Andrew Piazza

Andrew Piazza is an American former basketball player and coach. He was one of the first influx of foreign professional players in Iceland during the 1970s and in 1978 he led Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkur to the Icelandic championship. He was the head coach of Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne men's basketball team from 1987 to 1996, amassing 144 wins.

Andrew Piazza
Personal information
Bornc.1954
Michigan, United States
NationalityAmerican
Listed height195 cm (6 ft 5 in)
Career information
CollegeCentral Michigan
PositionGuard
Number15
Career history
As player:
1977–1978KR
As coach:
1977–1978KR
?–1984Hemlock HS
1984–1987Delta College
1987–1996IPFW
Career highlights and awards
As player:

Early life

Piazza was born in Michigan[1] and attended Central Michigan University.[2]

Playing career

In 1977, Piazza signed with Icelandic powerhouse KR as a player-coach.[3][4] On 20 October 1977, he scored 28 points in KR's largest ever victory against arch-rivals ÍR in the pre-season Reykjavík Basketball Tournament.[5] On 22 October he scored 50 points against ÍS[6] in the last game of the tournament, helping KR clinching the tournament title for the second year in a row.[7] He led all scorers during the tournament with 142 points in 5 games for an average 28.4 points per game.[8]

On 29 March 1978, he led KR to the national championship after scoring 20 points in the championship clinching game.[9][10] Piazza caused a minor controversy during the championship celebrations when he cut down the net from one of the baskets,[11] a well known custom in the United States but unheard of in Iceland,[12] with Laugardalshöll officials threatening to bar the forthcoming Icelandic Cup finals game to take place on the court if KR would not reimburse them for the destroyed net.[13] He finished 5th in the league in scoring during the season, with 325 points in 14 games for an average of 23.2 points per game.[14]

Later career

After retiring from playing, Piazza coached at Delta College and Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne, where his 144 wins from 1988 to 1996 still stands as the most in program history. He was inducted into the IPFW Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.[15]

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References
  1. "Kann verst við rigninguna". Vísir (in Icelandic). 27 November 1977. p. 5. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  2. Gylfi Kristjánsson (13 September 1977). "Dunbar og Piazza mættir!". Vísir (in Icelandic). pp. 12–13. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  3. Gylfi Kristjánsson (4 August 1977). "KR-ingar komnir með Ameríkana!". Vísir (in Icelandic). p. 12. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  4. Ólafur Geirsson (13 September 1977). "Að hann skilji eitthvað eftir". Dagblaðið (in Icelandic). pp. 12–13. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  5. "Stærsti sigur KR yfir ÍR frá upphafi". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 20 October 1977. p. 43. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
  6. "Piazza og Jón í banastuði". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 24 October 1977. p. 22. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
  7. Gylfi Kristjánsson (24 October 1977). "KR tók stúdentana í kennslu í körfubolta". Vísir (in Icelandic). p. 15. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
  8. Gylfi Kristjánsson (24 October 1977). "Piazza og Einar fengu verðlaun". Vísir (in Icelandic). p. 15. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
  9. "KR er Íslandsmeistari í körfuknattleik 1978". Þjóðviljinn (in Icelandic). 29 March 1978. pp. 8, 11. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
  10. H. Halls (29 March 1978). "KR - Íslandsmeistari 1978". Dagblaðið (in Icelandic). p. 14. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
  11. "Andrew Piazza hinn bandaríski leikmaður KR skar niður körfunetið". Dagblaðið (in Icelandic). 29 March 1978. pp. 12–13. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
  12. Gylfi Kristjánsson (29 March 1978). "...Og svo skar hann netið úr!". Vísir (in Icelandic). pp. 12–13. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
  13. "Ef KR-ingar kaupa ekki nýtt net, þá verður ekki spilað hér á fimmtudag". Þjóðviljinn (in Icelandic). 29 March 1978. p. 11. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
  14. "Dunbar sá stigahæsti". Þjóðviljinn (in Icelandic). 29 March 1978. p. 11. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
  15. Aaron McMann (11 June 2014). "Grand Blanc's Andy Piazza retiring after 18 years of having 'the best athletic director job in the state'". MLive.com (in Icelandic). Retrieved 22 December 2019.
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