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Penndemonium PhD Student Posts 1900 |
11-30-21 10:35 PM - Post#330223
Hassan Duncombe, class of 91, passed away. I will always remember him for the tip-in against Princeton and for his big smile. He was a great Quaker. |
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TheLine Professor Posts 5597 |
11-30-21 10:46 PM - Post#330224
RIP Hoss. |
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dperry Postdoc Posts 2214 
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 11-30-21 11:02 PM - Post#330225
Way too young! What happened?
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penn nation Professor Posts 21212 |
11-30-21 11:12 PM - Post#330226
Incredibly sad news. He was a very popular guy on campus, very nice and down to earth. |
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T.P.F.K.A.D.W. PhD Student Posts 1172 |
11-30-21 11:58 PM - Post#330229
Oh this is awful. Hoss was one of my all-time favorites. Undersized center with a rather, shall we say, wide bottom. Had a surprisingly effective mid-range jumper. Once dropped 44 points on Navy. Rest in Peace, Big Fella. May your memory be a blessing to the many who loved you. |
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Penndemonium PhD Student Posts 1900 |
12-01-21 03:56 AM - Post#330232
He still seemed to have a lot of pride about his basketball career, as he should have. He is still on a few of the all-time statistics list categories. https://www.yumpu.com/da/document/view/4015 2823/pe... |
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Streamers Professor Posts 8258 
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12-01-21 09:54 AM - Post#330235
Incredibly sad news. He was a very popular guy on campus, very nice and down to earth. One of his friends texted me about this last night. He was quite upset about it. Hass was very much a part of the campus culture in those days beyond his considerable impact on the team with a personality as big as his body. RIP. |
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T.P.F.K.A.D.W. PhD Student Posts 1172 |
12-01-21 09:55 AM - Post#330236
(Post deleted.) |
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TheLine Professor Posts 5597 |
12-01-21 10:55 AM - Post#330237
I didn’t know Hoss off the court. He was unique on it - the one player worth showing up to see during the period between the Lefko and Allen teams. Other than his size Hoss wasn’t particularly physically gifted, relying mostly on skills and guile. He couldn’t jump high and wasn’t fast or quick. He was more cushion than muscle. But Hoss knew how to play the game. He took advantage of his unconventional wideness so was a big target on offense and difficult to get around on defense. Truly a joy to watch. |
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palestra38 Professor Posts 32835 |
12-01-21 12:56 PM - Post#330244
That indeed is sad. Hoss was part of what appeared to be a recruiting bonanza in the first two years of the Schneider regime, where he first recruited Stovall and Simon, and the next year Hoss, Ben Spiva, Ty Gilliams and Dane Watts. With Spiva transferring out to Memphis after one year with Schneider and Stovall having a stroke and later recovering and transferring to BC, the heart of what might have been a very good team was lost. Hoss had to do it all himself and his final year at Penn (as a junior), he averaged over 19 ppg with a variety of inside moves, almost never turned the ball over and was a damn good player. Sorry to see him pass so young. |
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OldBig5 Masters Student Posts 639 |
12-01-21 02:26 PM - Post#330249
Sad. RIP. |
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Penndemonium PhD Student Posts 1900 |
12-01-21 04:10 PM - Post#330255
What I remember about Hass was his great hands. He wasn't fast, but he was quick. He had a few big games in 1988-89, but most of his efforts were in spurts. Against Navy in 1989-90 (and a few of the other games that season) you could see that he really believed in himself and his ability to take over a game. He wasn't testing the defense anymore - he was asserting himself on the other team no matter what they were doing. I also remember that he was very social and I'd see him wandering Locust Walk, at Abners, and more. RIP and thanks for the memories. |
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Penndemonium PhD Student Posts 1900 |
12-01-21 04:12 PM - Post#330256
BTW, I don't remember if TFPKADW is the real Dane Watts or not, but condolences if so. I seem to remember them around each other often. |
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LyleGold PhD Student Posts 1712 |
12-01-21 05:15 PM - Post#330262
Wow, this is stunning and so sad. I think I remember reading a couple years ago that he got into coaching, but I don’t remember any details. My favorite memory of Hassan was our huge upset of nationally ranked Villanova in ‘88. Palestra38 and I sat in the front row behind the west basket among the Penn cheerleaders as Walt “Little Clyde” Frazier had the game of his life. Every time Hassan went to the foul line, Nova students chanted “Duncombe Donuts, Duncombe Donuts”. Hoss just laughed it off and calmly sank the FTs on the way to a below average Penn team’s signature victory. |
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penn nation Professor Posts 21212 |
12-01-21 05:35 PM - Post#330263
I had graduated in May, but remember pulling in CAU radio that evening where I was in the Midwest to hear the thrilling conclusion.
