Eagles rally after OT loss for final playoff run
St. John's Vince Nesser soars to the basket through Frazier defenders during the Uniontown Holiday Classic Tournament during the 1975-76 season.
Submitted photo
St. John’s Kevin Murtha (21) drives around a Uniontown defender in the Uniontown Holiday Classic Tournament during the 1975-76 season.
Submitted photo
St. John’s Vince Nesser takes it to the basket for a layup through Depew (N.Y.) High School defenders during the Uniontown Holiday Classic Tournament during the 1975-1976 season.
This is Part 2 of 4 in a series of stories remembering the final season of the St. John High School boys basketball team.
The St. John boys basketball returned to school on Monday, Feb. 16, 1976, on the heels of finding out the school was to be closed at the end of the year and losing a hard-fought overtime game to rival Geibel.
The Eagles maintained a one-game lead over Mapletown after their first Section 19-A loss and the Gators pulled into the race for the playoffs with three section losses.
With only one team advancing to the WPIAL playoffs, the playoff run began with three section games remaining.
According to Paul Burns, coach Jim (Lash) Nesser had the Eagles ready for the playoff run.
“Our practices were the best by Coach Nesser,” explained Burns. “We did everything by the clock. We got the junk defenses because of Vince (Nesser), but we were ready. (The junior varsity and second team) were constantly running against the varsity.
“The confidence level was there. We played so well together as a team.”
Burns continued, saying, “We so loved and respected (coach Nesser). There was such a bond from everyone. We won with the whole team and lost with the whole team.”
The game prep focused on an uptempo game, especially given the small dimensions of St. John’s court and the general lack of a true big man.
“We were fast. We ran a full-court trap. That’s how we beat these taller teams, we ran past them,” explained Kevin Murtha, one of the seniors on the squad. “We all wanted to play for Lash (Coach Nesser).”
“That was the culture, the climate my dad instilled,” remembered Vince Nesser. “Our press in our gym worked in our gym. I could hit a shot from any angle in that gym.”
The Eagles rebounded from the difficult news and overtime loss with a resounding 87-24 victory against visiting West Greene. The victory, coupled with Jefferson-Morgan’s upset of Mapletown, allowed the Eagles to clinch a tie for the section.
St. John then wrapped up the Section 19-A title a couple days later with a 79-70 win against the visiting Maples.
The Eagles capped the regular season with an 82-68 win against Jefferson-Morgan. Rob John led the way with a game-high 33 points. Vince Nesser scored 20 and Murtha added 15. The Rockets’ Dennis Garrett finished with a team-high 26 points.
St. John received a bye in the Class A semifinals with only three section champions advancing to the WPIAL playoffs. Braddock St. Thomas, the Section 20 champs, played South Side Catholic, the Section 21 champs, for the opportunity to play the Eagles in the WPIAL Class A title game.
St. Thomas, in its first season in the WPIAL, advanced to the championship game after edging South Side Catholic in overtime, 74-72.
“We opened the season with St. Thomas and we blasted them on their floor. I scored 45 (in a 96-65 victory),” said Nesser. “I was so excited we drew them for the WPIAL championship. We felt we matched up well with them.
“The WPIAL final was at Monessen. Not that there’s anything wrong with Monessen, but I couldn’t dig that. That was not a (site) for a WPIAL championship. They had one of those old clocks. I was the point guard and I couldn’t read the time on the clock.”
St. Thomas avenged the season-opening loss by defeating the Eagles, 61-54, for the first of its back-to-back titles. The Tomcats returned the next season to defeat Geibel for the 1977 crown.
“We looked past them,” said Murtha.
The 54-point output was the lowest for the Eagles to that point of the season.
St. Thomas led after the first quarter, 18-12, as well as at the halftime break, 30-24. The Tomcats ran their advantage to 11, 40-29, in the third quarter before St. John scratched back. The Eagles trailed after three quarters, 42-38, after late 9-2 run.
Al Batya’s field goal cut the score to 42-40, and seesawed back-and-forth at two points for the next few minutes. St. Thomas scored five straight late in the quarter to push the lead to 61-50.
Vince Nesser led the way for the Eagles with 21 points. Murtha added 11.
St. John (19-4) opened the PIAA Class A playoffs against Forbes Road at Chartiers Valley High School. The Eagles breezed to an 81-52 victory with John leading the way with 23 points and 20 rebounds. Vince Nesser finished with 22 points and Murtha added 18.
The Eagles dispatched Johnsonburg, 83-75, in the second round, although the game had its anxious moments. St. John trailed 65-62, but a late surge brought home the victory in a game that had Steve Nesser and Mark Lepore foul out, and John and Batya finish with three fouls. Vince Nesser hit 18 field goals for a game-high 36 points. Murtha finished with 28, including 8-of-10 from the foul line.
St. John advanced to the state semifinals in Hershey with an 83-67 win against Clarion-Limestone at Altoona High school. Murtha and John shared scoring honors with 21 points apiece. Vince Nesser finished with 20 and Steve Nesser added 11.
The state semifinals and finals were played in Hershey in 1976, and the Eagles (22-4) opened the two-day championship tournament against DuBois Central Christian (25-3) in the western final. A big second half where St. John outscored DuBois, 49-39, carried the Eagles to a 76-68 victory. Vince Nesser poured in a game-high 37 points. Murtha finished with 12 and John added 11.
Pat Felix led the way for DuBois Central Christian with 30 points.
The final game in the final year of St. John High School was to be against Bishop Klonowski, of Scranton, in the PIAA Class A Championship on March 26, 1976.
Coming next Sunday: Parts 3 and 4.