Joseph "Joe" Richey was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 basketball

Basketball

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

 player. He was an All-American

NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans

The NCAA Men's Basketball All-American teams are honorary teams made up of those NCAA basketball players voted the best in the country by a variety of organizations.-History:...

 at Brigham Young University

Brigham Young University

Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...

 (BYU) and later played in the Amateur Athletic Union

Amateur Athletic Union

The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...

.

Joe Richey, a 6'1 (1.85 m) forward from St. Johns, Arizona

St. Johns, Arizona

St. Johns is the county seat of Apache County, Arizona, United States. It is located along U.S. Route 180, mostly west of where that highway intersects with U.S. Route 191. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 3,538....

, played at BYU

BYU Cougars men's basketball

The BYU Cougars men's basketball team represents Brigham Young University in NCAA Division I basketball play. Established in 1902, the team has won 30 conference championships and 2 NIT Tournaments , and competed in 26 NCAA Tournaments. It currently competes in the West Coast Conference...

 from 1950–53. Richey was a three-year starter and led the Cougars to berths in both the National Invitation Tournament

1951 National Invitation Tournament

The 1951 National Invitation Tournament was the 1951 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.-Selected teams:Below is a list of the 12 teams selected for the tournament.-Brackets/Results:Below is the tournament bracket....

 (NIT) and NCAA tournament

1951 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament

The 1951 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 16 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 20, 1951, and ended with the championship game on March 27 at Williams Arena in Minneapolis,...

 as a sophomore in 1951. While the Cougars bowed out in the second round in the NCAAs, they won the NIT – defeating Dayton

Dayton Flyers men's basketball

The Dayton Flyers men's basketball team is a college basketball program that competes in NCAA Division I and the Atlantic Ten Conference representing the University of Dayton. They are known for a rivalry with Xavier University, playing for the Blackburn/McCafferty Trophy each year.-History:The...

 62–43 in the final. This team is regarded one of the best in BYU history.

As a junior and senior, Richey led the Cougars in scoring at averages of 14.6 and 17.6 points per game respectively. He was known for his quickness and was a strong rebounder for his size, averaging 6.5 rebounds per game for his career. As a senior in 1952–53, Richey again led the Cougars to the NIT

1953 National Invitation Tournament

The 1953 National Invitation Tournament was the 1953 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.-Selected teams:Below is a list of the 12 teams selected for the tournament.-Brackets/Results:Below is the tournament bracket....

, though this time the Cougars stay was a short one, ending with a first round loss to Niagara

Niagara Purple Eagles men's basketball

The Niagara Purple Eagles men's basketball team is the college basketball team that represent Niagara University in Lewiston, New York, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference...

. Richey was named a second team consensus All-American

1953 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans

The Consensus 1953 College Basketball All-American team, as determined by aggregating the results of six major All-American teams. To earn "consensus" status, a player must win honors from a majority of the following teams: the Associated Press, Look Magazine, The United Press International, the...

 at the conclusion of the season. Richey finished with 1,178 points for his BYU career.

Joe Richey was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers in 1953. He instead played for several years in the AAU for Kirby's Shoes entry in the league.

After his playing days were over, Richey became a paving contractor. He also remained active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, becoming an Elder. In 1992, Richey was diagnosed with leukemia

Leukemia

Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...

. He lived for three more years, during which time he performed a Mormon mission

Missionary (LDS Church)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...

 in Birmingham, England. Joe Richey ultimately died of leukemia on April 4, 1995.