1974–75 Virginia Squires season

ABA basketball team season August 2023 Virginia Squires ABA 1975 15 69 ABA 5th Al Bianchi Norfolk ScopeHampton ColiseumRichmond ColiseumRoanoke Civic Center WAVY 10 WTAR The 1974–75 Virginia Squires season was the fifth season of the Squires in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and their eighth overall season when including their seasons as the Oakland Oaks and Washington Caps. Being exhausted by the team's constant financial troubles, the ABA purchased the Virginia Squires from previous team owner Earl Foreman after former rookie Barry Parkhill's paycheck bounced on May 24, 1974 and he filed a lawsuit against Foreman, the Squires, and the ABA.http://www.remembertheaba.com/TeamMaterial/VirginiaMaterial/OaksCapsSquiresYearly.html The ABA later sold the Squires to a large ownership group that was primarily led by Van H. Cunningham, John B. Bernhardt, and Theodore Broecker in the hopes that they could make their financial troubles become a thing of the past on their ends. However, due to the franchise already having sold off All-Star and even Hall of Fame worthy talents such as Julius Erving and George Gervin in previous seasons in order to simply keep their team afloat, the Squires simply imploded with a lack of quality talent on display on their ends, losing 69 games and winning only 15 games, which would become the worst completed record in ABA history. Their longest winning streak during this time was only 3 games long, lasting from January 31 to February 3, 1975. At one point, from December 30, 1974 to January 26, 1975, they lost 15 straight games in a row to end the 1974 year and start out 1975 on a dour note. The only victory they had in the month of March 1975 was also their final victory of the season, as the team lost eight straight to close out the season. The team finished the season last in points per game at 99.0, with a middling 6th in points allowed with 109.5 per game.https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/VIR/1975.html 1974-75 Virginia Squires Roster and Stats The 15–69 record would break the record held by the 1968–69 New York Nets season for the worst record ever produced in ABA history, as well as the record previously held by the 1973–74 Memphis Tams season for the most losses held by a team in one season. ABA Draft 1974 ABA draft Round Pick Player Position(s) Nationality College 1 1 Tom McMillen PF/C USA United States Maryland 1 5 Jan van Breda Kolff SF USA United States Vanderbilt 2 12 Jesse Dark SG USA United States Virginia Commonwealth 3 24 Lionel Billingy PF USA United States Duquesne 4 32 Lerman Battle F USA United States Fairmont State 5 42 Bernard Harris C USA United States Virginia Commonwealth 6 52 Phil Lumpkin PG USA United States Miami University (Ohio) 7 62 Earl Williams C USA United StatesISR Israel Winston-Salem State 8 72 John Drew SF USA United States Gardner–Webb 9 82 Bill Campion C USA United States Manhattan College 10 92 Mark Cartwright C USA United States Bowling Green State This draft table listing does not include selections made from the "ABA Draft of NBA Players" done immediately afterward, which the Squires also selected first over the Memphis Sounds (back when they were named the Memphis Tams) by winning a coin flip that year. ABA Draft of NBA Players Round Pick Player Position(s) Nationality College NBA Team 1 1 Bob Kauffman PF/C USA United States Guilford Buffalo Braves 2 12 George E. Johnson C USA United States Stephen F. Austin State Houston Rockets 3 21 Dick Snyder SG/SF USA United States Davidson Seattle SuperSonics 4 32 Calvin Murphy PG USA United States Niagara Houston Rockets 5 41 Barry Clemens PF USA United States Ohio Wesleyan Cleveland Cavaliers The "ABA Draft of NBA Players" that was done on April 17, 1974 happened immediately after the actual ABA Draft done for this season was concluded on that day. None of the five players drafted by the Squires would report to the team this season, though George E. Johnson did previously play a season in the ABA with the Dallas Chaparrals (now known as the San Antonio Spurs). Calvin Murphy would later have his name be a part of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Roster Virginia Squires 1974–75 #382E2C #FC8100 #D40332 #FC8100 33 Lloyd Batts SG 6 4 185 May 9, 1951 Cincinnati 52 Lionel Billingy PF 6 9 215 August 31, 1952 Duquesne 20 Glen Combs SG 6 2 185 October 30, 1946 Virginia Tech 11 Darrell Elston SG 6 4 190 August 15, 1952 North Carolina 15 Lamar Green PF 6 7 210 March 22, 1947 Morehead State University 14 Bill Higgins basketball SG 6 2 180 December 15, 1952 Ashland University 30 George Irvine basketball SF 6 6 200 February 1, 1948 Washington 31 Mike Jackson basketball PF 6 7 215 July 31, 1949 California State University, Los Angeles 44 Johnny Neumann SG 6 6 200 September 11, 1951 Ole Miss 40 Barry Parkhill SG 6 4 185 May 10, 1951 Virginia 22 Aulcie Perry C 6 10 210 July 3, 1950 Bethune-Cookman College 5 Cincy Powell SF 6 7 220 February 25, 1942 University of Portland 24 Red Robbins C 6 8 190 September 30, 1944 Tennessee 13 Dave Twardzik PG 6 1 175 September 20, 1950 Old Dominion 45 David Vaughn Jr. C 6 11 220 June 4, 1952 Oral Roberts 42 Willie Wise SF 6 5 210 March 3, 1947 Drake University Al Bianchi https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/VIR/1975.html Final standings Eastern Division + Team W L PCT. GB Kentucky Colonels C 5826.690 - New York Nets 5826.690 - Spirits of St. Louis 3252.381 26 Memphis Sounds 2757.321 31 Virginia Squires 1569.179 43 Awards and honors 1975 ABA All-Star Game selection (game played on January 28, 1975) Dave Twardzik References External links RememberTheABA.com 1974–75 regular season and playoff results Virginia Squires page Category:Virginia Squires Virginia Squires Virginia Squires, 1974-75 Virginia Squires, 1974-75