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Ahead of 50-Year Anniversary, Looking Back to When Cameron Became Cameron
1/21/2022 9:37:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Jim Sumner, GoDuke.com
Originally published 1/22/2012
Cameron Indoor Stadium spent its first 32 years as the more prosaic Duke Indoor Stadium.
That changed on the afternoon of January 22, 1972 when an undermanned but gritty Duke team stunned third-ranked North Carolina, an epic upset sandwiched around a halftime ceremony in which Cameron became Cameron.
Eddie Cameron was wrapping up a 44-year career as a Duke coach and athletic director when Duke decided to honor him.Â
Bucky Waters was Duke's head coach in 1972. Â "Eddie Cameron was huge in my life," Waters recalls. Â "He brought me to Duke, twice. Â He was a man's man, a handshake guy. Â He deserved the honor."
Robby West was a senior in 1972. Â "It was smaller scale back then. Â Everyone knew everyone. Â We saw Mr. Cameron all the time. Â But at 21 you don't realize his national significance. Â Bucky made everyone well aware of it."
Duke could hardly have picked a more imposing opponent for dedication day.
North Carolina was so deep and talented that sophomore Bobby Jones, a future NBA all-star, came off the bench, backing up senior forwards Dennis Wuycik and Bill Chamberlain and junior center Robert McAdoo. Â A junior college transfer, McAdoo only stayed at Carolina that one season but averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Duke had no chance to win unless they could neutralize McAdoo, who would go on to lead the NBA in scoring three times.  Waters and assistant coach Hubie Brown decided to surround McAdoo with a  2-3 zone and take their chances.
Duke also had to contend with North Carolina's full-court press, which was designed not only to force turnovers but also to wear down the Devils.
Injuries and attrition had narrowed Duke's rotation. Â Center Alan Shaw, forward Richie O'Connor and guard Gary Melchionni would play 40 minutes that day, with West and forward Chris Redding playing 38 and 36 respectively.
Melchionni was the key to beating the press. Â Waters compares him to a famous bandleader of the day. Â "He did it in a Lawrence-Welk style. Â He had tremendous control of the ball."Â
West agrees. Â "Gary was one of the most intelligent, cool-headed players around. Â He knew where everyone else was on the floor. Â He was the glue who kept everything together."
Melchionni says Duke wanted to not only beat the press but exploit it. "We were very successful in handling their press. Â We were able to beat it for easy baskets. Â The key was to beat the initial trap. Â Once you got past that, you had a numbers advantage."
Duke led most of the first half, using a 7-0 run to take control. Â O'Connor beat the Tar Heels on back-door cuts, while Redding had a career-game from the line.Â
The Blue Devils committed only three turnovers in the game's first 15 minutes and got their biggest lead at 38-27.
Then they got sloppy. Â Five turnovers in the final five minutes enabled Carolina to close to 41-38 at intermission.Â
The ceremony then took place, with Duke president Terry Sanford praising Cameron's contributions to Duke and college athletics and Cameron characteristically attempting to share the honor with "family, colleagues and associates."
Wuycik tied the game at 41 with a three-point play and the two teams slugged it out down the stretch. Â Melchionni says fatigue was never a factor and gives the fans a lot of credit for that. "We always liked our chances at Cameron. Â We thought every game was our game to lose. The crowd was incredible. Â The noise level reached the white-noise stage, where it really isn't noise, it's something else."
   Shaw agrees. "The crowd sensed it could happen.  I can still feel the explosions.  There was a huge roar for everything that happened. We fed off that."
McAdoo continued to struggle, while Shaw dominated the glass. Â "The 2-3 zone had a lot to do with it," the 6-10 Shaw recalls. Â "Rebounding was my specialty. Â It was a team effort. Â Everyone blocked out and it was up to me, the biggest guy out there, to grab the rebounds."
There were six lead changes down the stretch. Â The last came when O'Connor hit a 15-foot jumper to put Duke up 55-54.
But Duke couldn't get any separation. Â Redding hit a field goal to make it 70-66. Â But a Donn Johnston field goal and two foul shots by Wuycik tied the game at 70.
Carolina fouled Redding and the sophomore made two free throws to put Duke back on top 72-70, with 2:47 left. Â These were the last two of Redding's 14 foul shots, out of 15 attempts.
