Former ASU stars Jerry Rook and John Dickson named to 1960s Southland Conference All-Decade Team

From Arkansas State University

The Southland Conference has announced its All-Decade Men's Basketball Team from the 1960s as part of its 50th Anniversary commemoration and former Arkansas State greats Jerry Rook and John Dickson made the team.

The team included two players from each of the five institutions that made up the Southland Conference from its inaugural season in 1963-64 through 1968-69.

Rook, a Jonesboro native, played his final two seasons (1963-65) as a member of the A-State basketball team in the Southland Conference.  He was named the first Southland Conference Player of the Year in his junior season after averaging 25.3 points and 9.6 rebounds per game for the 1963-64 campaign.  He also earned second-team All-American honors during his junior season.  Rook repeated as the Southland Conference Player of the Year during the 1964-65 season as he averaged 23.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.

Rook was named first-team All-American after his senior season.  Rook scored 35 or more points in a dozen games, including a 39-point performance as a senior against conference opponent Lamar.  He finished his college career with several ASU records and his 2,153 career points still ranks him as the seventh highest all-time in the Southland Conference.  Rook was the first player from Arkansas State drafted into the NBA when he was selected by the Baltimore Bullets in 1965.  Rook played a season with the ABA's New Orleans Buccaneers and later became a successful high school coach in Arkansas, where he led Pine Bluff High School to two state championships.  He was inducted into the Arkansas Hall of Fame in 2009.

Dickson, who is also from Jonesboro, played from 1963 to 1967, and was an All-Southland Conference selection in his sophomore, junior and senior seasons.  Dickson was the Southland Conference Player of the Year during his junior season along with being a second-team All-American choice.  During that season he averaged 22.4 points and 14.2 rebounds per game.  Dickson was also an NABC All-American pick following the 1966-67 season.

Dickson holds the Arkansas State record for points in a game with 47 against Tennessee-Chattanooga and Texas-Arlington.  Dickson led the Southland in scoring, rebounding, and field goal percentage as a senior.  Dickson is second in ASU history with 1,891 points and 1,139 rebounds.  He was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the third round of the NBA draft.  Dickson was also drafted by the New Orleans Buccaneers of the ABA and played one season with them.  Dickson was inducted into the Arkansas State Hall of Honor in 1984.

Southland Conference 1960s All-Decade Men's Basketball Team

1. John Ray Godfrey                                                          Abilene Christian                                    1964-68

2. Charles Cleek                                                                Abilene Christian                                    1964-66

3. Jerry Rook                                                                    Arkansas State                                     1963-65

4. John Dickson                                                                Arkansas State                                     1963-67

5. Don Bryson                                                                    Lamar                                                   1963-65

6. Earl Dow                                                                        Lamar                                                   1967-69

7. Mike Nau                                                                       Texas-Arlington                                      1964-67

8. Eddie Stallings                                                               Texas-Arlington                                      1967-69

9. Pete Ranucci                                                                  Trinity                                                   1963-65

10. Larry Jeffries (Player of the Decade)                                Trinity                                                   1965-69

Co-Head Coaches

1. Dee Nutt                                                                         Abilene Christian

2. Jack Martin                                                                     Lamar