{{short description|American former basketball player}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} '''Steve H. Nisenson''' is an American former basketball player, who played the guard position.<ref name="google2772">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AY5hAAAAIBAJ&pg=2772,5172042&dq=steve+nisenson+basketball&hl=en |title=Prestige Challenge |publisher=Prescott Evening Courier |date= August 10, 1965|access-date=August 11, 2011}}</ref><ref name="autogenerated1970">{{cite news|url=http://209.212.22.88/data/rbr/1970-1979/1972/1972.10.17.pdf |title=Former Hofstra Star has Yen to Coach |publisher= The Daily Register|access-date=August 11, 2011}}</ref>

He set Hofstra University's all-time scoring record in basketball, which stood for 43 years.<ref name="issuu1">[http://issuu.com/hofstrapride/docs/0910humbbguide/search?q=nisenson ''2009-10 Hofstra Men's Basketball Media Guide'']</ref> He also set the all-time national college season free-throw record in 1964, becoming the first college player to have a free throw percentage of better than .900.

==Early life== Nisenson is Jewish, and was from Livingston, New Jersey where he played basketball for Livingston High School.<ref name="autogenerated1970"/><ref name="google1">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dAq4TGQsWwwC&q=steve+nisenson+basketball&pg=PA37 |title=Day by day in Jewish sports history |author=Bob Wechsler |year=2008 |publisher=KTAV Publishing House |isbn=9780881259698 |access-date=August 11, 2011}}</ref><ref name="google2">{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofje00post |url-access=registration |quote=steve nisenson basketball. |title=Encyclopedia of Jews in sports |publisher=Bloch Publishing Company |year=1965|author1=Bernard Postal |author2=Jesse Silver |author3=Roy Silver |access-date=August 11, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Special to The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1965/02/05/archives/nisenson-of-hofstra-hits-2009-points-but-liu-is-victor.html |title=Nisenson of Hofstra Hits 2,009 Points, But L.I.U. Is Victor |work=The New York Times |date=February 5, 1965 |access-date=August 11, 2011}}</ref> He earned a bachelor's degree in business management at Hofstra, and a master's degree in guidance and counseling at Long Island University.<ref name="pqarchiver2002">{{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/112401953.html?dids=112401953:112401953&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+30%2C+2002&author=Steven+D.+Sideratos&pub=Newsday+%28Combined+editions%29&desc=ISLANDWIDE+LEISURE+%2F+Jewish+Hall+on+Target+Tabbing+Nisenson&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107163404/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/112401953.html?dids=112401953:112401953&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+30,+2002&author=Steven+D.+Sideratos&pub=Newsday+(Combined+editions)&desc=ISLANDWIDE+LEISURE+%2F+Jewish+Hall+on+Target+Tabbing+Nisenson&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 7, 2012 |title=Jewish Hall on Target Tabbing Nisenson |publisher=Newsday |date= March 30, 2002|access-date=August 11, 2011 |first=Steven D. |last=Sideratos}}</ref>

==Basketball career==

===College career=== Nisenson played basketball for Hofstra University from 1962 to 1965, where he was an All-American in both 1963 and 1964, and was the team's ball-handler and playmaker.<ref name="issuu1"/><ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/ncaabasketballsf00nati |url-access=registration |quote=steve nisenson basketball. |title=NCAA basketball |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |year=1991 |author= National Collegiate Athletic Association|access-date=August 11, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/03/13/nyregion/long-island-journal-501988.html |title=LONG ISLAND JOURNAL |work=The New York Times |date=March 13, 1988 |author=Diane Ketcham|access-date=August 11, 2011}}</ref> He was also elected to the Eastern College Athletic Conference small college All-East team in 1963, 1964, and 1965.<ref name="autogenerated1970"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jg0rAAAAIBAJ&pg=6651,6829979&dq=steve+nisenson+basketball&hl=en |title=Four Repeaters on ECAC Team |publisher=Reading Eagle |date= March 15, 1965|access-date=August 11, 2011}}</ref> In 1964, he was a unanimous selection as the most valuable basketball player in the Middle Atlantic Conference northern college division.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/07/05/archives/nisenson-of-hofstra-leads-allstar-squad.html |title=Nisenson of Hofstra Leads All-Star Squad |work=New York Times |date= July 5, 1964|access-date=August 11, 2011}}</ref>

He set the school's career scoring record with 2,222 points, and it was not broken until 2008.<ref name="google1"/><ref name="pqarchiver2002"/><ref name="nytimes2007">{{cite news|last=Ogle |first=Mike |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/sports/ncaabasketball/16agudio.html |title=Top Scorer at Hofstra Is Motivated by Laziness |work=The New York Times |date=December 16, 2007 |access-date=August 11, 2011}}</ref> At the time that he set the record, there were only three years of eligibility, and there were not any 3-point shots.<ref name="nytimes2007"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/39414688.html?dids=39414688:39414688&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+03%2C+1999&author=Mike+Candel.+STAFF+WRITER&pub=Newsday+%28Combined+editions%29&desc=Out+of+Speedy%27s+Range&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713222058/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/39414688.html?dids=39414688:39414688&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+03,+1999&author=Mike+Candel.+STAFF+WRITER&pub=Newsday+(Combined+editions)&desc=Out+of+Speedy's+Range&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 13, 2012 |title=Out of Speedy's Range |publisher=Newsday |date= March 3, 1999|author= Mike Candel|access-date=August 11, 2011}}</ref> The record stood for 43 years.<ref name="issuu1"/>

