Matthew Alexander Aitch Jr. (September 21, 1944 – April 4, 2007) was an American professional basketball player who played one season in the American Basketball Association (ABA).
 Aitch, c. 1967 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 21, 1944 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | April 4, 2007 (aged 62) Lansing, Michigan, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 230 lb (104 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Maplewood Richmond Heights (Maplewood, Missouri) |
| College |
|
| NBA draft | 1967: 13th round, 135th overall pick |
| Selected by the Detroit Pistons | |
| Playing career | 1967–1968 |
| Position | Power forward |
| Number | 45 |
| Career history | |
| 1967–1968 | Indiana Pacers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Early life
Aitch was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to parents Matthew Sr. and Viola (née Kinder) Aitch.[1] He attended Maplewood Richmond Heights High School in Maplewood, Missouri, where he led the team to three straight conference championships as a 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) center.[2]
College career
Aitch was not academically eligible to play NCAA Division I basketball so he enrolled at Moberly Junior College where he played for two seasons and grew to 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m).[2] John Benington, the head coach for the Saint Louis Billikens, had recruited Aitch as a high school student and received notice from a Moberly instructor that Aitch had improved his grades and could enrol.[2] He had not committed to a school when Benington was appointed as head coach of the Michigan State Spartans and was convinced to follow him there.[2] Aitch averaged 16.3 points and 9.2 rebounds per game during his senior season with the Spartans in 1966–67 and was selected to the All-Big Ten Conference second team.[3] He was team captain when the Spartans won the Big Ten Conference championship in 1967.[1]
Professional career
Aitch was selected by the Detroit Pistons as the 135th overall pick of the 1967 NBA draft.[4] He played for the Indiana Pacers of the American Basketball Association (ABA) during the 1967–68 season and averaged 5.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.[4]
Personal life
Aitch chose to stay in Lansing, Michigan, after his graduation because he liked the area when he attended Michigan State University.[3] He served as an assistant coach and recruiter for the Michigan State Spartans.[1] Aitch also worked as a minority recruiter for Michigan State University and Central Michigan University.[1] He later worked in management for a Meijer distribution center.[1]
Aitch's daughter, Lauren, played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans women's team.[3] She started a foundation in memory of her father called The Aitch Foundation which focuses on cancer detection research.[5]
References
External links
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