Contributor

High School: Class of 69-70

College(s):

Background: The Exeter Black Knights are known by many as “Berks County’s Dream Team”. The team competed in the National Amateur Basketball Association (NABA) for three years, 1968-69, 1969-70, and 1970-71. Bill Giles was the owner and general manager. Rod Hand was the head coach and primary recruiter. The Black Knights competing in the NABA won their league in the 68-69 season but lost in the first round of the national tournament in Springfield. In 1970 they again won their league and hosted the NABA national championship tournament at Albright College. They won four straight games and played the national championship game in front of a standing-room-only crowd. The 1969-70 roster included many of Berks County’s legendary players: Jim Aikens, Dick Braucher, B.J. Ellison, Dick Graul, Don Hadley, Jim Krick, Ron Krick, Bruce Sadowskas, John Scholl, Jim Stocker, Clayton Taylor, and Charlie Young. Rod Hand went on to a successful high school coaching career at Exeter H.S. and then was head coach at Alvernia College for 9 years from 1981 – 1990 and was 124-142. In 2002, the Black Knights were honored by the Berks County Chapter of the PA Sports Hall of Fame as a “Legendary Team of the Past”.