Shaw got a steal from McAdoo, who responded by fouling O'Connor. Â He made one foul shot and it was 73-70. Â Â Â
                         Â
Chamberlain made a jumper from the side. Â West and Jones scrambled for a loose ball. Â Jones was called for his fifth foul. Â West made one of two foul shots and Duke led 74-72, with 31 seconds remaining.
Chamberlain again answered, tying it with an acrobatic jumper.Â
Duke called timeout with eight seconds left.
Waters describes the thinking in the huddle. Â "We thought the pressure would be enormous on Melchionni and we didn't think we could get the ball inside. Â We had to go another way. Â Robby was a senior, he was careful with the ball and he could shoot. Â We went with a hunch."
West was the last guy one would expect to don the hero's hat. Â The senior had played sparingly prior to his senior year and flirted with transferring. Â But he was confident that this was his time. Â "They [the coaches] knew I could hit that shot. Â That side of the court was my sweet spot. Â When you're a shooter and the ball leaves your fingers right, you know it."
The shot was an 18-footer from the left side of the jump circle. Â Nothing but net.
Melchionni still remembers the purity of the shot. Â "Rob finally got his chance and he took advantage. Â He was open but it was a clutch shot. Â I don't care how open you are, it's not easy. Â He had no hesitation. Â Perfect form, perfect rhythm. Â That shot vindicated his perseverance."
For the first time, the Cameron Crazies rushed the floor. Â But three seconds remained. Â Carolina called timeout, passed to midcourt, called another timeout. Â Wuycik missed a desperation shot and this time the crowd rushed the floor for good.
Redding and O'Connor led Duke with 24 points apiece, while Melchionni added a dozen points and five assists. Â West scored 10. Â Shaw led everyone with 12 rebounds and helped hound McAdoo into a 1-12 shooting nightmare.
Waters says this probably was his biggest win at Duke. Â "A loss would have been an injustice. Â A lot of things had to fall in place. Â We got a tremendous response from our kids. Â What we did was over the top. Â I couldn't have asked for anything more."
Shaw says that win was the highlight of his basketball career, which included a five-year stint in Europe. Â "It was a perfect athletic contest. It was an enormously demanding game. We were required to give everything we had. It was an honor to play 40 minutes in one of the greatest Duke-Carolina games ever."
Originally published 1/22/2012
Cameron Indoor Stadium spent its first 32 years as the more prosaic Duke Indoor Stadium.
That changed on the afternoon of January 22, 1972 when an undermanned but gritty Duke team stunned third-ranked North Carolina, an epic upset sandwiched around a halftime ceremony in which Cameron became Cameron.
Eddie Cameron was wrapping up a 44-year career as a Duke coach and athletic director when Duke decided to honor him.Â
Bucky Waters was Duke's head coach in 1972. Â "Eddie Cameron was huge in my life," Waters recalls. Â "He brought me to Duke, twice. Â He was a man's man, a handshake guy. Â He deserved the honor."
Robby West was a senior in 1972. Â "It was smaller scale back then. Â Everyone knew everyone. Â We saw Mr. Cameron all the time. Â But at 21 you don't realize his national significance. Â Bucky made everyone well aware of it."
Duke could hardly have picked a more imposing opponent for dedication day.North Carolina was so deep and talented that sophomore Bobby Jones, a future NBA all-star, came off the bench, backing up senior forwards Dennis Wuycik and Bill Chamberlain and junior center Robert McAdoo. Â A junior college transfer, McAdoo only stayed at Carolina that one season but averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Duke had no chance to win unless they could neutralize McAdoo, who would go on to lead the NBA in scoring three times.  Waters and assistant coach Hubie Brown decided to surround McAdoo with a  2-3 zone and take their chances.
Duke also had to contend with North Carolina's full-court press, which was designed not only to force turnovers but also to wear down the Devils.
Injuries and attrition had narrowed Duke's rotation. Â Center Alan Shaw, forward Richie O'Connor and guard Gary Melchionni would play 40 minutes that day, with West and forward Chris Redding playing 38 and 36 respectively.
Melchionni was the key to beating the press. Â Waters compares him to a famous bandleader of the day. Â "He did it in a Lawrence-Welk style. Â He had tremendous control of the ball."Â
West agrees. Â "Gary was one of the most intelligent, cool-headed players around. Â He knew where everyone else was on the floor. Â He was the glue who kept everything together."
