Quote:
Originally Posted by GernB
Many of us thought that Tilleman could have played a larger role if he'd been given more floor time. He was probably the best pure shooter that I've ever seen. Unfortunately he was not as strong on defence, and Donahue would play Triano and Pasquale (both natural PGs and nowhere near the shooter that Tilleman was) no matter how hot Tilleman was or how poorly Triano (of whom I never had a very high opinion as a player) played. Also unfortunate that Perry Mirkovich from U of L (drafted 8th round by Portland) elected not to stay with the national program after the boycotted 1980 Olympics. Another natural shooter who could rebound strongly, he was probably the best player I ever played with or against.
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Totally agree with your assessment of Tilleman, I remember it the same way.
PERRY MIRKOVICH
Southern Alberta has long been known as a hotbed of basketball, and one of the best players the area has ever produced is Perry Mirkovich.
Ironically, Mirkovich failed to make his junior high basketball team in his first try in Grade 7 at Wilson Junior High School. He went on to a standout high school career at Winston Churchill High School, winning back-to-back school MVP honors along with an assortment of tournament all-star awards.
Then it was on to the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns, where Mirkovich starred for five seasons. A graceful six-foot-six, Mirkovich led the Canada West Conference in scoring in his final two seasons, becoming the first player in league history to capture back-to-back titles.
His U of L single-game and career scoring records stood for 20 years. He was a three-time Canada West All-Star (a unanimous selection in his final year) and capped his university career in 1979-80 by being named a second-team All-Canadian. He was also chosen as the U of L’s Male Athlete of the Year.
That summer, the National Basketball Association’s Portland Trail Blazers made Mirkovich a sixth-round draft pick (1980), making him the first Canadian ever drafted who played his high school and college ball in Canada. Mirkovich earned a berth on the Canadian Olympic team that year and was a member of the silver medal-winning team at an Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico. Canada’s boycott of the 1980 Summer Games robbed him of a chance to play in the Olympics.
He later played professionally in France and starred with a Senior Men’s Provincial Championship squad.