Biber, Pat
PAT BIBER
Inducted May 2, 1991
In his earlier years, Whittier Junior High, Pat Biber was of lean and modest stature. However, biological changes suddenly triggered such rapid growth that Pat was skyrocketing at the rate of three to four inches annually and his knees protested so violently that he was unable to endure the pain of athletics. But he knew basketball was meant for him and it was time to find out if he were made for basketball. And so, during summer stays in Michigan in the late morning hours, he would hop in his rowboat, paddle across one of Michigan’s 1,000 lakes and play basketball with other hoopsters until dusk. By the time he was a sophomore under coach Al McConihe at Admiral King he was ready for the challenge.
Pat played three years for Admiral King from 1965 through 1967. His senior year was 21-1 and ranked 2nd in the state. In that interim, as a 6’7” forward, Pat racked up over 1,000 points and garnered over 770 rebounds as King’s All-Time Rebounder. He was named to the Buckeye Conference 2nd team as a junior, 1st team as a senior, and culminated his career as 3rd team All-Ohio.
After graduation, Pat enrolled at North Carolina State to continue basketball under Coach Norm Sloan. In less than 6 games, Pat decided that North Carolina State’s slow deliberate patterned offense was not for him and returned to enroll at Bowling Green, only to find that as a transfer he would be ineligible for one year. He decided to join “Bubbles” Harris at St. Clair CC in Michigan for the 1968-1969 season. Pat averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds per game as St. Clair won the regional Junior College toga at 31-2 and both Pat and “Bubbles” made the All Regional aggregation.
Heavily recruited by Coach Dana Kirk, Pat had bulked up to 215 pounds as he joined Tampa University for the ’69-’70 season. As a junior, he averaged 17 points and 14 rebounds at center. As a senior forward, he averaged 23 points and 10 rebounds. Capping his senior year, Pat made the NAIA All Sunshine State team and played in the Florida Sunshine Classic winding up on the All-Star five. A pleased Dana Kirk called Pat “one of the best all around players to grace the floor at Tampa University. Always played against our opponent’s tallest man, Pat was tough on the boards and a deadly shooter from 20 feet. And we played a tough schedule including Georgia Tech, Loyola, Virginia Tech, Dayton and Tulane.”
Drafted by the Miami Floridians of the ABA, Pat made a solid impression during camp in 1971 despite a bothersome ankle. He was asked to find professional treatment for the ankle and return for the 1972 camp. Shortly thereafter, Pat’s agent signed for Pat to play in Europe for the 1971 season. Everything was coming up roses for Pat, but tragedy lurked around the corner.
On August 19, 1971, while traveling to visit an ex-teammate in New York, Pat swerved to avoid a deer darting across the turnpike. The car rolled over, the door swung open and catapulted him from the vehicle. Pat stoved himself on a concrete abutment and was paralyzed from the chest down. BIBER career ended.
WELCOME PAT BIBER
TO THE LORAIN SPORTS HALL OF FAME
