Illinois high school basketball legend 'Blonde Bomber' Jay Shidler to speak in Galesburg

GALESBURG — Former Lawrenceville High School and University of Kentucky basketball star Jay Shidler will be at the Galesburg Area Officials Association's award banquet this weekend.

The GAOA will meet at 5 p.m. Sunday at Side Trax, 441 E. Main St., where Shidler will serve as the guest speaker.

The public is invited to attend for the price of $10, which includes food and beverage.

Shidler played high school basketball for Lawrenceville, and he was a member of the Indians’ 1974 state championship team. ROVA topped Shidler-led Lawrenceville 77-70 in the Class A state semifinals in 1976.

Shidler scored 2,183 points — 1,013 as a senior — in his high school career, and he is a member of The Basketball Museum of Illinois HOF.

More: ROVA Roars, Part 7: Tigers take down BCC, Shidler-led Lawrenceville to play for title

Shidler continued his basketball career at Kentucky where he helped the Wildcats win the NCAA title in 1978. Kentucky downed Duke 94-88 in the championship game.

Shidler netted 733 points (there was no 3-point shot back then), had 203 assists, 150 rebounds and 41 steals as a member of the Wildcats. He shot 45.5% from the field and 83% at the foul line. He took just 648 shots in 122 games.

Shidler was a member of the Team USA team along the likes of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in 1978, as well. "The 14 players on that squad featured 12 future NBA first round picks, 10 players who would be selected among the first six picks in future NBA drafts, including No. 1 picks Joe Barry Carroll (1980) and Johnson (1979)," according to USA Basketball's website. 

Shidler was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the ninth round of the 1980 draft, and he played pro hoops in Scotland.

Earlier this year, Shidler released a book about his life on and off the hardwood titled “Blonde Bomber: A Ride With Shide." The book will be for sale at the banquet for $5 with all proceeds going to the Eric W. Johnson Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Any questions contact the GAOA’s president Joe Thompson at (309) 368-1714.

Matthew Wheaton can be reached at (309) 315-6073 or at mwheaton@register-mail.com. Follow him on Twitter @matthewlwheaton

This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: IHSA Basketball: 'Blonde Bomber' Shidler to speak at Galesburg event