Phil Tollestrup

Phil Tollestrup

Personal information
Born	(1949-10-21) October 21, 1949 (age 75) Raymond, Alberta, Canada
Listed height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school	Raymond High School (Raymond, Alberta)
College	BYU (1968–72) University of Lethbridge (1972–73)
NBA draft	1973: 20th round, 211th overall pick
Selected by the Buffalo Braves
Position	Forward
Career history
As player:
1973-74	Saski Baskonia (Spain)
As coach:
1978-80	McMaster University
2004-07	Lethbridge College
Career highlights and awards
Fourth overall scorer in 1976 Summer Olympics FIBA World Championship North / South American All-Star (1974) First Team CIAU All-Canadian (1973) University of Lethbridge Male Athlete of the Year (1973) Canada West First Team All-Star (1973)
Stats at Basketball Reference

Phil Tollestrup (born October 12, 1949) is a former Canadian basketball player and Olympian. Among his accomplishments, he was the fourth overall scorer in the 1976 Summer Olympics (21.3 ppg),^[1] where Canada competed for the bronze medal;^[2][3][4] was drafted in the NBA by the Buffalo Braves in 1973;^[5][6][7] was a First Team CIAU All-Canadian (1973);^[8][9][10] was the University of Lethbridge's Male Athlete of the Year (1973);^[9][11][12] and was a First Team Canada West All-Star.^[13]

Tollestrup played for the Canadian men's national basketball team from 1971-79.^[10][11] This included representing Canada in the 1976 Olympics.^[14][15] Tollestrup played well in these Olympics, being the tournament's fourth overall leading scorer with 21.3 ppg.^[1][9][15] The '76 Olympics were also noteworthy in that Canada competed for the bronze medal and finished fourth overall,^[2][3][4] one of only three times in the past 80 years in which Canada has competed for an Olympic medal in basketball.^[4]

Tollestrup also represented Canada in three Pan American Games (1971, 1975, 1979),^[14][15][12] the 1972 Pre-Olympic Tournament,^[16] the 1973 World Student Games^[5][9][12] and the 1974 FIBA World Championships.^[5][14][17] Tollestrup played well in these tournaments as well: in the 1974 World Championships, he was selected as a North / South American All-Star^[15] and was Canada's third-leading scorer with 13.3 ppg.^[17] In the 1972 Pre-Olympic tournament, he was Canada's second-leading scorer with 19.3 ppg.^[16]

Tollestrup was drafted by the Buffalo Braves in the 20th round as the 211th overall pick in the 1973 NBA draft.^[6][7][18] In the 1973-74 season, Tollestrup played professionally in the Spanish first division for Saski Baskonia.^[9][11][13]

In high school, Tollestrup led Raymond High School to win two provincial championships (1967, 1968).^[9][11][15] He was also named provincial MVP.^[5]

He played at BYU the following four years (1968-72).^[5][9][12] At BYU, he played on the conference championship team.^[15]

Tollestrup played his final year (1972-73) at the University of Lethbridge.^{[9] [10][12]} This was the University of Lethbridge's inaugural year in basketball.^[11] In this year, he established intercollegiate scoring records^[15] when he averaged 26.4 ppg.^[13] He was named a First Team All-Canadian,^[8][10][11] a Canada West First Team All-Star^[13] and as the University of Lethbridge's Male Athlete of the Year.^[9][11][12] In this year, he also led the Pronghorns to the Canada West championship game.^[9][12][13]

Tollestrup coached McMaster University from 1978-80.^[10][14][15] He then coached at the high school level in Milk River, Stirling and Magrath in Alberta, Canada.^[9][12] He then coached the Lethbridge College Kodiaks from 2004-07.^[9][12][15]

Tollestrup has been inducted into the Canada Basketball Hall of Fame (1991),^[14] the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame (1984),^[15] the City of Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame (2011),^[9] the University of Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame^[11] and the City of Raymond Sports Hall of Fame,^[10][12][15]. Additionally, the 1976 Canadian men's national team of which Tollestrup was a member^[1] was inducted into the Canada Basketball Hall of Fame.^[19]

Tollestrup was born on October 12, 1949.^[3][6][14] He is a native of Raymond, Alberta, Canada.^[5][6][11]