1970–71 Virginia Squires season
The 1970–71 Virginia Squires season was the first season of the Virginia Squires in the American Basketball Association. After one season each in Oakland and Washington, owner Earl Foreman was convinced by the league to move his team to Virginia. Like the Carolina Cougars and The Floridians, the Squires played as a regional franchise, primarily playing games in Norfolk, Hampton and Richmond, with Salem and Roanoke having occasional games. The Squires started play on October 17, 1970, in Norfolk, winning 133–116 over the Pittsburgh Condors. They proceeded to win their next five games, while having a 30–12 first half of the season, highlighted by a seven-game winning streak. They went 25–17 in the second half, though they never lost more than two games in a row. They finished 1st in points scored at 123.3 per game, but 7th in points allowed at 119.7 per game. In the playoffs, they beat the Kentucky Colonels in six games to advance to the Division Finals, but they were beaten in six games themselves by the New York Nets.
| 1970–71 Virginia Squires season | |
|---|---|
Division champions | |
| Head coach | Al Bianchi |
| Arena | Old Dominion University Fieldhouse Hampton Coliseum Richmond Coliseum Richmond Arena Norfolk Scope Salem Civic Center Roanoke Civic Center |
| Results | |
| Record | 55–29 (.655) |
| Place | Division: 1st (Eastern) |
| Playoff finish | Lost in Division Finals |
Prior to the season on September 1, the Squires traded an unhappy Rick Barry to the New York Nets for $200,000 cash. Offsetting this loss was rookie Charlie Scott from the University of North Carolina. Scott averaged 27.1 points per game and was named ABA Rookie of the Year.
Roster
- 20 Mike Barrett – Point guard
- 11 Larry Brown – Point guard
- 16 Bill Bunting – Small forward
- 34 Frank Card – Forward
- 40 George Carter – Small forward
- 42 Jim Eakins – Center
- 31 George Irvine – Small forward
- 24 Neil Johnson – Power forward
- 34 Mike Maloy – Power forward
- 15 Doug Moe – Small forward
- 33 Charlie Scott – Shooting guard
- 22 Ray Scott- Center
- 14/54 Roland Taylor – Point guard
- 54 Ron Taylor – Center
Final standings
Eastern Division
| Eastern Division | W | L | PCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Squires * | 55 | 29 | .655 | – |
| Kentucky Colonels * | 44 | 40 | .524 | 11.0 |
| New York Nets * | 40 | 44 | .476 | 15.0 |
| The Floridians * | 37 | 47 | .440 | 18.0 |
| Pittsburgh Condors | 36 | 48 | .429 | 19.0 |
| Carolina Cougars | 34 | 50 | .405 | 21.0 |
Playoffs
Eastern Division Semifinals vs. New York Nets
| Game | Date | Location | Score | Record | Attendance |
| 1 | April 2 | Hampton (Virginia) | 113–105 | 1–0 | 6,149 |
| 2 | April 4 | Hampton (Virginia) | 114–108 | 2–0 | 7,143 |
| 3 | April 6 | New York | 131–135 | 2–1 | 3,504 |
| 4 | April 7 | New York | 127–130 | 2–2 | 4,134 |
| 5 | April 9 | Richmond (Virginia) | 127–124 | 3–2 | 4,250 |
| 6 | April 10 | New York | 118–114 | 4–2 | 3,016 |
Squires win series, 4–2
Eastern Division Finals vs. Kentucky Colonels
| Game | Date | Location | Score | Record | Attendance |
| 1 | April 15 | Richmond (Virginia) | 132–136 | 0–1 | 4,250 |
| 2 | April 17 | Norfolk (Virginia) | 142–122 | 1–1 | 5,000 |
| 3 | April 19 | Kentucky | 150–137 | 2–1 | 4,777 |
| 4 | April 21 | Kentucky | 110–128 | 2–2 | 5,221 |
| 5 | April 23 | Hampton (Virginia) | 107–115 | 2–3 | 10,013 |
| 6 | April 24 | Kentucky | 117–129 | 2–4 | 12,822 |
Squires lose series, 4–2
Awards and honors
1971 ABA All-Star Game selections (game played on January 23, 1971)
Bianchi was selected to coach the Eastern Division.
- ABA Coach of the Year: Al Bianchi
- ABA Rookie of the Year: Charlie Scott
- ABA First Team selection: Charlie Scott