Ron Thorsen

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Ron Thorsen
Personal information
Born(1949-04-13)13 April 1949
Hollister, California
Died1 December 2005 (2006-01) (aged 56)
Everett, Washington
NationalityCanadian / American
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Career information
High schoolPrince George, British Columbia
CollegeUniversity of British Columbia (1967–1972)
NBA draft1973: 19th round, 209th overall pick
Selected by the Buffalo Braves
PositionPoint guard
Number15, 23, 10, 7
Career highlights and awards
As player:
  • Captain of the Canada men's national basketball team
  • 3× CIAU First Team All-Canadian (1970, 1971, 1972)
  • Set UBC records for most points in a game (48), season points per game (20.3) and total season points (650) in 1969-70 season
  • Set CIAU and UBC records for career points (2,059)
  • Set UBC record for career points per game (19.1)
  • CIAU Tournament MVP (1970)
  • CIAU Tournament All-star (1970)
  • BC University Athlete of the Year (1972)
  • 2x CIAU national champion (1970, 1972)
  • 2x WCIAA First Team All-star (1970, 1971)
  • CWUAA First Team All-star (1972)
  • UBC Graduating Athlete of the Year (1972)
  • BC High School MVP (1967)
  • 2x BC High School All-star

As coach:

  • CIAU women's national champion (1973)

Ron Thorsen (born April 13, 1949) was a Canadian basketball player and coach. Among his many accomplishments, he was captain of the Canada men's national basketball team in the 1970s;[1] was a three-time Canadian university ("CIAU") First Team All-Canadian;[2][3] broke multiple CIAU and University of British Columbia ("UBC") scoring records;[1][4] is the only UBC played to be drafted in the NBA;[5][6][7] and was a three-time CIAU national champion, twice as a player (1970, 1972) and once while coaching the UBC women's team (1973).[4][6][8]

High school

Thorsen played at the high school level in Prince George, BC.[4][6] Thorsen was a two-time BC high school all-star[1][4] and the BC high school MVP (1967).[1][4][6]

University

Thorsen played for UBC for five seasons from 1967-72.[6] In his freshman season, he received the inaugural John Owen bursary[1][4] and was lauded for all-around citizenship by then-federal cabinet member and later prime minster John Turner.[4][8]

During his time at UBC, Thorsen was three-time First Team All-Canadian.[2][3][9] Only 17 other athletes in Canadian university basketball history were three-time First Team All-Canadians.[2][3] For context, there have been more season MVPs in Canadian university basketball than three-time First Team All-Canadians.[2][3][10][11]

In the 1969-70 season, Thorsen set the UBC records for most points in a single game (48), highest season points per game (20.3) and most total season points (650).[1][4] His single-game points record is notable because he did so while only playing three quarters of the game.[4] Then, in the 1972 season, he tied his own record for most points in a single season, with this record standing for 14 years.[4]

Thorsen was named the CIAU national tournament MVP and an CIAU national tournament all-star in 1970.[12][13][14][15] Thorsen was also named the BC University Athlete of the year in 1972.[1][4]

Thorsen was named a First Team conference all-star three times (1970, 1971, 1972).[1][4][9] In 1970 and 1971, Thorsen was named a Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Association ("WCIAA") all-star; in 1972 when the conference was split into the Canada West Universities Athletic Association ("CWUAA") conference and the Great Plains Athletic Association ("GPAA") conference, he was named a CWUAA all-star.[1][4][9][16] In 1971, he was the only unanimous conference all-star.[1][4] Additionally, in 1972 Thorsen was named UBC's graduating athlete of the year.[9]

Upon graduating, Thorsen set both the CIAU and UBC records for total career points (2,059).[1][4] He also set the UBC record for career points per game (19.1).[1][4] His UBC records for career points per game and career points stood for 18 years.[1][4]

Under Thorsen's leadership, UBC won two national championships in three years (1970, 1972).[5][7][8] In 1970, the Thunderbirds went undefeated in Canadian play.[5][7][8] In 1970, the Thunderbirds easily won the championship game against McMaster University 96-75.[7][17] These are the only national championships in program history.[7][18][19]

