Bob Wenzel interviewed by Penn State Reporter

[ColonelRutgers]

Primarily, this is a story about Wenzel's take on the Penn State program but there's an interesting tidbit about the Rutgers loss to St. Joe's in the 1991 A-10 Tournament, quote below, and Bob's take on Pikiell at RU.

http://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2017/02/penn_state_bob_wenzel_big_ten.html

Reporter's reflection:

"My history listening to Bob Wenzel retreats back more than a quarter-century to Rutgers' last NCAA berth.

It was the second round of the 1991 Atlantic 10 tournament and Wenzel's top-seeded Scarlet Knights were undergoing some internal strife during a second-round rock fight they would lose to Saint Joseph's at a raucous Palestra. Freshman Donnell Lumpkin who liked to shoot from deep and was pretty good at it most times, had shot a few too many threes for the liking of RU's star senior guard Earl Duncan. I was directly behind the Rutgers bench when Duncan yelled for Wenzel to "get that [bleep] off the floor!"​

 

[Scarlet Shack]

I remember it well...

Also remember In the 1990 quarterfinal grabbing earl duncan and throwing him into the chair on the bench

Must have worked as earl his a floater at the buzzer for a one point win which put Rutgers one game over .500 and got Rutgers a NIT bid in 89-90

 

[LotusAggressor]

Donnell Lumpkin who liked to shoot from deep and was pretty good at it most times,

Ah, the days when RU had players who could actually shoot........

 

[LC-88]

Primarily, this is a story about Wenzel's take on the Penn State program but there's an interesting tidbit about the Rutgers loss to St. Joe's in the 1991 A-10 Tournament, quote below, and Bob's take on Pikiell at RU.

http://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2017/02/penn_state_bob_wenzel_big_ten.html

Reporter's reflection:

"My history listening to Bob Wenzel retreats back more than a quarter-century to Rutgers' last NCAA berth.

It was the second round of the 1991 Atlantic 10 tournament and Wenzel's top-seeded Scarlet Knights were undergoing some internal strife during a second-round rock fight they would lose to Saint Joseph's at a raucous Palestra. Freshman Donnell Lumpkin who liked to shoot from deep and was pretty good at it most times, had shot a few too many threes for the liking of RU's star senior guard Earl Duncan. I was directly behind the Rutgers bench when Duncan yelled for Wenzel to "get that [bleep] off the floor!"​

Maybe that's why Wenzel didn't let Lumpkin shoot in the last 3 or 4 minutes of the NCAA 1st round loss to ASU.

 

[knight82]

If this year's team had Donnel Lumpkin, we'd probably have about four more wins

 

[Local Shill]

Donnell was a sophomore that year, not a freshman.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

Ah, the days when RU had players who could actually shoot........

And the days when we had a floor-general point guard..... how long has it been for that? Geoff Billet? Todd Billet left before he could be that guy...

 

[FELONIOUSMONK]

When Wenz coached my Jewish league team in Highland Park when he was still playing we were playing at West Orange and one of their players got a little too physical. He jumped 10 feet off the bench ready to rumble. I love the guy.

 

[RickM913]

FM- I also played for Bob Wenzel for the USY team at the HP Temple. We loved him and we won the Jersey USY league. How do I find out who you are?

 

[jellyman]

I also played for HP's USY team - but a few years later (I believe Felonious played with my brother, who was HP Class of '73). We also won the league on the court ... but ended up forfeiting the games because Metuchen claimed we had "illegal" players ... after we pounded them twice in league play ... we were undefeated that year. I was the 6th man, but played a lot, as we destroyed most teams. We averaged more than 80 points a game.

We actually played mostly zone: A 3-2 zone. Teams simply could not score on us at home because of our length. We started a pair of 6'3" to 6'4" F/C's and a 6'1" WF. Our guards were not that tall (our PG was 5'8" and our 2G was maybe 5'9" or 5'10" - but he could REALLY shoot). I was 1st player off the bench for any of the Guard or WF positions, and was 6'0". And we had a 6'6" player off the bench also (not a skilled player at all - but defensively and rebounding was fine).

What the length meant was that when we played a 3-2 zone, in that Temple gym - which was tiny - I could literally touch the wall on one side when I was in, and the other player on the other side could touch the other wall - and we still had middle coverage ... and with 2 6'3"/6'4" players at the back we had great shot blocking just in case anyone got inside the zone. We got a TON of turnovers through that zone, and a full court press.

 

[FELONIOUSMONK]

Rm I know who you are.. Do you have a Rock in your family? And I did play with Jelly's brother..A very big boy and a good ball player .

 

[jonS]

Funny--I also grew up in Highland Park and belonged to that temple and was friends with and played in that gym with some of the guys that you may have played with--Dave R. , Dr. Hank S. , and Roy T. ( my best friend growing up and still my very good friend)

 

[FELONIOUSMONK]

Jon's , know them all. Roy and Henry/Hank..All good c cuys.

 

[jonS]

I sat with Roy at the Illinois game. I've known him my entire life and he remains one of my closest friends , even though he lives in Nj and I'm in the Boston area the past 35-40 years. Hank and Dave are good friends of mine as well.

 

[RU85inFla]

I ran into Bob this morning and mentioned this thread. He told me he used to hitch hike from practice to HP for practice but he needed the extra money. Said the team was real good and won the state championship. Was smiling ear to ear.

 

[FELONIOUSMONK]

He was born to coach and talk hoops.