On January 24, 1970, the fledgling American Basketball Association (ABA) held its third All-Star Game, at Indiana State Fair Coliseum in Indianapolis, Ind., before an audience of 11,932. Bob Verga, possibly the greatest basketball player to ever come out of Monmouth County, was a reserve on an Eastern Conference team that included Roger Brown, a future Hall of Famer, as well as ABA legends such as Mel Daniels, Doug Moe, and Louie Dampier. Verga played 16 minutes and scored 14 points with five rebounds and two assists. Alas, the Western Conference squad, led by all-time greats like Rick Barry and Spencer Haywood, would prevail in this exhibition game.
Robert Bruce Verga was born September 7, 1945, in Neptune Township; he attended St. Rose High School in Belmar, and Duke University, where he was twice named consensus All-America and three times All-Atlantic Coast Conference. He was the sixth pick in the third round of the 1967 National Basketball Association (NBA) draft, 25th overall, by the St. Louis Hawks, but chose instead to play in the new ABA. Over a career that would span 12 seasons, Verga would play 321 games in the ABA, for 8 different teams, and 21 games in the NBA, for the Portland Trail Blazers; he averaged 20.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game overall for his career.
On March 27, 1971, Verga had what may have been his best game as a pro, leading all players with 49 points in a win by the Carolina Cougars against the Virginia Squires of the ABA. He was among the top 20 in ABA scoring and assists in three seasons.
Sources: https://www.basketball-reference.com/
The Duke Report: Bob Verga’s Greatness Fully Recognized. Available: https://dukereport.com/alumni/bob-verga-greatness-fully-recognized-sfortosis/
One of the best shooters of ALL TIME , AT ANY LEVEL .
Agree one of the best shooters of ALL TIME AT ANY LEVEL. His record Duke scoring statistics accomplished before the 3-point shot which he helped promote in the ABA. Always willing to help younger players. A GREAT BASKETBALL PLAYER
I was at College Park, Maryland for the NCAA Championships in 1966 — before it was called “The Final Four”. Duke was my team, and Bob Verga was my guy. They would have beaten Kentucky had it not been for Verga’s illness, and stood a great chance of going all the way. News got out the morning of the semi’s that Verga was sick. It became obvious a couple of minutes in that he had very little to give. I cried that night in the hotel, over what might have been.
But when I watched Texas Western whip the Wildcats in the Title game, I was so happy for them. I was no fan of the pompous Rupp, and I perked up when I watched the Miners take the trophy. On Monday morning I got my Sports Illustrated copy, the cover showing Bobby Joe Hill stripping the ball from Louie Dampier. The headline was “Go, Go with Bobby Joe” … Bittersweet, but Great Memories. My favorite Duke team ever.
Thanks for sharing that great memory!
Dan, your memory is faulty. Please check the cover of the March 28, 1966 Sports Illustrated for the Texas Western/ Kentucky game. It’s a picture of Harry Flournoy grabbing a rebound in front of Pat Riley.
I hope he sees this. My family was from Washington, DC. Most summers when I was in high school we went to Bob’s hometown Sea Girt, New Jersey. There was an outdoor blacktop court. Many hot afternoons my brother and I would be challenged to play two on one against him. What an experience. I followed his career and ran into him years later at a bar in DC. He was there with Zeke Zimmerman who had recruited him to play in a league. It was always great to see him . My girlfriend, Joan Huber also went to St. Rose in Belmar. I was at Archbishop Carroll in DC.