Earl Belcher
Basketball
Enshrined: 2002
Born: December 15, 1958
Syracuse, NY
Ranked as the second-leading scorer in St. Bonaventure basketball history, Earl Belcher is one of only four school players to have scored 2,000 or more career points. From 1977 to 1981, Belcher amassed 2,077 points, trailing only Greg Sanders, who totaled 2,238. Belcher’s impressive numbers put him ahead of SBU greats Bob Lanier, Tom Stith, and Essie Hollis.
The former All-City player from Christian Brothers Academy averaged 20 points per game for his entire four-year career with the Bonnies. He is ranked third all-time in career free throw percentage, making 83.1% of his attempts. He led the Atlantic 10 in scoring both his junior and senior seasons and was the league’s player of the year in 1981. The powerful 6-foot-6 forward helped the Bonnies to the NCAA tournament in 1978 and the NIT in 1979.
Belcher was drafted in the third round of the 1981 NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs. Earl was inducted into the St. Bonaventure Sports Hall of Fame in 1991 and was named to St. Bonaventure’s all-time basketball team in 1995.
Career highlights:
1980: Named first team Atlantic 10
1981: Named Atlantic 10’s Player of the Year
1981: Drafted by the San Antonio Spurs
1991: Inducted into the St. Bonaventure Sports Hall of Fame