Basketball Hall of Fame

Dave Golden attended Pekin High School from 1961-65 where he lettered in three seasons under legendary coach Dawdy Hawkins. Dave led Pekin High School to 58 wins in 63 games as a junior and senior including the 1964 Illinois State High School championship game. As the starting junior guard on the Pekin State championship team of 1964, he led Pekin with 18 points in the championship game against the Appleknockers from Cobden.

Dave was named to All-State Tournament Team in 1964. Dave received All-State honors in 1964 and again in 1965. He finished as the No. 5 all-time scorer in Pekin High School basketball history with 1,334 points and ranked No. 35 in the Greater Peoria Area. Dave was selected to the Parade Magazine’s 1965 high school boy’s all-American third team.

Of the more than 66 colleges to recruit Dave he decided to play at Duke University for Coach Vic Bubas. Dave lettered at Duke in 1967, 68, 69 where he played in 80 games and scored 752 points. During the 1967 and ‘68 seasons he played in the NIT and in 1968 Duke had risen to AP ranking of No. 10 in the country. Always a leader, Dave was team captain during his senior year.