"In his own words," quotes from Coach Roloff's Biography,Basketball Section:
1947
Dr. Stagg appointed me head coach, the first year was lean, we
had football players and a pile up. Facilities were extremely poor
and
not conducive to recruiting.
1948
Hal Wolf, at my request, changed coaching responsibility. It was
logical reasoning as Wolf brought two fine players from
the Sacramento area.
Wolf introduced the University of Colorado offence where he had played.
The system featured the play of Ed Rooney, league leading scorer.
Wolf continued as head coach until 1950. The responsibility was again
mine as coach. The fortunes of basketball continued to climb reaching
a peak in 1953. Recruiting of Norm Hubert and the competitive play
of Dan French plus the improvement of Clint Agee led us to a conference
championship.
Why the change? The beautiful new Forest Grove High School
gym, local fans and alumni interest as well as an interesting alumni
coaches tournament held each year for several years.
1954
the 1954 season started with 12 wins, no loses. We met the College
of Idaho who had R. C. Owens and a new star Elgin Baylor, a All American
high school center from Baltimore, MD. the game was nip and tuck,
in the final seconds Hubert was called for offensive charging, making
the basket. A homer call, something you always fight in Caldwell,
Idaho.
The
Badgers continued undefeated following this loss until meeting
College of Idaho in a double header in Forest Grove.
The first game went into overtime, with College of Idaho winning. Hubert
scored 39 pts. and Baylor scored 43 pts. The second night was out right
by College of Idaho. We finished second in the Northwest Conference,
but our record allowed us to compete for the Nationals in Kansas City.
We played Portland Statewho defeated us in a crucial game. Just before
they were planning to leave for K. C. two of their men were declared
inelgible. What confusion. They didn't go, and neither did we.
1955
Was a good recruiting year as the Badgers landed Jerry Kalapus,
6' 7" from Medford, H. S.., Tom Bourgeois 6' 4", Wendell Neibuhr 6'
9" from Baker H. S., Gary Ames, Estacada H. S., where he played
for Truman Osborn ex-Pacific basketball player, Don Adams, son of
Vic
Adams who replaced me as coach in 1956. this team had a good group
of returning lettermen, Dan French, Ed Ramsdell, Don Brenneman, Gene
Dreshler and Bill Bacon.
The Badgers tied for 2nd with Linfield, with College
of Idaho repeating. The Badgers were invited to the NAIA playoffs,
where they finished 3rd. Pacific had a respectable record of 16-10
and 9-6 in conference play. Dan French and Ed Ramsdell made the 1st
team all conference, they both will be missed.
In ending my career as the Badger basketball coach, I am leaving a
good number of promising players. Of all the players in my basketball
career, I would like to pay my sincerest complements to one of the
greatest players to play for Pacific under me. He could have player
for any school, Danny French.
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