the PSAC tournament runner-up and advanced to the NCAA Playoffs for the only time in program history. The squad won a school record 21 games, was nationally ranked several times throughout the season, set numerous records and produced two KU Hall of Fame inductees.

The team’s accomplishments were recognized at halftime of the Feb. 2, 2008 men’s game as KU welcomed back members of the team, upon the 20th anniversary of the storied 1987-88 season.

In January 1988, Kutztown was 8-4 heading into PSAC East play. The Golden Bears defeated East Stroudsburg and Bloomsburg before suffering a 10-point loss at Cheyney. After a non-conference setback, KU caught fire, rattling off seven straight division wins.  The streak was highlighted by wins over Millersville on consecutive nights and a payback win over Cheyney in the teams’ second meeting. 

Kutztown lost a four-overtime barnburner at West Chester, 103-101, before bouncing back with a 103-75 drubbing of Mansfield to claim the PSAC East regular-season crown. 

It was then off to California, Pa., for the PSAC Final Four.  In the semifinals, Kutztown took on PSAC West runner-up Lock Haven.  Charlie Chisholm’s two free throws with eight seconds left gave the Golden Bears an 86-84 win and a berth in the PSAC title game against the host Vulcans.

Kutztown led the game early, but a late first-half run gave Cal a 38-34 halftime edge.  The Golden Bears fought valiantly in the second half, but could never overcome California’s lead, falling 73-64 to finish as PSAC runners-up.

Despite the loss, KU qualified for the NCAA tournament at Gannon University.  In the first round, Kutztown lost to eventual regional champion Gannon, 84-64.  The following day, the team’s season came to a close with a consolation loss, 89-81 to LeMoyne.

The team had set school single-season records in almost every statistical category.  Marty Eggleston set the program mark for points, rebounds, field goals, field-goal percentage and blocks in a season.  Butch Hills established records for 3-pointers and, 3-point percentage.  Rodney Shorter was the single-season record holder for assists. 

Then, the flood of honors began.  Eggleston was named a third-team National Basketball Coaches Association All-American.  He was also a first-team All-PSAC East and ECAC All-Star pick.  Hills, Maurice Williams and Shorter were named to All-PSAC East second-team honors.  Head coach Rick Binder was named the PSAC Coach of the Year. 

Hills and Eggleston finished as the leading and fourth-leading scorers in KU career history.  Eggelston still holds the career record for field-goal percentage and finished as the career leader in rebounds and blocks.  Hills finished as the career record holder in 3-pointers and 3-point percentage. 

Hills was inducted into the KU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1997 and was followed by Eggleston in 1999.