Phil Tollestrup
Height6 ft
Height in6
Weight lbs220
Birth dateOctober 21, 1949 (age 76)
Birth placeRaymond, Alberta, Canada
High schoolRaymond High School
(Raymond, Alberta)
CollegeBYU (1968–72)
University of Lethbridge (1972–73)
Draft year1973
Draft round20
Draft pick211
Draft teamBuffalo Braves
Years 11973-74
Team 1Saski Baskonia (Spain)
Cyears 11978-80
Cteam 1McMaster University
Cyears 22004-07
Cteam 2Lethbridge College
Highlights
  • Fourth overall scorer in 1976 Summer Olympics
  • FIBA World Championship North / South American All-Star (1974)
  • First Team CIAU All-Canadian (1973)
  • University of Lethbridge Male Athlete of the Year (1973)
  • Canada West First Team All-Star (1973)

Phil Tollestrup (born October 12, 1949) is a Canadian former basketball player and Olympian. Among his accomplishments, he was the fourth overall scorer in the 1976 Summer Olympics (21.3 ppg),[1] where Canada competed for the bronze medal;[2][3][4] was drafted in the NBA by the Buffalo Braves in 1973;[5][6][7] was a First Team CIAU All-Canadian (1973);[8][9][10] was the University of Lethbridge's Male Athlete of the Year (1973);[9][11][12] and was a First Team Canada West All-Star.[13]

International career

Tollestrup played for the Canadian men's national basketball team from 1971 to 1979.[10][11] This included representing Canada in the 1976 Olympics.[14][15] Tollestrup played well in these Olympics, being the tournament's fourth overall leading scorer with 21.3 ppg.[1][9][15] The '76 Olympics were also noteworthy in that Canada competed for the bronze medal and finished fourth overall,[2][3][4] one of only three times in the past 80 years in which Canada has competed for an Olympic medal in basketball.[4]

Tollestrup also represented Canada in three Pan American Games (1971, 1975, 1979),[14][15][12] the 1972 Pre-Olympic Tournament,[16] the 1973 World Student Games[5][9][12] and the 1974 FIBA World Championships.[5][14][17] Tollestrup played well in these tournaments as well: in the 1974 World Championships, he was selected as a North / South American All-Star[15] and was Canada's third-leading scorer with 13.3 ppg.[17] In the 1972 Pre-Olympic tournament, he was Canada's second-leading scorer with 19.3 ppg.[16]

Professional

Tollestrup was drafted by the Buffalo Braves in the 20th round as the 211th overall pick in the 1973 NBA draft.[6][7][18] In the 1973–74 season, Tollestrup played professionally in the Spanish first division for Saski Baskonia.[9][11][13]

University

In high school, Tollestrup led Raymond High School to win two provincial championships (1967, 1968).[9][11][15] He was also named provincial MVP.[5]

He played at BYU the following four years (1968–72).[5][9][12] At BYU, he played on the conference championship team.[15]

Tollestrup played his final year (1972–73) at the University of Lethbridge.[9] [10][12] This was the University of Lethbridge's inaugural year in basketball.[11] In this year, he established intercollegiate scoring records[15] when he averaged 26.4 ppg.[13] He was named a First Team All-Canadian,[8][10][11] a Canada West First Team All-Star[13] and as the University of Lethbridge's Male Athlete of the Year.[9][11][12] In this year, he also led the Pronghorns to the Canada West championship game.[9][12][13]

Coaching career

Tollestrup coached McMaster University from 1978 to 1980.[10][14][15] He then coached at the high school level in Milk River, Stirling and Magrath in Alberta, Canada.[9][12] He then coached the Lethbridge College Kodiaks from 2004 to 2007.[9][12][15]

Post-career Awards

Tollestrup has been inducted into the Canada Basketball Hall of Fame (1991),[14] the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame (1984),[15] the City of Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame (2011),[9] the University of Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame[11] and the City of Raymond Sports Hall of Fame,.[10][12][15] Additionally, the 1976 Canadian men's national team of which Tollestrup was a member[1] was inducted into the Canada Basketball Hall of Fame.[19]

Personal life

Tollestrup was born on October 12, 1949.[3][6][14] He is a native of Raymond, Alberta, Canada.[5][6][11]

References

  1. ^ "Event Standings". FIBA Archive. Archived from the original on August 13, 2009. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  2. ^ "Phil Tollestrup". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Phil Tollestrup". Canadian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Reflecting on when Karl Tilleman, Eli Pasquale, and Their Fellow Canadian University Teammates Took a Shot at Ruling the Basketball World". Somers Point News. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  5. ^ "#40 Phil Tollestrup". BYU Cougars. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  6. ^ "Los Angeles Clippers Draft Picks". Basketball Reference. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  7. ^ "Phil Tollestrup". Draft Express. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  8. ^ "Men's Basketball All-Canadian Teams". U Sports. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  9. ^ "Phil Tollestrup". Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  10. ^ "Hall of Fame Inductees". The Meliorist. No. 35. 28 March 2002. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  11. ^ "Phil Tollestrup". University of Lethbridge Athletics. Archived from the original on 2003-07-11. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  12. ^ "Lethbridge's Olympians". Lethbridge Sports Council. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  13. ^ "Phil Tollestrup". U Sports Hoops. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  14. ^ "Phil Tollestrup--Athlete". Canada Basketball Hall of Fame. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  15. ^ "Phil Tollestrup". Alberta Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  16. ^ "Canada". FIBA Archive. Archived from the original on November 21, 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  17. ^ "Canada". FIBA Archive. Archived from the original on September 16, 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  18. ^ "Phil Tollestrup". Basketball Reference. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  19. ^ "1976 Senior Men’s Olympic Team – Team". Canada Basketball Hall of Fame. Retrieved 15 February 2024.