John Adams (basketball)
Encyclopedia
John Adams was an American basketball
player. He was an All-American
player at Arkansas
in the 1940s. Adams is one of several men credited with creating the jump shot in basketball.
John Adams, a 6'3 guard/forward, grew up in El Paso, Arkansas
and starred for two years at El Paso High School. He was then recruited away to Beebe High School in nearby Beebe, Arkansas
. It was under the low ceilings of Beebe High home court where Adams learned to flatten the trajectory of his shot, becoming one of the early pioneers of the jump shot.
Adams then went to the University of Arkansas
on a basketball scholarship. He lettered from 1938 to 1941 and led the Razorbacks to the 1941 NCAA Final Four
, where they fell to the Washington State Cougars
. Adams was the leading scorer in the tournament, netting 48 points in two games. Adams was the first Razorback to score 30+ points in a single game. He was a two-time all Southwest Conference pick and a Consensus first team All-American in 1941
.
After his collegiate career ended, Adams played for the Phillips 66ers
in the AAU
. He was named to the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1979. He died of cancer three months later.
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:...
player at Arkansas
Arkansas Razorbacks men's basketball
The Arkansas Razorbacks basketball team represents the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The school's team currently competes in the Southeastern Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2008...
in the 1940s. Adams is one of several men credited with creating the jump shot in basketball.
John Adams, a 6'3 guard/forward, grew up in El Paso, Arkansas
El Paso, Arkansas
El Paso is an unincorporated community in central Arkansas, located in southwestern White County. Its name is Spanish for "the pass", referring to a small gap in the hills on the community's northern edge...
and starred for two years at El Paso High School. He was then recruited away to Beebe High School in nearby Beebe, Arkansas
Beebe, Arkansas
Beebe, Arkansas is a city in White County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 4,930 at the 2000 census, making it the second most populous in the county after Searcy. The city is home to a branch campus of Jonesboro-based Arkansas State University. It was named for Roswell Beebe, a...
. It was under the low ceilings of Beebe High home court where Adams learned to flatten the trajectory of his shot, becoming one of the early pioneers of the jump shot.
Adams then went to the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
on a basketball scholarship. He lettered from 1938 to 1941 and led the Razorbacks to the 1941 NCAA Final Four
1941 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
-External links:* on Shrp Sports * , source for much of the information on this page.-See also:* 1941 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...
, where they fell to the Washington State Cougars
Washington State Cougars men's basketball
The Washington State Cougars Men's Basketball team represents Washington State University and competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of NCAA Division I...
. Adams was the leading scorer in the tournament, netting 48 points in two games. Adams was the first Razorback to score 30+ points in a single game. He was a two-time all Southwest Conference pick and a Consensus first team All-American in 1941
1941 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
The Consensus 1941 College Basketball All-American team, as determined by aggregating the results of four major All-American teams. To earn "consensus" status, a player must win honors from a majority of the following teams: the Helms Athletic Foundation, Converse, and Madison Square Garden.-1941...
.
After his collegiate career ended, Adams played for the Phillips 66ers
Phillips 66ers
The Phillips 66ers basketball team was an amateur squad sponsored and run by the Phillips Petroleum Company. The team, which began play in 1919, participated in the Amateur Athletic Union, the nation’s premier basketball league before the National Basketball Association...
in the AAU
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...
. He was named to the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1979. He died of cancer three months later.