The Thunderbirds also won the conference championship in 1970 and 1972 and were the conference championship runner-up in 1971.[4][9]

Professional

Thorsen was drafted by the Buffalo Braves in the 1973 NBA Draft as the 209th overall pick.[8][20][21] Thorsen is the only UBC player to be drafted in the NBA.[5][6][7]

International career

Thorsen played for the Canadian national team in the 1970s, beginning in 1972.[1][4][5] He served as captain of the team.[1] Thorsen represented Canada in the Pan American Games, the FIBA World Championship, the World Student Games and the Pre-Olympic Tournament.[1][4][5]

Specifically, in the 1970 World Championship, Thorsen was Canada's third-leading scorer with 12.4 points per game.[22] His highest-scoring game in this tournament occurred against Australia when he led all scorers with 26 points.[23] He was also Canada's second leading scorer in their games against Korea and Panama, where he scored 18 and 13 points, respectively.[24][25] Additionally, in the 1972 Pre-Olympic Tournament, he was again Canada's third-leading scorer.[26]

Coaching career

Thorsen coached the UBC women's basketball team in the '70s, where he led the team to win the national championship in 1973.[1][4][8] He also coached and taught in British Columbia in the years preceding his death.[6]

Post-career recognition

Thorsen has been inducted into the Canada West Hall of Fame (2022),[8] the Basketball BC Hall of Fame (2006),[6] the UBC Sports Hall of Fame (in its inaugural 1993 class)[4][6] and into the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame (1999).[1]

Personal life / death

Thorsen was born in Hollister, California and raised in San Jose, California.[1][4] Thorsen moved to Prince George, BC in 1965 after his father elected to spend his retirement there.[1][4] Thorsen earned bachelor's and master's degrees in physical education.[6]

Thorsen passed away in early December 2005 at the age of 56.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Ron Thorsen (1999)". Prince George Sports Hall of Fame & Museum. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d "Men's Basketball All-Canadian Teams" (PDF). U Sports. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d "Basketball Award Winners - National First Team All-Canadian". U Sports Hoops. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Hume, Fred. "Ron Thorsen". UBC Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Hall of Fame Inductees". Basketball BC Hall of Fame. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "In Memoriam" (PDF). The Trek: The Magazine of the University of British Columbia. Winter 2005: 54. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Beamish, Mike. "Beamish: Ron Thorsen was a 1970s Steve Nash". The Province. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g "Ron Thorsen (MBB | Student-athlete)". Canada West Hall of Fame. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Ron Thorsen". U Sports Hoops. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  10. ^ "Mike Moser Memorial Trophy (Player of the Year)" (PDF). U Sports. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  11. ^ "Mike Moser Memorial Trophy (CIS Outstanding Player)". U Sports Hoops. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  12. ^ "Jack Donohue Trophy (Championship MVP)" (PDF). U Sports. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  13. ^ "MVP of CIAU Championship / Jack Donohue Trophy:". U Sports Hoops. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  14. ^ "Men's Basketball Championship All-Stars" (PDF). U Sports. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  15. ^ "CIS Tournament All-Star Team". U Sports Hoops. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  16. ^ "History of Canada West". Canada West. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  17. ^ "British Columbia Thunderbirds - 1969-70 Season". U Sports Hoops. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  18. ^ "U Sports Championship Results" (PDF). U Sports. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  19. ^ "List of Canadian University Men's Basketball National Champions". U Sports Hoops. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  20. ^ "Ron Thorsen". Draft Express. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  21. ^ "Ron Thorsen". Basketball Reference. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  22. ^ "1970 World Championship for Men Canada Team Home Page". FIBA Archive. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  23. ^ "Canada vs Australia". FIBA Archive. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  24. ^ "Canada vs Korea". FIBA Archive. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  25. ^ "Canada vs Panama". FIBA Archive. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  26. ^ "1972 Pre-Olympic Tournament - Canada Team Home Page". FIBA Archive. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
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