Scoring prowess defined Giordano

Just think what Rob Giordano could have done with the 3-point shot.

Acknowledged as one of the premier long-range shooters in Frontier League boys basketball history, the former Beaver River standout played before the 3-point line came into existence.

Still, he finished his four-year varsity career with 1,478 points and remains one of the league's all-time scorers.

Giordano, coached by his father, legendary Beaver River head man Bob Giordano Sr., was one of the linchpins of the Beavers' astounding success through the late 1970s. After moving up to the varsity level as a freshman during the 1975-76 season, Giordano Jr. helped lead the Beavers to a 55-6 league record during his varsity tenure, and a 67-13 overall record.

After going 12-7 when Giordano was a freshman, they finished 18-2 in 1976-77, 17-2 in 1977-78 and 20-2 in 1978-79.

During that span, the Beavers won three league titles (1977-1979), 38 consecutive league games during one stretch, a league playoff championship in 1979 and a Section 3 Class C crown in '79 — Giordano's senior season.

Beaver River lost to eventual state champion Sidney in the Class C state regionals in 1979.

His 47-point performance against Indian River in the first game of the 1978 season still stands as the school's all-time single game performance.

A left-handed jump shooter with incredible range, Giordano averaged 18.4 points per game in four varsity campaigns. His final three seasons, he averaged 20.3, 20.5 and 21.6 points per game. In his senior season, he also led the team in rebounds with 181, although he stood only 6-foot-1 and played much of the that season with a bad ankle.

Giordano's name is still at or near the top of many offensive categories at Beaver River.

Following his graduation, Giordano attended Colgate University. He played three seasons for the Red Raiders after having to sit out his freshman season with a bad ankle. He was a Red Raider captain as a junior in 1981-82, when he averaged 7.6 points per game.

In fact, he and his father, who played for Colgate from 1955-57, were the only father-son duo ever to serve as basketball captains. He graduated in 1983 with a bachelor's degree in economics.

Today, Giordano lives in Fairport outside of Rochester and works for Smith Barney. He is married and has two daughters and two sons. He is still very active in sports, playing tennis and basketball.

To read about previous selections to the Times' list of The North Country's Greatest Athletes of All Time, log on to www.watertowndailytimes.com.