Bob Cook (’72)
Bob Cook was Glen Rock High School’s most honored basketball player.
Bob Cook was the leading scorer and rebounder on the 1970-71 Boys Basketball Team that won the B-PSL Championship and reached the Sectional quarterfinals. Its final record was 17-5. Bob was named to the First Team, All-Bergen (by The Paterson News), the First Team, All-B-PSL and the First Team, All Suburban (by The Ridgewood News).
In the following year, the Hall of Fame 1971-72 Boys Basketball Team had a magical season. The
team repeated as B-PSL Champions (with a 13-1 league record) while winning its last 13 games in a row. It then proceeded to have the best postseason of any boys basketball team in school history.
In the first round the Rockers knocked off Ramsey, whom it had beaten twice and been beaten by once during the regular season and league tournament. Next up was an excellent Rutherford team. Like the Panthers, Rutherford had size and speed. In front of 2000+ fans at Hackensack High School, Glen Rock came away with a 76-75 overtime victory to win the Group 2, Sectional Championship, Glen Rock’s first (and still only) Sectional Championship in basketball. Unfortunately, in the subsequent Group 2, North Jersey Championship game, the team suffered a heartbreaking 62-61 loss to the ultimate Group 2, State Champion, Vailsburg (Newark). The team ended its season with a record of 19-6 and was ranked third in Bergen County behind two Group 4 schools, Hackensack and Ridgewood, by The Bergen Record.
Once again, Bob was the team’s leading scorer (averaging nearly 20 points per game) and leading rebounder. After the season, he was named to the First Team, All-Area (by The Paterson News), First Team, All-County (by The Bergen Record), First Team, All-B-PSL and First Team, All Suburban. He also notably received All-State and All-American honors.
Bob also displayed his athleticism as a member of Glen Rock’s track & field team. In his junior year, he led the team in scoring, while competing in the high jump, shot put, and hurdles relay. At that year’s Group 2, Sectional Championship, Bob finished fourth in the high jump. Due to post season basketball requirements, he was unable to compete as a senior.
In June 1972, the administration and coaches of Glen Rock High School recognized Bob as the top athlete in that year’s graduating class and gave him the esteemed Athlete of the Year Award.
During high school, Bob was heavily recruited by countless Division 1 college basketball coaches; he ultimately attended Duke University. After two years at Duke, he transferred to Delaware University (and rejoined his Glen Rock teammate Hall of Fame Inductee Steve Fischer); as a junior and senior, Bob was that team’s leading scorer and rebounder.