“Kevin was our guy,” former teammate and close friend Art Hunter said Thursday afternoon during a reception at Clark Powell’s in Ebensburg. “We all came back to honor our captain, our leader, our friend and our great teammate. It’s a wonderful night, and it’s so well deserved because Kevin was the best.”

As a sophomore, Clarence Hopson was among the nation’s leaders in field-goal percentage — because of Porter, he said.

“I know my career here would not be what it was without Kevin Porter,” Hopson said. “When Kevin and Joe Hazinsky left, I found out how difficult it was. I think Kevin would be very humbled about the presence of all the former players here.”

Porter’s feeling for his teammates is mutual.

Boston Globe sportswriter Bob Ryan (left) chats with SFU play-by-play man Pat Farabaugh.

“I never thought I’d have an opportunity to receive a degree in education and play professional basketball,” Porter said in a video shown to his ex-teammates and Saint Francis supporters Thursday night. “I am absolutely nothing without my teammates. I love Saint Francis, and I’m honored.”

Saint Francis coach Rob Krimmel said the Red Flash’s victory over LeMoyne came in part by Porter’s inspiration.

“For these guys to perform the way they did on a night we’re honoring KP is a credit to the guys who wore the uniforms and the guys who came back,” he said.

When he left SFU in 1972, Porter was second only to the legendary Maurice Stokes on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,766 points.

He also later returned to coach the team (1983-87) after becoming a record-setting assist point guard in the NBA.

Porter led the league in assists four times over an 11-year career. While playing for Detroit, his 25 dimes established a single-game record in a 1979 game against Boston.

His best season came when he led the league in assists (8.0) and helped get the Washington Bullets to the NBA finals.

“Kevin was the one who fueled our fastbreak,” teammate Phil Chenier said on the video. “He’d deliver the ball right on time. He’d get upset if he passed you the ball, and you were open and you didn’t shoot. It didn’t matter if you made or missed, he wanted you to shoot. He was a very important part of our success.”

The Bullets’ top scoring threat was power forward Elvin Hayes, who was later recognized among the NBA’s top 50 players of all time.

“Kevin was one of a kind,” Hayes said on the video. “He made me an all-star.”

The two maintained a friendship over the years, and Hayes spoke directly to Porter, saying, “I am where I am because of you.”

Those who made the trip weren’t limited to his teammates.

Renowned sportswriter Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe covered the game in which Porter set the single-game assist record (it has since been broken several times and today is held by Scott Skiles, who recorded 30 for Orlando in 1990).

When Ryan found out Saint Francis was recognizing Porter, he wanted to be part of it so he drove from his home in Massachusetts, despite threatening weather.

“Kevin had 30 points and 25 assists in one game (vs. Detroit),” Ryan said. “That’s one of the greatest individual achievements in the history of the NBA.”

Ryan’s interest in Saint Francis started when his father worked in promotions at Villanova, and the teams would play.

“I’ve been aware of this school for over 60 years,” Ryan told SFU professional Pat Farabaugh’s class earlier Thursday. Then he added with a chuckle: “I always envisioned visiting, (but) it’s a very interesting location. I didn’t realize it’s on top of a mountain.”

Ryan, 78, began his writing career in 1969, and he was also a regular panelist on ESPN’s popular “Sports Reporters” program for 28 years until its run ended in 2017.

He’s written 14 books, including one on Larry Bird, and covered 11 Olympics.

Thursday night marked his 207th college basketball venue and “not many people can say that,” he said proudly.

In addition to meeting with students, mingling with Porter’s teammates and watching the game, Ryan visited Stokes’ grave on the campus.

Though retired, he continues to write a column for the Globe, does some podcasting, and he fills in every three weeks on ESPN’s “Around the Horn.”

“I’ve had a tremendously fulfilling career,” Ryan said.

One that included adding his presence to an evening of greatness to honor a Saint Francis legend.

Rudel can be reached at nrudel@altoonamirror.com.