Clarion Athletics

Alvin "Radar" Gibson, was one of the top guards ever to walk on the basketball court at Clarion. A great shooter, basketball fans will remember wild Tippin Gym crowds shouting "twooooooo", every time Alvin zeroed in on the rim and shot the basketball. A 4-year starter, Gibson played from the 1977-78 season through the 1980-81 campaign. An NAIA second team All-American and a third team NABC All-American in 1981, he was voted Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Small College "Player of the Year" that same season. A two-time PSAC-West first team choice (1980, 81), Gibson was second on the all-time scoring list with 1,661 career points, connected on 722 of 1317 career field goals for an unbelievable 55% shooting percentage from the floor, plus canned 217 of 263 career free throws, for a Clarion record 83%. He also collected 354 career rebounds and dished out 248 assists. Gibson averaged 20.5 points per game in 1980 leading the Golden Eagles to a 23-9 record, the PSAC-West title and NAIA D-18 title, and an NAIA National Championship appearance. In 1981 Clarion won the PSAC-West title and received its first NCAA Division II Playoff berth. The Eagles were East Region runners-up that year while he scored 20.7 ppg. Clarion won three straight PSAC-West titles (1979-81) during his tenure, while the team compiled a record of 86-32, a 72.9% winning percentage.