Remembering Ricky Grace

[SoonerTraveler]

Remembering Ricky Grace - This will bring back some memories for some of us older OU basketball fans. Ricky Grace, now 48 years old, had a long pro career in the Australia National Basketball League (NBL). I made some business trips to Perth, Western Australia back in the 1990s, and Ricky Grace was a well known sports personality in Australia.

> 4-Time NBL champion (1990–1991, 1995, 2000)
> 2-Time NBL Grand Final MVP (1990, 1993)
> 4-Time All NBL First Team (1991, 2001–2003)
> Australian Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
> NBL's 25th Anniversary Team (2003)

Wikipedia has a good read:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Grace#Perth_Wildcats_Team_records

20th Anniversary article on 1988 OU team:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=ncb&id=3272632

Ricky Grace Hall of Fame Page:
http://www.basketball.net.au/hall_of_fame/ricky-grace/

Ricky Grace is the founder and CEO of Role Models and Leaders Australia:
http://www.rolemodelsaustralia.com/

 

[coolm]

I met him at a mall in Perth back in like 1991. Great guy. He was signing autographs at like an Athlete's Foot or the Aussie equivalent.

 

[skyvue]

Good reads. Thanks, Traveler.

 

[bocabull]

Thought this was a memorial thread. Good to see he's not dead!

Unfortunately the thought seared into my memory of Ricky is his desperation heave in the 88 title game and the shock we had actually blown that game.:facepalm:facepalm:facepalm

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Thought this was a memorial thread. Good to see he's not dead!

It would be a pity to wait until somebody dies to bring back memories. Besides, Ricky Grace will likely outlive many of us, then it will be too late for us to do a remembrance.

 

[Darwin]

He liked to penetrate just left of the lane and hit kind of a long left handed layup.
4th foul charging called on him against Iowa in the 87 dance still burns me and the no call on the last play. :facepalm

 

[SilliSooner]

'Ave any kids, did he, Mates?

 

[stormspencer]

It would be a pity to wait until somebody dies to bring back memories. Besides, Ricky Grace will likely outlive many of us, then it will be too late for us to do a remembrance.

It would be a pity, but when I first read this, I did think that something had happened to him based upon the thread title. Glad he is still around and doing well.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

It would be a pity, but when I first read this, I did think that something had happened to him based upon the thread title. Glad he is still around and doing well.

Yes, I know that now. I used a poorly worded title. If I could go back and edit the title, I would. Apparently an OP can edit text but cannot edit the original title line. Such is life.

The main point is that Ricky had a long productive pro basketball career, and is doing fine things in his adopted country now that his playing days are over. Those of us that remember him at OU, well, he makes us proud.

 

[stormspencer]

Yes, I know that now. I used a poorly worded title. If I could go back and edit the title, I would. Apparently an OP can edit text but cannot edit the original title line. Such is life.

The main point is that Ricky had a long productive pro basketball career, and is doing fine things in his adopted country now that his playing days are over. Those of us that remember him at OU, well, he makes us proud.

Ricky "Amazing" Grace
Darron "Mookie" Blaylock
Harvey "General" Grant
Stacy "Sky" King
Dave "Soul Man" Seiger

What a starting five!

 

[sheepdogs1]

I remember him being able to drive to the rim like a heat sinking missile and kiss the ball high off the glass in an effortless manner.

 

[usedtobe1]

Was it Ricky Grace that tried the late 3 in the '88 championship game, and the announcers berated him for taking an ill-advised shot. It was a wide open shot and would have tied the game.

I know Dave Sieger made 7 3's in that game.

 

[usedtobe1]

Was it Ricky Grace that tried the late 3 in the '88 championship game, and the announcers berated him for taking an ill-advised shot. It was a wide open shot and would have tied the game.

I found my answer:

With 52 seconds left, Grace missed a 3-pointer that would have tied the game. Then after Blaylock scored to bring OU within 78-77, Barry with 16 seconds left missed one of two foul shots. But Manning, a Dr. Octopus that night, grabbed the rebound, was fouled and sank two clinching foul shots.