Gino Sovran
Encyclopedia
Gino Sovran is a former National Basketball Association
player.
Born in Windsor, Ontario
Sovran attended Kennedy Collegiate Institute
and was a top basketball player at Assumption College, scoring more than 1,000 points over three seasons, and playing as team captain in the 1943-44 and 1944-45 seasons. He played for University of Detroit Mercy
in 1945-46 where he was the team's leading scorer. Sovran then returned to the Assumption team to help it win the Ontario and Eastern Canada senior basketball championships in 1946 before losing to the Victoria Dominoes for the national title.
From there, Sovran joined the newly formed Toronto Huskies
professional team that competed in the Basketball Association of America (which later evolved into the National Basketball Association
). Along with former Assumption teammate Hank Biasatti
, he was one of two Canadians to play for the Huskies in their first and only season in 1946-47. Sovran was signed by the Huskies about two weeks into the season, making his professional debut on November 22, 1946 against the Boston Celtics
. He appeared in six games.
Sovran was also a competitive track and field athlete, setting regional records in the high jump and triple jump while a student.
He has been inducted into the University of Windsor Alumni Sports Hall of Fame (1997) and the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame (2002).
Away from sports, Sovran earned a doctoral degree from the University of Minnesota
and worked as a research engineer for General Motors
. He is believed to be the last surviving Huskies player.
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
player.
Born in Windsor, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
Sovran attended Kennedy Collegiate Institute
Kennedy Collegiate Institute
Honourable W.C. Kennedy Collegiate Institute is a secondary school located in central Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Greater Essex County District School Board...
and was a top basketball player at Assumption College, scoring more than 1,000 points over three seasons, and playing as team captain in the 1943-44 and 1944-45 seasons. He played for University of Detroit Mercy
University of Detroit Mercy
University of Detroit Mercy is a private, Roman Catholic co-educational university in Detroit, Michigan, United States, affiliated with the Society of Jesus and the Sisters of Mercy. Antoine M. Garibaldi is the president. With origins dating from 1877, it is the largest Roman Catholic university...
in 1945-46 where he was the team's leading scorer. Sovran then returned to the Assumption team to help it win the Ontario and Eastern Canada senior basketball championships in 1946 before losing to the Victoria Dominoes for the national title.
From there, Sovran joined the newly formed Toronto Huskies
Toronto Huskies
The Toronto Huskies were a team in the Basketball Association of America during the 1946–47 season, based in Toronto, Ontario...
professional team that competed in the Basketball Association of America (which later evolved into the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
). Along with former Assumption teammate Hank Biasatti
Hank Biasatti
Henry Arcado Biasatti was a Canadian National Basketball Association player and a Major League Baseball first baseman...
, he was one of two Canadians to play for the Huskies in their first and only season in 1946-47. Sovran was signed by the Huskies about two weeks into the season, making his professional debut on November 22, 1946 against the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
. He appeared in six games.
Sovran was also a competitive track and field athlete, setting regional records in the high jump and triple jump while a student.
He has been inducted into the University of Windsor Alumni Sports Hall of Fame (1997) and the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame (2002).
Away from sports, Sovran earned a doctoral degree from the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
and worked as a research engineer for General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
. He is believed to be the last surviving Huskies player.