1971–72 Virginia Squires season

The 1971–72 Virginia Squires season was the second season of the Virginia Squires in the American Basketball Association. This was the debut season of future Hall of Famer Julius Erving. In the first half of the season, the Squires were 26–16, with a season-high five-game losing streak and one five-game winning streak in that half. In the second half, they went 19–23. The Squires finished 2nd in points scored at 118.9 per game, but 9th in points allowed at 118.0 per game. Just before the season ended, Charlie Scott left the team and joined the NBA's Phoenix Suns, completing a trade with the Boston Celtics (who held his original draft rights) for Paul Silas. Scott set the all-time ABA individual single-season scoring record by averaging 34.6 points per game. In the playoffs, the Squires swept the Floridians (with Game 2 even being broadcast on CBS), but the Squires lost to the New York Nets in the Division Finals.^[1] After the season, the Squires stopped playing in Roanoke, electing to focus on Norfolk, Hampton, and Richmond only.

1971–72 Virginia Squires season
Head coach	Al Bianchi
Arena	Norfolk Scope Hampton Coliseum Richmond Coliseum Roanoke Civic Center
Results
Record	45–39 (.536)
Place	Division: 2nd (Eastern)
Playoff finish	Lost in Division Finals
< 1970–71 1972–73 >

Roster

• 16 Bill Bunting – Small forward
• 42 Jim Eakins – Center
• 32 Julius Erving – Small forward
• 30 George Irvine – Small forward
• 24 Neil Johnson – Power forward
• 34 Mike Maloy – Power forward
• 15 Doug Moe – Small forward
• 21 Dana Pagett – Guard
• 33 Charlie Scott – Shooting guard
• 22 Ray Scott – Power forward
• 10 Adrian Smith – Shooting guard
• 35 Willie Sojourner – Center
• 14 Roland Taylor – PG
• 11 Bernie Williams – Shooting guard

Final standings

Eastern Division

Team	W	L	%	GB
Kentucky Colonels	68	16	.810	–
Virginia Squires	45	39	.536	23
New York Nets	44	40	.524	24
The Floridians	36	48	.429	32
Carolina Cougars	35	49	.417	33
Pittsburgh Condors	25	59	.298	43

Playoffs

Eastern Division Semifinals^[2]

Game	Date	Location	Score	Record	Attendance
1	April 2	Norfolk (Virginia)	114–107 (OT)	1–0	3,770
2	April 4	Hampton (Virginia)	125–100	2–0	2,921
3	April 6	Florida	118–113	3–0	2,965
4	April 8	Florida	115–106	4–0	3,117

Squires win series, 4–0

Eastern Division Finals vs. New York Nets

Game	Date	Location	Score	Record	Attendance
1	April 13	Richmond (Virginia)	138–91	1–0	5,526
2	April 15	Norfolk (Virginia)	115–106	2–0	10,410
3	April 24	New York	117–119	2–1	11,893
4	April 26	New York	107–118	2–2	11,164
5	April 29	Hampton (Virginia)	116–107	3–2	6,309
6	May 1	New York	136–146	3–3	11,152
7	May 4	Norfolk (Virginia)	88–94	3–4	10,410

Squires lose series, 4–3

Awards and honors

1972 ABA All-Star Game selections (game played on January 29, 1972)

• Julius Erving
• Charlie Scott

References

1. "1971-72 Virginia Squires Schedule and Results".
2. "1971–72 ABA Regular Season Standings". Remembertheaba.com. Archived from the original on October 28, 2014. Retrieved July 25, 2016.

• Squires on Basketball Reference

External links

• RememberTheABA.com 1971–72 regular season and playoff results
• Virginia Squires page