It takes just a single, brief word to adequately describe Rob Furman’s career as a men’s basketball player at Philadelphia Biblical University.
Unstoppable.
With 2,226 points to his credit, Furman remains perched atop the all-time Crimson Eagle scoring list, a record that has withstood the test of time. In fact, Furman’s point total has endured 40 years of successors and to this day remains exactly 368 points ahead of the closest challenger, Shawn Sommons, who collected 1,858 points throughout his dazzling career.
A crafty guard for the Crimson Eagles from 1966-70, Furman had the offensive skill-set to do just about whatever he willed while on the basketball floor. With the ability to put the ball on the floor or shoot it from deep, teams were often at the mercy of Furman’s talents and could only hope to catch him on an off night.
Barry Frey, a teammate of Furman that served as his Hall of Honor induction speaker, praised, “When he got in the zone, Rob Furman was impossible to stop. I wish we had the 3-point shot back in those days because there's no telling how many points Rob would have scored with a 3-point line.”
Known for a tireless work ethic and his love for competition, Furman would go on to become an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American while leading the Crimson Eagles in scoring during each of his four years with the team.
More than just a basketball player, Furman proved to be a pure athlete during his collegiate days, serving as a pitcher for the Crimson Eagle baseball team as well. In fact, he was named an All-Conference performer for his work on the mound, at one point throwing a no-hitter.
“Nothing was pretty about Rob Furman’s game,” Frey jabbed during the ceremony. “But he worked so hard and just refused to be denied in everything he did. He always led by example and he never quit.”
Perhaps best known for his indomitable will to get to the basket, Furman was fearless when he entered the paint and was renowned for his ability to make off-balanced shots while getting knocked around amongst the bigger, interior players.
“We always marveled at Rob’s ability to finish around the basket,” Frey said. “It was as if he wasn’t affected by contact - he would get hit and still make everything.”
It was those attributes that led to Furman to net over 2,000 points during his career and a place in the PBU Hall of Honor. He becomes the 16th men’s basketball players to be inducted.
