Boston College basketball was in its first heyday during our years there. And part of it was the teams and opponents the Eagles played. The following is a collection of select opponents BC met during 1964-68. I’m sure there are those who would disagree with the selections, certainly the rankings, but I leave it to classmate Jim Kissane, captain of the 1967-68 basketball team: “What a great list!”

First team

Lew Alcindor — UCLA
The man known later as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Alcindor was the player of the time on the team of the time. In his only appearance against BC, in Madison Square Garden, January 1968, Alcindor scored 28 points and took down 17 rebounds, in the unexpectedly close 84-77 Bruins win. He was still recovering from an eye injury suffered two weeks earlier.

Bobby Lewis — North Carolina
Lewis led the Tarheels with 31 points to help end the Eagles’ dream run in the regional finals of the 1967 NCAA Tournament.

Bill Melchionni — Villanova
Scored 30 in the second round of the 1966 NIT to help the Wildcats knock the Eagles out of the tournament, 86-85.

Westley Unseld — Louisville
In the same tournament as Melchionni, Unseld kept Louisville in the opening game against BC with 35 points and 26 rebounds before fouling out in the triple-overtime Eagles win, 96-90.

Jimmy Walker — Providence
Three-time all-America and all-time BC nemesis, Walker led the Friars to a 3-1 record over the Eagles during our years, scoring 50 to beat BC in the 1965 Holiday Festival in Madison Square Garden.

Second team
Dave Bing — Syracuse
Sonny Dove — St. John’s
Matt Goukas — St. Joseph’s
Bob Lanier — St. Bonaventure
Mike Warren — UCLA

Honorable mention
John Warren — St. John’s
Larry Miller — North Carolina
Wayne Estes — Utah State
Mervin “The Magician” Jackson — Utah
Ken McIntyre — St. John’s