Dennie Bridges’ New Book Chronicles Small College Basketball

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — In 36 years of coaching Illinois Wesleyan University’s basketball team, Dennie Bridges collected stories all the while that his team was collecting championships. Now those stories about Bridges’ life as a small college basketball coach appear in his new book, A Dunk Only Counts Two Points, published this week by Illinois Wesleyan.

Bridges retired from coaching prior to the 2001-2002 season as the winningest active coach in NCAA Division III men’s basketball. His career coaching record is 667-319. He was one of only 22 college coaches in all divisions with more than 650 victories. In addition to winning 17 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin basketball championships, Bridges’ 1996-97 team won the national championship and his 1995-96 and 2000-2001 teams placed third in the nation.

In A Dunk Only Counts Two Points, Bridges recalls his days as a player under legendary Illinois Wesleyan coach Jack Horenberger and takes readers through his own coaching odyssey. He recalls moments that will be familiar to Illinois Wesleyan fans, from the February night in Salem, Va., when the Titans won the NCAA Division III national championship to several trips to Kansas City to compete in the NAIA national tournament.

• Read an excerpt from A Dunk Only Counts Two Points

Bridges not only describes his successful recruitment of All-American Jack Sikma but devotes a chapter to the development of the "Sikma Move" that helped the former Titan star become a seven-time All-Star in the National Basketball Association. Bridges shares his coaching philosophy which includes going against the grain of making basketball a year round season, and gives his reactions to changes in basketball over the years. Included is a section on X’s and O’s that survive the test of time. This book is not just for Illinois Wesleyan fans, but also for parents who have kids looking forward to a true student/athlete experience in college and especially for anyone.

A Dunk Only Counts Two Points features an introduction by David Kindred, featured columnist for The Sporting News and a 1963 Illinois Wesleyan graduate who was Bridges’ baseball teammate with the Titans.

All proceeds from sales of the book will go to the Jack Horenberger Scholarship Fund, named in honors of the legendary Illinois Wesleyan coach and Bridges’ mentor.

The book is available for $15 at the Illinois Wesleyan University Bookstore. It is also available by mail for $15 plus $2 shipping and handling by sending a check or money order to A Dunk Only Counts Two Points, c/o Dennie Bridges, Shirk Center, 302 East Emerson, Bloomington, IL 61701. Credit card orders may be placed by calling (309) 556-3196. The book is also available on-line at www.iwu.edu/~iwunews/sports/dunk.html.