Shoot buckets, not guns

 As basketball season rolls toward March madness, Broughton recalls “Pistol” Pete Maravich, arguably one of the greatest college basketball players of all time.

   Pistol Pete played for the Caps in the 1960s.

   Maravich’s family moved to Raleigh from Pennsylvania in 1963 when his father, a professional basketball player turned coach, accepted a job on the coaching staff at NC State University.Pistol Pete’s lasting effect on collegiate ball is evident. He remains the all-time NCAA points leader, all-time leader in points per game (44.2), and he had 28 career 50+ point games at Louisiana State University.

   All of this was accomplished before the creation of the three-point line.

  Maravich only attended Broughton for a single year, but he was such a dynamic player that he became immortalized as the greatest to ever play basketball here. His jersey hangs from the Holliday Gym banners, with his “Pistol” Pete moniker proudly displayed.

   Maravich’s  ‘Pistol’ nickname comes from his tendency to shoot the basketball from the side, as if he was holding a revolver, according to a Wikipedia entry.  The maneuver began when he played for the Caps.

 He was also famous for being an entertaining player. He played with style, performing amazing dribble moves and flashy passes that would make Steph Curry gasp.

 During his 10 years in the NBA he played for the Atlanta Hawks and the New Orleans Jazz.

   Maravich played at five All-Star games, won one scoring title, and made  the NBA first-team twice (1976 and 1977), and second-team twice (1973 and 1978.)

 After he left the NBA in 1980, due to many injuries, Maravich became a recluse while he was “searching for life.”

   He adopted Hinduism and yoga for a few years while trying to get used to his life after basketball, Maravich then became an evangelical Christian and became more engaged in his religion.

  On January 5, 1988 Pistol Pete died of a heart attack while playing a game of pickup basketball.   He was only 40 years old. He was survived by his wife Jackie, and his two sons Jaeson and Josh.

    And lest we forget Broughton’s basketball legend “Pistol” Pete Maravich.