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Username Post: Sad News        (Topic#25678)
Penndemonium 
PhD Student
Posts: 1877

Reg: 11-29-04
11-30-21 10:35 PM - Post#330223    

Hassan Duncombe, class of 91, passed away.

I will always remember him for the tip-in against Princeton and for his big smile. He was a great Quaker.

 
TheLine 
Professor
Posts: 5597

Age: 60
Reg: 07-07-09
11-30-21 10:46 PM - Post#330224    
    In response to Penndemonium

RIP Hoss.


 
dperry 
Postdoc
Posts: 2211
dperry
Loc: Houston, TX
Reg: 11-24-04
11-30-21 11:02 PM - Post#330225    
    In response to TheLine

Way too young! What happened?
David Perry
Penn '92
"Hail, Alma Mater/Thy sons cheer thee now
To thee, Pennsylvania/All rivals must bow!!!"


 
penn nation 
Professor
Posts: 21081

Reg: 12-02-04
11-30-21 11:12 PM - Post#330226    
    In response to dperry

Incredibly sad news.

He was a very popular guy on campus, very nice and down to earth.

 
T.P.F.K.A.D.W. 
PhD Student
Posts: 1169

Loc: Our Nation's Capital
Reg: 01-18-05
11-30-21 11:58 PM - Post#330229    
    In response to penn nation

Oh this is awful.

Hoss was one of my all-time favorites. Undersized center with a rather, shall we say, wide bottom. Had a surprisingly effective mid-range jumper. Once dropped 44 points on Navy.

Rest in Peace, Big Fella. May your memory be a blessing to the many who loved you.

 
Penndemonium 
PhD Student
Posts: 1877

Reg: 11-29-04
12-01-21 03:56 AM - Post#330232    
    In response to T.P.F.K.A.D.W.

He still seemed to have a lot of pride about his basketball career, as he should have. He is still on a few of the all-time statistics list categories.

https://www.yumpu.com/da/document/view/4015 2823/pe...


 
Streamers 
Professor
Posts: 8141
Streamers
Loc: NW Philadelphia
Reg: 11-21-04
12-01-21 09:54 AM - Post#330235    
    In response to penn nation

  • penn nation Said:
Incredibly sad news.

He was a very popular guy on campus, very nice and down to earth.


One of his friends texted me about this last night. He was quite upset about it. Hass was very much a part of the campus culture in those days beyond his considerable impact on the team with a personality as big as his body. RIP.

 
T.P.F.K.A.D.W. 
PhD Student
Posts: 1169

Loc: Our Nation's Capital
Reg: 01-18-05
Re: Sad News
12-01-21 09:55 AM - Post#330236    
    In response to Penndemonium

(Post deleted.)

Edited by T.P.F.K.A.D.W. on 12-01-21 09:57 AM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

 
TheLine 
Professor
Posts: 5597

Age: 60
Reg: 07-07-09
Sad News
12-01-21 10:55 AM - Post#330237    
    In response to T.P.F.K.A.D.W.

I didn’t know Hoss off the court. He was unique on it - the one player worth showing up to see during the period between the Lefko and Allen teams.

Other than his size Hoss wasn’t particularly physically gifted, relying mostly on skills and guile. He couldn’t jump high and wasn’t fast or quick. He was more cushion than muscle. But Hoss knew how to play the game. He took advantage of his unconventional wideness so was a big target on offense and difficult to get around on defense. Truly a joy to watch.


 
palestra38 
Professor
Posts: 32682

Reg: 11-21-04
Re: Sad News
12-01-21 12:56 PM - Post#330244    
    In response to TheLine

That indeed is sad. Hoss was part of what appeared to be a recruiting bonanza in the first two years of the Schneider regime, where he first recruited Stovall and Simon, and the next year Hoss, Ben Spiva, Ty Gilliams and Dane Watts. With Spiva transferring out to Memphis after one year with Schneider and Stovall having a stroke and later recovering and transferring to BC, the heart of what might have been a very good team was lost. Hoss had to do it all himself and his final year at Penn (as a junior), he averaged over 19 ppg with a variety of inside moves, almost never turned the ball over and was a damn good player. Sorry to see him pass so young.

 
OldBig5 
Masters Student
Posts: 639

Age: 66
Reg: 02-18-18
12-01-21 02:26 PM - Post#330249    
    In response to palestra38

Sad. RIP.

 
Penndemonium 
PhD Student
Posts: 1877

Reg: 11-29-04
12-01-21 04:10 PM - Post#330255    
    In response to OldBig5

What I remember about Hass was his great hands. He wasn't fast, but he was quick. He had a few big games in 1988-89, but most of his efforts were in spurts. Against Navy in 1989-90 (and a few of the other games that season) you could see that he really believed in himself and his ability to take over a game. He wasn't testing the defense anymore - he was asserting himself on the other team no matter what they were doing.

I also remember that he was very social and I'd see him wandering Locust Walk, at Abners, and more. RIP and thanks for the memories.

 
Penndemonium 
PhD Student
Posts: 1877

Reg: 11-29-04
12-01-21 04:12 PM - Post#330256    
    In response to Penndemonium

BTW, I don't remember if TFPKADW is the real Dane Watts or not, but condolences if so. I seem to remember them around each other often.