Melchionni says Duke wanted to not only beat the press but exploit it. "We were very successful in handling their press. Â We were able to beat it for easy baskets. Â The key was to beat the initial trap. Â Once you got past that, you had a numbers advantage."
Duke led most of the first half, using a 7-0 run to take control. Â O'Connor beat the Tar Heels on back-door cuts, while Redding had a career-game from the line.Â
The Blue Devils committed only three turnovers in the game's first 15 minutes and got their biggest lead at 38-27.
Then they got sloppy. Â Five turnovers in the final five minutes enabled Carolina to close to 41-38 at intermission.Â
The ceremony then took place, with Duke president Terry Sanford praising Cameron's contributions to Duke and college athletics and Cameron characteristically attempting to share the honor with "family, colleagues and associates."
Wuycik tied the game at 41 with a three-point play and the two teams slugged it out down the stretch. Â Melchionni says fatigue was never a factor and gives the fans a lot of credit for that. "We always liked our chances at Cameron. Â We thought every game was our game to lose. The crowd was incredible. Â The noise level reached the white-noise stage, where it really isn't noise, it's something else."
   Shaw agrees. "The crowd sensed it could happen.  I can still feel the explosions.  There was a huge roar for everything that happened. We fed off that."
McAdoo continued to struggle, while Shaw dominated the glass. Â "The 2-3 zone had a lot to do with it," the 6-10 Shaw recalls. Â "Rebounding was my specialty. Â It was a team effort. Â Everyone blocked out and it was up to me, the biggest guy out there, to grab the rebounds."
There were six lead changes down the stretch. Â The last came when O'Connor hit a 15-foot jumper to put Duke up 55-54.
But Duke couldn't get any separation. Â Redding hit a field goal to make it 70-66. Â But a Donn Johnston field goal and two foul shots by Wuycik tied the game at 70.
Carolina fouled Redding and the sophomore made two free throws to put Duke back on top 72-70, with 2:47 left. Â These were the last two of Redding's 14 foul shots, out of 15 attempts.
Shaw got a steal from McAdoo, who responded by fouling O'Connor. Â He made one foul shot and it was 73-70. Â Â Â
                         Â
Chamberlain made a jumper from the side. Â West and Jones scrambled for a loose ball. Â Jones was called for his fifth foul. Â West made one of two foul shots and Duke led 74-72, with 31 seconds remaining.
Chamberlain again answered, tying it with an acrobatic jumper.Â
Duke called timeout with eight seconds left.
Waters describes the thinking in the huddle. Â "We thought the pressure would be enormous on Melchionni and we didn't think we could get the ball inside. Â We had to go another way. Â Robby was a senior, he was careful with the ball and he could shoot. Â We went with a hunch."
West was the last guy one would expect to don the hero's hat. Â The senior had played sparingly prior to his senior year and flirted with transferring. Â But he was confident that this was his time. Â "They [the coaches] knew I could hit that shot. Â That side of the court was my sweet spot. Â When you're a shooter and the ball leaves your fingers right, you know it."
The shot was an 18-footer from the left side of the jump circle. Â Nothing but net.
Melchionni still remembers the purity of the shot. Â "Rob finally got his chance and he took advantage. Â He was open but it was a clutch shot. Â I don't care how open you are, it's not easy. Â He had no hesitation. Â Perfect form, perfect rhythm. Â That shot vindicated his perseverance."
For the first time, the Cameron Crazies rushed the floor. Â But three seconds remained. Â Carolina called timeout, passed to midcourt, called another timeout. Â Wuycik missed a desperation shot and this time the crowd rushed the floor for good.
Redding and O'Connor led Duke with 24 points apiece, while Melchionni added a dozen points and five assists. Â West scored 10. Â Shaw led everyone with 12 rebounds and helped hound McAdoo into a 1-12 shooting nightmare.
Waters says this probably was his biggest win at Duke. Â "A loss would have been an injustice. Â A lot of things had to fall in place. Â We got a tremendous response from our kids. Â What we did was over the top. Â I couldn't have asked for anything more."
Shaw says that win was the highlight of his basketball career, which included a five-year stint in Europe. Â "It was a perfect athletic contest. It was an enormously demanding game. We were required to give everything we had. It was an honor to play 40 minutes in one of the greatest Duke-Carolina games ever."
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