Carolina Cougars

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UNCMSinLS

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I just finished watching a couple of ABA team documentaries: The Virginia Squires and the Carolina Cougars. I remember living in Virginia during the last couple of years of the Squires. I never saw a game live but wish now that I had.

Before moving to Virginia, my family lived in Bowling Green, Kentucky. We were season ticket holders to Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball (and football) games. I remember following WKU's trip to the final four in 1971. Jim McDaniels was an all-American center and the star of the team. He was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics but ended up playing for the Carolina Cougars for his rookie season. In the 1971-72 season, McDaniels averaged 26.8 points and 14 rebounds for the Cougars over 58 games. He had 24 points and 11 boards in the 1972 ABA All-Star Game.

Does anyone on the board remember McDaniels' time with the Cougars? More generally, did anyone ever attend any Cougars' games? Is there any collected memorabilia out there? It sounds like a fascinating story - a regional team that played in Charlotte, Greensboro, and Raleigh.

I'm anxious to hear any firsthand memories from anyone who might have "been there, done that."
 
I went to 3 Cougars games but I listened pretty religiously on the radio. The regional concept did not work very well is what I've always heard as they never were able to fully cultivate a home atmosphere anywhere. The ABA as a rule was the Wild, Wild, West of misfits...that's what they always say...and it was pretty much true. The Cougars eventually traded or Wendell Ladner, who was perhaps the most insane in the asylum. Larry Brown had them playing a pro version of Carolina ball for a brief period and they rocked.
 
I remember those days, but we lived in Virginia at that time. I did see the Cougars play the Squires. I was conflicted on who to pull for as I was born in North Carolina, but I was more of a fan of the Squires at that time. Some of the greatest in the game suited up for the Squires, including Hall of Famers Julius “Doctor J” Erving, George “The Iceman" Gervin, and Charlie Scott, just to name a few.
 
The best player I have ever seen live, once scored for the Squires in the playoffs. '71 or '72 time frame.

Henry Logan was the best basketball player I have ever seen play. I'm 6'3" and when he jumped to shoot, his feet were at my neck. Before his time.
 
Batt Boy said:
The best player I have ever seen live, once scored for the Squires in the playoffs. '71 or '72 time frame.

Henry Logan was the best basketball player I have ever seen play. I'm 6'3" and when he jumped to shoot, his feet were at my neck. Before his time.
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I knew Henry. Went to my undergrad Alma Mater Western Carolina. (About 10 years before I attended) Saw him last at a High School play-off basketball game a few years ago, right before the Pandemic. March 2020 at Freedom High School. Freedom went on to win a North Carolina 3A co-championship a few weeks later. The final game was never played due to the Pandemic shut down. They named the two finalists co-State champs.

Another friend, Jimmy Powell introduced me to Mr. Logan. Jimmy had a cup of coffee in the NBA with the 76ers in 1974. Jimmy was a heckuva basketball player in his own right, but he still tell you to this day that Henry Logan was the best player he ever saw… and that would include those pros in the NBA in 1974.
 
Henry Logan passed away about a year and a half ago.

I met him completely by accident when my wife and I were house-shopping when we first arrived in Asheville. Turned out that we were looking at a house directly beside his. He and I were standing in the front yard talking. I introduced myself and then he did. Being the basketball nut that I am, I said, "Are you THE Henry Logan?" He pretty modestly replied that yes he was. I told him that I was honored to meet him. I know that at one time there was a man in Asheville that was working on a documentary about his life. I don't think it has ever come out though.

Maybe this is a trailer for it?

 
Just watched some of this...an interview with Henry Logan and Ronnie Carr. Carr hit the first three-pointer in college basketball in a WCU game versus Middle Tennessee State in 1980. Just jumping through this interview it looks pretty entertaining. I caught Logan mentioning that he got an offer from UCLA but his mother wanted him to stay close to home. That makes me think about Henry Bibby, a great AFAM high school player from NC (Franklinton) who did choose to go to UCLA three years later.

I've never gotten into the lore of Western Carolina sports but from the sound of this interview there is an awful lot of it 'out there.' There are several mentions of Guilford College...in particular players there -- Dave Odoms and Bob Kauffman, two who went on to further careers in basketball after starring in the Carolinas Conference.

 
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Centerpiece said:
I remember those days, but we lived in Virginia at that time. I did see the Cougars play the Squires. I was conflicted on who to pull for as I was born in North Carolina, but I was more of a fan of the Squires at that time. Some of the greatest in the game suited up for the Squires, including Hall of Famers Julius “Doctor J” Erving, George “The Iceman" Gervin, and Charlie Scott, just to name a few.
Click to expand...

Don't forget Jumbo Jim Eakins.
 
Ronnie Carr was there when I was still there. Steve Cottrell was the coach. One of my first roommates was the president of Alpha Phi Alpha, and alot of the basketball team would come by the room. I had some connections and I had a line on some Thai Sticks and some Maui Wowie. (Friend lived in Hawaii and would mail it to us.) The team liked me for some reason.
 
Who was the play-by-play guy for the Cougars? When they were not playing well he disparage them to the point you would think they couldn’t beat a high school team that night.
 
Charlotte’s WSO-TV’s Bob Lamey did radio for Cougars games for several years; he also did Charlotte Checkers hockey games.

Bones McKinney joined Lamey one season. Bill “The Mouth of the South” Currie was with Lamey for 2 seasons.

Gene Overby did TV.
 
Lamey went on to the Colts where he made some sort of comment that landed him in hot water. He’s the voice I most associate with the Cougars.

Bones was all over the place in those days, even coaching the Cougars for a couple of years. Despite his entanglements with pro sports he really represented the ACC to me — played for both state and Carolina and coached Wake - glad he stayed away from dook. I went to the Cougars basketball camp at Guilford College in 1970 and Bones was running the show with a great deal of personality. For an ordained Southern Baptist minister he could cuss. Blue Streak and didn’t mind doing it.
 
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