 
LyleGold 
PhD Student
Posts: 1712

Reg: 11-22-04
Re: Sad News
12-01-21 05:15 PM - Post#330262    
    In response to palestra38

Wow, this is stunning and so sad. I think I remember reading a couple years ago that he got into coaching, but I don’t remember any details. My favorite memory of Hassan was our huge upset of nationally ranked Villanova in ‘88. Palestra38 and I sat in the front row behind the west basket among the Penn cheerleaders as Walt “Little Clyde” Frazier had the game of his life. Every time Hassan went to the foul line, Nova students chanted “Duncombe Donuts, Duncombe Donuts”. Hoss just laughed it off and calmly sank the FTs on the way to a below average Penn team’s signature victory.

 
penn nation 
Professor
Posts: 21081

Reg: 12-02-04
Re: Sad News
12-01-21 05:35 PM - Post#330263    
    In response to LyleGold

I had graduated in May, but remember pulling in CAU radio that evening where I was in the Midwest to hear the thrilling conclusion.

  • LyleGold Said:
Wow, this is stunning and so sad. I think I remember reading a couple years ago that he got into coaching, but I don’t remember any details. My favorite memory of Hassan was our huge upset of nationally ranked Villanova in ‘88. Palestra38 and I sat in the front row behind the west basket among the Penn cheerleaders as Walt “Little Clyde” Frazier had the game of his life. Every time Hassan went to the foul line, Nova students chanted “Duncombe Donuts, Duncombe Donuts”. Hoss just laughed it off and calmly sank the FTs on the way to a below average Penn team’s signature victory.




Edited by penn nation on 12-01-21 05:36 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

 
T.P.F.K.A.D.W. 
PhD Student
Posts: 1169

Loc: Our Nation's Capital
Reg: 01-18-05
Re: Sad News
12-01-21 06:17 PM - Post#330269    
    In response to LyleGold

  • LyleGold Said:
Wow, this is stunning and so sad. I think I remember reading a couple years ago that he got into coaching, but I don’t remember any details. My favorite memory of Hassan was our huge upset of nationally ranked Villanova in ‘88. Palestra38 and I sat in the front row behind the west basket among the Penn cheerleaders as Walt “Little Clyde” Frazier had the game of his life. Every time Hassan went to the foul line, Nova students chanted “Duncombe Donuts, Duncombe Donuts”. Hoss just laughed it off and calmly sank the FTs on the way to a below average Penn team’s signature victory.



I was at that game, too. It was my senior year and the old barn was rocking that night. Little-used Jose Tavarez pulled down a huge offensive rebound and stuck the putback in the final minute or two to help seal it.

Great photo in the DP the following day showing 6'7" Duncombe battling 7'3" Tom Greis. Duncombe's head came up to Greis' chest.

Called my buddy Lefko Fall Wall in New York after I got back to my apartment. He didn't believe me that we'd actually beaten 'Nova. He quickly turned on the Ten O'Clock News on Channel 5 and watched the great Bill Mazer relay the stunning news. As Mazer told it: "The top scorer for Penn tonight? Walt Frazier's son, Walt Jr."

Thanks for the wonderful memory, Hoss. We'll miss you.



 
dperry 
Postdoc
Posts: 2211
dperry
Loc: Houston, TX
Reg: 11-24-04
12-01-21 07:41 PM - Post#330273    
    In response to T.P.F.K.A.D.W.

That was my first game in the Palestra (that I remember, at least.) After having won the football championship that fall, I thought it was going to be a great four years of sports. Survey says: BUZZZZZZ!
David Perry
Penn '92
"Hail, Alma Mater/Thy sons cheer thee now
To thee, Pennsylvania/All rivals must bow!!!"


 
nychoops 
Junior
Posts: 239

Reg: 11-23-04
12-02-21 08:38 AM - Post#330405    
    In response to dperry

Awful awful news. Big man with a big heart. Spent last several years atCUNY Kingsbourgh CC… some coaching some in security. Was a great city player at a time where city kids actually stayed home. Just painful news about such a young man.

 
SteveChop 
PhD Student
Posts: 1150

Reg: 07-28-07
12-02-21 12:36 PM - Post#330441    
    In response to nychoops

I certainly remember the games mentioned above. The memory of Hassan that I most remember, however, was the game I did not see, his 44 point game against Navy, the ONLY time I have ever turned back from going to a game. Our kids were pretty young at the time and while the four of us started for the game, there was a huge snowstorm and, at the urging of my wife, turned around just before we got to the Schuylkill Expressway. While we listened to the game, I was always disappointed that I missed it, a terrific game by my fellow Brooklyn native.

May Hassan rest in peace and may his memory always be a blessing.



 
SomeGuy 
Professor
Posts: 6391

Reg: 11-22-04
12-02-21 09:26 PM - Post#330464    
    In response to SteveChop

Only time I ever met Hassan was playing against him in the intramural basketball tournament when he was academically ineligible. Did not go well for SomeGuy, though we probably defended him better than Navy did. He was a joy to watch play. My thoughts are with his friends and family.

 
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