PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Tom Gola, the Hall of Fame basketball player who led La Salle to the 1954 NCAA title and helped the Philadelphia Warriors win the 1956 NBA championship, died Sunday. He was 81.
Gola’s wife, Caroline, said he died at St. Joseph’s Manor in Meadowbrook.
Gola also led La Salle to the 1952 NIT title and a runner-up finish in the 1955 NCAA tournament. He holds the NCAA career rebounds record with 2,201 and scored 2,461 points. He and former George Washington player Joe Holup are the only players in NCAA history to top 2,000 in both points and rebounds.
Gola averaged 11.3 points and 8.0 rebounds in 11 NBA seasons with Philadelphia/San Francisco and New York.
Gola later coached at La Salle, where the arena is named after him. He also served in the Pennsylvania State House and was Philadelphia City Controller.