Wow, this is stunning and so sad. I think I remember reading a couple years ago that he got into coaching, but I don’t remember any details. My favorite memory of Hassan was our huge upset of nationally ranked Villanova in ‘88. Palestra38 and I sat in the front row behind the west basket among the Penn cheerleaders as Walt “Little Clyde” Frazier had the game of his life. Every time Hassan went to the foul line, Nova students chanted “Duncombe Donuts, Duncombe Donuts”. Hoss just laughed it off and calmly sank the FTs on the way to a below average Penn team’s signature victory. |
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T.P.F.K.A.D.W. PhD Student Posts 1172 |
12-01-21 06:17 PM - Post#330269
Wow, this is stunning and so sad. I think I remember reading a couple years ago that he got into coaching, but I don’t remember any details. My favorite memory of Hassan was our huge upset of nationally ranked Villanova in ‘88. Palestra38 and I sat in the front row behind the west basket among the Penn cheerleaders as Walt “Little Clyde” Frazier had the game of his life. Every time Hassan went to the foul line, Nova students chanted “Duncombe Donuts, Duncombe Donuts”. Hoss just laughed it off and calmly sank the FTs on the way to a below average Penn team’s signature victory. I was at that game, too. It was my senior year and the old barn was rocking that night. Little-used Jose Tavarez pulled down a huge offensive rebound and stuck the putback in the final minute or two to help seal it. Great photo in the DP the following day showing 6'7" Duncombe battling 7'3" Tom Greis. Duncombe's head came up to Greis' chest. Called my buddy Lefko Fall Wall in New York after I got back to my apartment. He didn't believe me that we'd actually beaten 'Nova. He quickly turned on the Ten O'Clock News on Channel 5 and watched the great Bill Mazer relay the stunning news. As Mazer told it: "The top scorer for Penn tonight? Walt Frazier's son, Walt Jr." Thanks for the wonderful memory, Hoss. We'll miss you. |
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dperry Postdoc Posts 2214
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12-01-21 07:41 PM - Post#330273
That was my first game in the Palestra (that I remember, at least.) After having won the football championship that fall, I thought it was going to be a great four years of sports. Survey says: BUZZZZZZ! 
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nychoops Junior Posts 243 |
12-02-21 08:38 AM - Post#330405
Awful awful news. Big man with a big heart. Spent last several years atCUNY Kingsbourgh CC… some coaching some in security. Was a great city player at a time where city kids actually stayed home. Just painful news about such a young man. |
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SteveChop PhD Student Posts 1155 |
12-02-21 12:36 PM - Post#330441
I certainly remember the games mentioned above. The memory of Hassan that I most remember, however, was the game I did not see, his 44 point game against Navy, the ONLY time I have ever turned back from going to a game. Our kids were pretty young at the time and while the four of us started for the game, there was a huge snowstorm and, at the urging of my wife, turned around just before we got to the Schuylkill Expressway. While we listened to the game, I was always disappointed that I missed it, a terrific game by my fellow Brooklyn native. May Hassan rest in peace and may his memory always be a blessing. |
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SomeGuy Professor Posts 6413 |
12-02-21 09:26 PM - Post#330464
Only time I ever met Hassan was playing against him in the intramural basketball tournament when he was academically ineligible. Did not go well for SomeGuy, though we probably defended him better than Navy did. He was a joy to watch play. My thoughts are with his friends and family. |
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