Efrem Winters
Personal information | |
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Born | Power forward | December 19, 1963
Number | 24 |
Career highlights and awards | |
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Efrem Zimbalist Winters
High school
A native of
College career
Winters was recruited to play
As a sophomore during the
In his junior season of 1984–85, the Fighting Illini started the season with 11 wins and only 2 losses prior to the Big Ten opener against Minnesota, reaching an overall ranking of #4 in the nation. However, the team would falter and lose its next two games, dropping them in the conference standings and a national ranking of #15 in the nation. Winters, on the other hand, would not be able to recreate the same magical sophomore season results, finishing third on the team in scoring, but first in blocked shots and rebounding.[8][9] The Illini would finish the season 26-9 overall and 12–6 in the conference, second to Michigan. After the season, Winters was named third team All-Big Ten and was also dubbed a team captain for his senior season.[10] The Illini would once again garner a berth in the NCAA tournament, this time placed in the East Regional as a #3 seed. The Illini would defeat Jim Calhoun and the Northeastern Huskies in the first round and the Georgia Bulldogs in the second round, setting up a showdown with Bobby Cremins and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the East Regional Semi-Final. Georgia Tech, behind the efforts of Mark Price and John Salley would prevail, knocking Winters and the Fighting Illini out of the tournament in the "Sweet-Sixteen".[11]
During Winter's senior season, the Illini continued their winning ways for 1985-86 by winning 10 of their first 12 games, including the Braggin' Rights game played against Missouri. Overall Illinois would finish the season with its fourth consecutive 20+ winning campaign by holding a 22 and 10 record while finishing fourth in the Big Ten with a 11 and 7 record, losing twice to Bob Knight and the Indiana Hoosiers. During the season the team would win the Illini Classic and finish the year with an AP ranking of number 19. Winters and the Illini would gain a fourth consecutive bid to the NCAA tournament, receiving a #4 seed in the Southeast Regional. After defeating Fairfield in the first round, the Illini would lose to Wimp Sanderson and the Alabama Crimson Tide in the second round. After the season, Winters would be named honorable mention All-Big Ten while finishing third on the team in scoring and blocked shots and second on the team in rebounding behind Ken Norman. During his playing time at Illinois, Winters' teams would win 95 of 130 games, winning 73% of the time and make the NCAA tournament each year.
Winters finished his Illinois career as the school's all-time rebounding leader with 853 rebounds (since eclipsed and now holds third) and #3 all-time scorer. He started 120 games in his Illinois career, a school record not surpassed until 2002 by Cory Bradford. Winters helped to start Illinois' nearly annual appearance in the NCAA Tournament.[12] The Douglas-to-Winters alley-oop became a staple play of the Illinois offense.[13] For his position and height, Winters was a superb free throw shooter; his name appears several times in the school record book for accuracy from the foul line.
Winters was invited to tryouts for the
NBA draft
Winters was drafted by the
Honors
High school
- Parade Magazine All-American(1982)
- McDonald's All-American (1982)
- Inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association's Hall of Fame as a player. (1997)[17]
College
- First-team All-Big Ten (1984)
- Playboy Pre-Season All-American (1985)
- Third-team All-Big Ten (1985)
- Team Captain[18] (1986)
- Playboy Pre-Season All-American (1985)
- Honorable mention All-Big Ten (1986)
College statistics
Season | Games | Points | PPG | Field Goals | Attempts | Avg | Free Throws | Attempts | Avg | Rebounds | Avg | Assists | APG | Blocks | BPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1982–83 | 31 | 385 | 12.4 | 159 | 343 | .464 | 67 | 94 | .713 | 213 | 6.9 | 20 | 0.6 | 31 | 1.0 |
1983–84 | 31 | 456 | 14.7 | 182 | 354 | .514 | 92 | 120 | .767 | 205 | 6.6 | 54 | 1.7 | 21 | 0.7 |
1984–85 | 35 | 350 | 10.0 | 137 | 289 | .474 | 76 | 103 | .738 | 252 | 7.2 | 49 | 1.4 | 32 | 0.9 |
1985–86 | 32 | 296 | 9.44 | 124 | 235 | .528 | 48 | 81 | .593 | 183 | 5.7 | 40 | 1.3 | 19 | 0.6 |
Totals | 129 | 1487 | 11.5 | 602 | 1221 | .493 | 283 | 398 | .711 | 853 | 6.6 | 163 | 1.3 | 103 | 0.8 |
References
- ^ "Cosell Still Has His Way With Words". Los Angeles Times. April 18, 1986. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
- ^ Myslenski, Skip; Kay, Linda (March 5, 1986). "News, notes and nonsense". Chicago Tribune. p. C2.
- ^ "Parade All-American First Team Awards - RealGM". basketball.realgm.com.
- ^ 2014 McDonald's All-American Program
- ^ "Basketball.RealGM.com".
- ^ SUPINIE, JOHN. "Winters cannot forget '84 NCAA loss to Kentucky". The State Journal-Register.
- ISBN 1-58261-356-7
- ^ a b "Tate: Winters started resurgence". www.news-gazette.com. 7 January 2009.
- ^ "Illini MBB Record Book pg. 129" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-08-24. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
- ISBN 1-58261-793-7
- ^ "Price Is Right; Georgia Tech Beats Illinois". Los Angeles Times. March 22, 1985. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
- ^ a b Tate, Loren (January 7, 2009). "Winters started resurgence". The News-Gazette. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
- ^ Helfgot, Mike (February 9, 2011). "Former Illini Efrem Winters, Bruce Douglas still tight after meeting at McDonald's All-American Game 29 years ago". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
Before the Douglas-to-Winters alley-oop became a staple of the Illini's mid-1980s resurgence...
- ^ "Olympic Basketball Tryout Invitees". The Dallas Morning News. April 19, 1984. p. 14B.
- ^ Horn, Barry (April 22, 1984). "4 from SWC make cut for U.S. basketball team; Those Who Made It". The Dallas Morning News. p. 10B.
- ^ Consulting, Fine Line Websites & IT; Review, The Draft (14 August 2008). "Efrem Winters". The Draft Review.
- ^ IBCA Hall of Fame
- ^ "FightingIllini.com" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-08-24. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
- ^ "Efrem Winters College Stats". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com.