His 1963–64 season scoring average of 27.7 points per game is the second-highest total in Hofstra history. His career average of 26.8 points per game is also the second-highest in school history.<ref name="issuu1"/><ref name="gohofstra1">{{cite web |url=http://www.gohofstra.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=22200&ATCLID=3714686 |title=Steve Nisenson |publisher=GoHofstra.com |date=April 8, 2009 |access-date=August 11, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007111813/http://www.gohofstra.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=22200&ATCLID=3714686 |archive-date=October 7, 2011 }}</ref>

He set the all-time national college free-throw record in 1964, becoming the first college player to have a free-throw percentage of better than .900.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jewsinsports.org/profile.asp?sport=basketball&ID=172 |title=Nisenson, Steve |publisher=Jewsinsports.org |access-date=August 11, 2011}}</ref> In 1963–64 he had a .913 free throw percentage, which is still a Hofstra single-season record.<ref name="issuu1"/><ref name="google2"/><ref name="gohofstra1"/> Nisenson also holds the Hofstra single-season record for free throws made (230), in the same season.<ref name="gohofstra1"/> His career free throw percentage (.879) is the second-best all-time in Division II history.<ref name="gohofstra1"/>

===After college=== He played on the United States basketball team that won a gold medal at the 1965 Maccabiah Games in Israel, along with Tal Brody, Ronald Green, Steve Chubin, and Ron Watts.<ref name="google2772"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1965/08/30/101566063.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false|title=U.S. FIVE TAKES TITLE IN ISRAEL; Tops Host Team, 74-66, for Maccabiah Gold Medal|website=timesmachine.nytimes.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://newspapers.library.in.gov/cgi-bin/indiana?a=d&d=JPOST19650820-01.1.3&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN------- | title=Jewish Post 20 August 1965 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program }}</ref>

Nisenson was drafted by the New York Knicks with the 37th pick overall, in the fifth round of the 1965 NBA draft.<ref name="google2772"/><ref name="pqarchiver2002"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/NYK/draft.html |title=New York Knicks Draft Picks |publisher=Basketball-Reference.com |access-date=August 11, 2011}}</ref> He was at the team's training camp, but did not make the team.<ref name="pqarchiver2002"/>

He turned down an offer to play with the Kentucky Colonels of the ABA.<ref name="pqarchiver2002"/> Instead, he chose to coach basketball at Hofstra.<ref name="pqarchiver2002"/>

Nisenson later was the director of admissions at C.W. Post for 16 years.<ref name="pqarchiver2002"/><ref name="gohofstra1"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/100145104.html?dids=100145104:100145104&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr+27%2C+1986&author=By+Mike+Candel&pub=Newsday+%28Combined+editions%29&desc=Some+Jet-Setting+Gym+Rats+Wing+It&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107163456/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/100145104.html?dids=100145104:100145104&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr+27,+1986&author=By+Mike+Candel&pub=Newsday+(Combined+editions)&desc=Some+Jet-Setting+Gym+Rats+Wing+It&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 7, 2012 |title=Some Jet-Setting Gym Rats Wing It |publisher=Newsday |date=April 27, 1986 |author= Mike Candel |access-date=August 11, 2011}}</ref>

==Honors==

In 2002, Nisenson was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in New York.<ref name="pqarchiver2002"/>

He was inducted into the Hofstra Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006 <ref name="issuu1"/> Hofstra also retired his jersey number (13), during the 2008–09 season.<ref name="gohofstra1"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.fiveborosports.com/ssp/news?news_id=1394 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090202151320/http://www.fiveborosports.com/ssp/news?news_id=1394 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=February 2, 2009 |title=News |publisher=Five Boro Sports |date=January 31, 2009 |access-date=August 11, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/nypost/access/1605168821.html?dids=1605168821:1605168821&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+02%2C+2008&author=Peter+Vecsey&pub=New+York+Post&desc=SIR+CHARLES+RIGHT+TO+RIP+KING&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120723111620/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/nypost/access/1605168821.html?dids=1605168821:1605168821&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+02,+2008&author=Peter+Vecsey&pub=New+York+Post&desc=SIR+CHARLES+RIGHT+TO+RIP+KING&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 23, 2012 |title=SIR CHARLES RIGHT TO RIP KING |publisher= New York Post|date=December 2, 2008 |author= Peter Vecsey|access-date=August 11, 2011}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nisenson, Steve}} Category:Hofstra Pride men's basketball coaches Category:Hofstra Pride men's basketball players Category:Long Island University alumni Category:New York Knicks draft picks Category:Living people Category:Guards (basketball) Category:Livingston High School (New Jersey) alumni Category:Sportspeople from Livingston, New Jersey Category:Basketball players from Essex County, New Jersey Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Competitors at the 1965 Maccabiah Games Category:American men's basketball players Category:Maccabiah Games gold medalists for the United States Category:Maccabiah Games medalists in basketball Category:Jewish American basketball players Category:Jews from New Jersey