Hall of Fame
On the legendary 1988-89 men’s basketball team that won a PSAC Championship and made Millersville’s first and only NCAA Division II Elite Eight appearance, Tommy Gaines was the best player, leading the team in scoring and rebounding.
Gaines finished his Marauder career with 1,493 points, a total that still ranks 12th in Millersville history. Called “dynamic, all-around play” by then-sports information director and Millersville hall of famer Greg Wright, Gaines’ 1988-89 season in itself was hall of fame-worthy. The senior forward averaged 21.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game while shooting 60.7 percent from the field. He was at his best against the PSAC East, averaging 22.8 points and 10.9 rebounds as the Marauders won the division title with a 10-2 record.
That season’s team broke seven offensive records and went 26-7. And Gaines was the driving force behind the team’s postseason run, which ended three wins shy of a national championship. In five postseason games, Gaines averaged 25 points and 9.8 rebounds per game while hitting nearly 65 percent of his shots. He scored 33 points in the 87-71 PSAC Championship win over Bloomsburg and made 11-of-13 shots for 28 points in the 92-86 loss to UC-Riverside in the NCAA quarterfinals. Gaines was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Division II East Regional.
At season’s end, Gaines selected to the NABC All-East District First Team and All-PSAC East First Team. The 690 points Gaines scored that season still ranks fourth all-time at Millersville.
Gaines transferred to Millersville in 1986-87 after one season at Elizabethtown College. He was on his way to an epic 1987-88 junior season, averaging 18.3 points and 10.5 rebounds through the first 13 games, but his season was cut short with an injury. Still, at the close of his career Gaines ranked sixth in career scoring, fifth in career field goals, and second in career field goal percentage.
Gaines received a bachelor’s degree in computer science in 1990.
