Julius Pegues, first Black player at Pitt, dies at 86

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PITTSBURGH (AP) — Julius Pegues, the first Black basketball player at the University of Pittsburgh, has died following a battle with cancer. He was 86. The school said Pegues died at John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The 6-foot-9 forward joined Pitt in 1954. He played one year on the freshman team before earning a scholarship and moving to the varsity. He averaged 13.6 points and 4.9 rebounds in 77 career games for the Panthers. Twice he helped the Panthers to the NCAA Tournament, including a 31-point performance in a first-round loss to Miami (Ohio) in 1958.