Ring of Honor Unveiled Sunday as Men's Basketball Hosts Manhattan

PHILADELPHIA - Four of the all-time greats to ever don the Cherry & White will be the first four inducted into the Temple Basketball Ring of Honor at halftime as the Owls host Manhattan in the NIT Season Tip-Off on Sunday, Nov. 20 at 2 p.m. (ESPN3 / 1210 AM WPHT).

While two of the four inductees, 1938 graduates Mike "Meyer" Bloom and Don Shields, are no longer with us, the other two are returning to North Broad Street for the ceremony. Juan "Pepe" Sanchez ('00) and Terence Stansbury ('84) will be the first to see their names permanently displayed in the Temple Basketball Ring of Honor that will adorn the walls above the upper bowl of the Liacouras Center.

One of the greatest point guards in Temple and Philadelphia basketball history, Sanchez was a four-year starter under Hall of Fame coach John Chaney. He rewrote the Temple record book for steals, still ranking fourth all-time with 365 steals in his career. A standout on four NCAA Tournament teams, including the 1999 Elite Eight squad, Sanchez joined the legendary Guy Rodgers as the only players to twice be named Big 5 Player of the Year. He also was named Third Team All-American and A-10 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year as a senior, despite averaging a mere 5.6 points per game. Owner of Temple school records for career assists per game, steals and steals per game, fans still remember his two free throws that lifted the Owls to a 60-59 win over #5 Michigan State in November of 1998.

Upon graduation, Sanchez became the first Argentine native to play in the NBA, making the Philadelphia 76ers roster as an undrafted free agent. He played two seasons in the league before continuing his 10-year professional career in Spain and Argentina. He also played a key role for Argentina's Gold-Medal team at the 2004 Olympic Games, including dishing a game-high seven assists in the semifinal upset of the United States.

Recruited by coach Don Casey, Stansbury honed his talent under Chaney. A prolific scorer, the 6-5 guard tallied 713 points for an incredible 24.6 scoring average as a junior in 1982-83, and followed that with Third Team All-America honors as a senior for lifting Temple to its first of many Atlantic 10 Conference championships with a 26-5 record and a perfect 18-0 league mark. His 22-foot jumper at the buzzer lifted Temple to a 65-63 win over St. John's for the Owls' first NCAA win since 1958. He finished his career with 1,811 points to set a Temple school record which has since been surpassed.

During his career, Stansbury earned A-10 and Big 5 Player of the Year accolades. Selected in the first round of the 1984 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks, he played three seasons in the league, scoring 1200 points and placing third in three NBA Slam Dunk competitions. He played an additional 15 seasons overseas and currently resides in Belgium.

Bloom and Shields were both All-Americans on the Owls' 1938 NIT Championship team coached by the great James Usilton, Sr. This was Temple's only true National Champion squad as the NCAA Tournament did not begin until the following year.

One of the first true big men to master the two-hand set shot, Bloom starred for that 1938 team before embarking on an outstanding professional career. Bloom, who later played with the Philadelphia Sphas, was a first team All-American as a senior in 1938 helping Temple to a 23-2 record and a win over Colorado for the NIT title.

A two-time All-American, Don "The Thin Man" Shields, was instrumental in Temple's run to the NIT title that season. Shields earned MVP honors for the national championship tournament run by helping lead the Cherry and White to wins over Bradley, Oklahoma A&M and Colorado. He also earned All-America honors in 1936.

Temple won its season opener but has since lost two straight including a narrow, 70-67 defeat at former Atlantic 10 rival UMass in the Owls' first road game of the season on Nov. 17. Sunday's contest against Manhattan is the second of Temple's four NIT Season Tip-Off games. The Owls will travel to Brooklyn to play the final two contests over Thanksgiving at Barclays Center.

The Owls shot nearly 50 percent in a high-scoring, 97-92 overtime win against Philadelphia Big 5 rival La Salle to open the season, but have not shot over 40 percent in their two games since. Junior Obi Enechionyia has scored 20 or more points in all three contests to lead Temple and rank in a tie for second in the American with 22.0 points per game. Enechionyia tied his career high with 26 points at UMass including 5-of-10 three-pointers.

Heading into the weekend, Manhattan is looking for its first win after losses to Bucknell and Winthrop to open the season. The Jaspers will host Hofstra on Friday night before making the trip to Temple on Sunday.

Led by head coach Steve Masiello, Manhattan returns eight letterwinners, including three starters, that accounted for 62.6 percent of the Jaspers' scoring and 75.7 percent of their rebounding in 2015-16. Manhattan has been picked to finish sixth in the preseason MAAC Coaches Poll with senior Rich Williams earning preseason All-MAAC Second Team honors.

The Jaspers went 13-18 last season and are two years removed from a MAAC Tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance. Over two games so far this season, junior guard Zavier Turner has hit 12-of-14 free throws and leads Manhattan with 13 points per game.

Fans attending Sunday's contest are encouraged support Temple's Canned Food Drive. Those donating canned food items, which will go to Philabundance, will receive $5 off the price of admission.

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Ring of Honor Unveiled Sunday as Men's Basketball Hosts Manhattan

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Obi Enechionyia

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