Men's Basketball

50th Anniversary Pilot Profiles - Bill O’Dell

Bethel College Basketball will be profiling athletes from the past leading up to a celebration of the 50 years of Pilot Basketball this November

Bill O’Dell might have been the most talented player arriving in 1979-1980, a banner recruiting year for Coach Homer Drew. A 6-3 forward from Argos, O’Dell was noted for his shooting touch and ball handling ability.

“Bill gave us an outside shooting touch and finesse inside,” said Drew. “He had an amazing ability to come up with the ball.”

O’Dell teamed with Greg Thomas, Gary Knowles and Joe Focht to turn in the most impressive record (101-33 overall and 52-2 at home) that any class ever recorded in four years at Bethel.

“Everybody had a unique talent,” said O’Dell. “Gary was a horse inside and really hit the boards well. Greg was quick and could help out underneath or pop out and hit an outside shot for us. Joe shot the long ball and I guess I filled in at the other spot.”

And O’Dell managed to fill in everywhere, combining 1399 points with 619 rebounds and 494 assists while shooting 50% from the field.

Consistency was another trademark. O’Dell’s career high was onyl a 22-point outburst against Indiana Tech but he rarely scored less than 10 points an outing.

Named to the NCCAA All District team as a senior, O’Dell was also a honorable mention selection on the NAIA All District 21 team. He was also named to the NCCAA District III second team earlier in his career.

O’Dell was picked for the Bethel Classic team twice (in 1979 and 1982) and the Turkey Classic team (also in 1982). He was honorable mention All Mid-Central Conference in 1982 and scored his 1000th point against Bethel (Minn.) in the 1982 NCCAA Regional.

O’Dell averaged 11 points in four NCCAA finals games. He turned in one of the best free throw shooting performances ever (80.2) and top assists totals (494) in 1982-1983.

O’Dell also played soccer and baseball at Bethel and even picked up a pitching victory over Notre Dame.

At Argos, O’Dell averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Dragons to the state finals with a 28-1 record as a senior. He finished as the school’s top scorer in history (1,191 points) and collected 13 letters in four sports. O’Dell helped the Dragons break the state record for consecutive wins in basketball and was the top scorer on an 18-0 state championship soccer team.

His brother, Don O’Dell also attended Bethel.