Pete Trgovich Explained

Pete Trgovich
Number:25
Height Ft:6
Height In:5
Nationality:American
College:UCLA (1972–1975)
Draft Year:1975
Draft Round:3
Draft Pick:44
Draft Team:Detroit Pistons
Highlights:

Pete Trgovich is an American former college basketball player. He played for the UCLA Bruins, and won two national championships during his career.

Trgovich was a member of the 1971 East Chicago Washington High School Senators basketball team, which went undefeated (29-0) and won the Indiana state high school championship. In the final two tournament wins that season, he scored a combined 68 points.[1] Among his teammates were Junior Bridgeman, who later played professionally in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and Tim Stoddard, who played basketball at North Carolina State University and went on to have success as a Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher, winning a World Series with the Baltimore Orioles in 1983.[2] [3]

Trgovich played college basketball at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). On their freshman team in 1971–72, he led the team in scoring, averaging 23.4 points per game with a game high of 47.[4] The following 1972–73 season, UCLA was 30–0 won the national championship.[5] In 1974–75, Trgovich helped lead UCLA to another NCAA championship, facing off against his old high school teammate Bridgeman in the national semifinals.[6]

Trgovich was drafted by the San Diego Sails in the fourth round of the 1975 ABA draft.[7] and by the Detroit Pistons in the third round of the 1975 NBA draft.[8]

Coaching career

Trgovich coached East Chicago Central High School to the Indiana AAAA state championship in 2007.[9]

He was the head coach at Indiana University Northwest, from 2007 to 2010.[10]

Trgovich returned to East Chicago Central, where he coached for two seasons from 2015-2017 before resigning after a playoff loss in 2017.[11]

Honors

Trgovich was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.[2]

Notes and References

  1. News: Pete Trgovich, Jr.. hoopshall.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20140517121857/http://www.hoopshall.com/hall-of-fame/pete-trgovich-jr./?back=HallofFame. May 17, 2014. live.
  2. News: Hamnik. Al. ECW's Trgovich, Stoddard headed to Indiana HOF. November 27, 2010. nwitimes.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20171030101515/http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/high-school/boys-basketball/ecw-s-trgovich-stoddard-headed-to-indiana-hof/article_0eda36cc-975e-5fe3-a5ef-2dcd3358314e.html. October 30, 2017. live.
  3. News: Hamnik. Al. Bridgeman, Trgovich 'Harbored' no ill will in '75 NCAA semis. April 5, 2013. nwitimes.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20171030101514/http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/basketball/college/ncaa-tournament/mens-tournament/bridgeman-trgovich-harbored-no-ill-will-in-ncaa-semis/article_118aef91-78f3-5a70-a83b-b535bc97c302.html. October 30, 2017. live.
  4. News: Trgovich gives UCLA win. March 10, 1975. The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. 8. Associated Press. February 6, 2014.
  5. News: John Wooden's championship years at UCLA. June 13, 2010. Los Angeles Times. https://archive.today/20140206062211/http://articles.latimes.com/print/2010/jun/13/sports/la-sp-wooden-years-20100613. February 6, 2014. live.
  6. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/features/si50/states/california/flashback/ Curry Kirkpatrick, What a Wiz of a Win It Was: Led by Richard Washington's 28 points, UCLA defeated Kentucky 92-85 to give John Wooden a wonderful retirement gift -- his 10th NCAA title, Sports Illustrated, April 7, 1975
  7. Web site: BasketballReference.com 1975 ABA Draft page . 2008-12-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150407162440/http://www.basketballreference.com/draft/draftyear.htm?yr=1975&lg=A . 2015-04-07 . dead .
  8. http://www.basketballreference.com/draft/draftyear.htm?yr=1975&lg=N BasketballReference.com 1975 NBA Draft page
  9. News: Hamnik. Al. Former Bruins' star Pete Trgovich to attend Wooden Memorial. June 26, 2010. nwitimes.com. https://archive.today/20140206062305/http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/college/former-bruins-star-pete-trgovich-to-attend-wooden-memorial/article_c540065c-3764-5eb2-adba-8ef8d2f84a95.html. February 6, 2014. live.
  10. Men's basketball coach Pete Trgovich opts not to return for fourth season at IU Northwest. April 12, 2010. Indiana University Northwest. https://web.archive.org/web/20140221165020/http://www.iun.edu/~newsnw/pg/2010/100412_trgovichjr.shtml. February 21, 2014. live.
  11. Web site: Stunning twist: Pete Trgovich resigns as East Chicago Central basketball coach. Chicago Tribune.