NCAA Basketball: Oakland vs Michigan
Dec 10, 2011; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; The Detroit Pistons logo before the game between the Oakland Golden Grizzlies and the Michigan Wolverines at The Palace. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
Cornelius Cash Jr., a former Bowling Green State University standout who played in the NBA and professionally overseas, died Aug. 31 in Dayton, Ohio. He was 74.
Cash was born March 3, 1952, and grew up in Dayton, where he became one of the leading basketball players of his generation at Dunbar High School. A 6-foot-8 forward, he averaged 18.2 points and 15.1 rebounds as a senior and helped Dunbar reach the Ohio Class AAA state championship game.
Cash was twice named first-team All-City and earned two Journal Herald Area All-Star selections, two All-Greater Dayton selections and second-team All-Ohio honors.
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Cash stayed in-state for college, moving north to continue his basketball career at Bowling Green. He played on the freshman team before spending three seasons with the varsity.
In 79 varsity from 1972-75, Cash averaged 15.8 points and 13.5 rebounds and was a first-team All-Mid-American Conference selection each season.
As a sophomore in 1972-73, Cash averaged 18 points and 15.2 rebounds, ranking eighth nationally in rebounding and first among forwards. He was named Bowling Green’s most valuable player and received honorable-mention All-America recognition.
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Cash averaged 14 points and 12.4 rebounds as a junior and set what remains Bowling Green’s single-season record with 59 blocked shots. As a senior, he averaged 15.3 points and a conference-leading 13 rebounds. He was inducted into the Falcons’ Hall of Fame in 2009.
The Milwaukee Bucks selected Cash in the second round of the 1975 NBA draft, 24th overall. He did not appear for Milwaukee, which waived him that November.
The Detroit Pistons signed Cash in July 1976, and he made his NBA debut Oct. 22, appearing in six games during the 1976-77 season. He averaged 3.5 points and 2.7 rebounds in 8.2 minutes per game before Detroit waived him in November.
Cash also played professionally in the ABA and overseas, including stops in Belgium, Yugoslavia and Brazil.