Reginald Leonardo Biddings (c. 1958 – July 18, 2017)[1] was an American professional basketball player who spent his career in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) and South East Basketball League (SEBL). Biddings holds the NBL record for most points scored in a 40-minute game with 63 points.[2]
Early life and college career
Biddings grew up in the Catskill Mountains in New York.[3] He attended Liberty High School in Liberty, New York, and scored 1,134 points while playing for its basketball team.[4]
Biddings played college basketball for SUNY Oneonta during the 1976–77 season.[4] He was selected to the NJCAA All-American Second Team while playing at SUNY Orange during the 1977–78 season.[5] Biddings played for the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO) during the 1979–80 season.[6]
Professional career
Biddings toured Australia with the USAO in 1980.[2] He dropped out of university in 1981 and returned to Australia, where he settled in Adelaide, South Australia, and soon signed with the Forestville Eagles of the NBL.[2] Biddings scored 63 points in a 98–90 win against the Bankstown Bruins in 1981 that still remains as the most points scored by an NBL player during a 40-minute game.[a] He finished third in voting for the NBL Most Valuable Player Award that season.[2] He moved to the Adelaide City Eagles for their inaugural NBL season in 1982 and led the league in scoring with 30.1 points per game.[2] Biddings joined the St. Kilda Saints during the 1983 season but his defensive liabilities led to him not being resigned.[2] He moved to the SEBL to join the Broadmeadows Broncos and averaged 43 points per game during the 1984 season.[2] Biddings was recruited by the Perth Wildcats to return to the NBL in 1985 but the arrangement failed and he stayed in the SEBL.[2]
Post-playing career
Biddings moved to Mackay, Queensland, after his playing career and became known throughout the region for his CarBq – a car converted into a portable barbeque that was used to help raise funds for his charitable causes.[3][4] He owned clothing shops, marketing firms and nightclubs.[3] Biddings unsuccessfully applied to introduce a new team, the Gold Coast Honeys, into the Women's National Basketball League in 2008.[7]
Personal life
Biddings' daughter, Carla Dziwoki, played netball in the ANZ Championship.[8] He married Alison Mitchell in 2015.[4]
Death
Biddings died of colon cancer on July 18, 2017, aged 59.[3] He lived in Moranbah, Queensland, with his wife at the time of his death.[4] Biddings' farewell service was held at the Carrara Stadium basketball courts.[3]
Notes
- ^ Al Green of the West Adelaide Bearcats holds the record for most points in a 48-minute NBL game with 71.[2]
References
- ^ "Biddings". The Weekly Times. July 29, 2017. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Nagy, Boti. "Vale Sir Reginald". Boti Nagy. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Peters, Madolyn (August 8, 2017). "Basketballer shocked by passing of mentor, friend". The Courier Mail. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e McMillan, Ken (July 23, 2017). "Former Liberty star touched many lives". Times Herald-Record. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
- ^ "Juco All-America Squad Boasts No Indy Players". Garden City Telegram. March 24, 1978. p. 8. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
- ^ "Drover Cash-In On Patient Tactics". The H-SU Brand. December 14, 1979. p. 9. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
- ^ Ja, Crystal (June 14, 2008). "WNBL luke warm on Honey". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
- ^ Lewis, Daniel (March 5, 2011). "Shooting star Dziwoki a later starter but quick to repay Swifts' faith". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved September 20, 2021.