THE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS

1969, 1997, 2015

By Lou Pintek ‘72

1969 – “Fitz, Smitty and The Bird”

Any discussion of Prep's basketball history would not be complete without acknowledging the 1968-69 team, regarded as Prep's premier squad as well as one of Connecticut's best. Under Coach Bob (The Bird) Sylvester, the team featured the school's only All-American in senior forward Jim Fitzsimmons, all-MBIAC forward Hal Smith and standout point guard Wally Halas. That season, Fitzsimmons averaged 32.5 points per game and set the school and state single game scoring record, while Smith (who passed away last year) averaged 22 points per game. They were perhaps an unparalleled 1-2 scoring punch at Prep.
The rest of the starting five consisted of late senior guard Jim Naveken and center Jim (Weed) Kroesser, who stood 6-foot-2, weighed only 160 pounds and often played against players 4-5 inches taller and many pounds heavier than he was. Senior Jim Connolly was first man off the bench. Other key contributors were seniors Scott Butterworth, Dom Serino, Mike D'Andrea, and junior Nick Tarasovic.
The Jesuits played to a packed Alumni Hall during a special three-year run in which they made three consecutive CIAC Class L finals, finally winning it all against East Catholic at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain.
"The '69 team was no fluke, that's for certain," said Sylvester, who won more than 250 games during his 17-year stint on the Prep bench. "[It] built on the great successes of '66, '67 and '68. During those four years we won three league titles, holiday tournaments, and logged an overall record of 80-15. [Our] records were 15-10, 20-3, 21-2 and 23-1."
During the championship season, streamers would rain down from the stands when the starting five was introduced and it was a decisive home-court advantage.
"We packed [Alumni Hall] every night we played for three years in a row," Sylvester said in a Bridgeport Post feature in 1989 on the 20-year anniversary of the state championship. "There'll never be a bunch of kids with that much chemistry. There was no animosity, no jealousies. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life."
Fitzsimmons, who earned a scholarship to Duke but finished his career at Harvard, was the only returning starter when the team convened in the winter of 1968.
"We were hungry after losing [in '68]. Certainly I was," Fitzsimmons said. "But the team came together over the summer. I would go to Kutsher's [Resort in upstate New York, home of the Kutsher Sports Academy, which closed in 2013], and when I got back we would play in Milford on the outdoor courts against some of the Milford High School guys and some Southern Connecticut guys who might be there. We played from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and there were some good 5-on-5 games. We really jelled as a team.
"We lost four starters from the '68 team," Fitzsimmons added. "That team had the same starting five that went to the finals two years in a row, so we had four new starters coming in, and the only one that played a lot [in '68] was Hal Smith, who was the sixth man. So "Bird" turned me loose in senior year. I had more scoring responsibilities in '69."
"Having lost in the previous two state championship games, the 1969 squad was a determined group," said Halas, who went on to play and coach at Clark University. "The team was not even predicted to win the MBIAC, but winning a state championship was the singular mission of the members."
The team started 6-0 before being upset by Harding at home, 57-55. Following that defeat, Sylvester switched from a methodical offense to an up-tempo model, and the immediate result was a five-game stretch in which the team averaged 103 points per game.

The Jesuits met finals opponent East Catholic midway through the regular season and beat them by 20 points. Fitzsimmons had a triple-double in that game, setting a school record with 41 points, grabbing 19 rebounds and handing out 10 assists. But the Milford native's tour de force came in the penultimate game of the regular season against Law in Fairfield. The Jesuits, needing a victory to nail down the top seed in the CIAC tournament, demolished the Lawmen 138-67 as Fitzsimmons broke ex-Norwalk High and NBA Hall of Famer Calvin Murphy's single game scoring record with 64 points (NOTE: The 3-point goal was not in existence during that era).
"I had 25 points at halftime and "Bird" decided to keep me in for the second half," he said. "I came out with three or four minutes left."
Prep finished the season 19-1 and then won four games in the playoffs to be crowned champions. However, Fitzsimmons acknowledged that the semifinal against now-defunct South Catholic of Hartford was the most stressful game of the season.
"[South Catholic was] up on us by 10 at the half and we actually thought we might lose," he said. "They played slowdown and had a box-and-1 defense on me. But "Bird" gave probably his most inspirational halftime talk, and we came out and took the lead. I think I scored the next 12 points in the third quarter and we took it up-tempo [to win 60-53]. It was definitely the scariest moment of the year."

In the finals against East Catholic, Prep never trailed but nonetheless had a difficult time putting away the Eagles.

"We only won by 10 points because [East Catholic] slowed down the tempo," said Fitzsimmons, who scored 20 points and was named finals MVP. "We jumped on them right away, but they wouldn't go up-tempo on us. They didn't want to get blown out. We were up the whole way. It was great to finally get it over with. It was very gratifying."
"Halas was the general out there," Sylvester said after that game. "With so many teams devising special defenses for Fitz and Smitty, we expected more of the same from East Catholic. I told Wally he would probably have to do some shooting for us early to keep [East Catholic] honest and take some of the pressure off the other two."
Halas had 17 points in that game and Smith 10.
"It was a great team. We all blended well," Naveken was quoted as saying in the 1989 Post feature. "The nice thing was we all got along well. We were in each other's wedding party. The closeness we had on that team carried over into our later years. By winning that state championship, we learned how to win later in life."
"Anybody who saw us would have to agree that we would be highly competitive today," Smith was also quoted as saying in the article. "We felt it was our destiny to win."
"The true challenge was working with young men from area/regional towns who played together as grammar school kids and met for the first time at Prep," Sylvester said. "Their intelligence and passion for excellence made coaching them a distinct privilege."

1969 State Champs: (23-1)
Regular season results (15-1 MBIAC, 19-1 overall): Beat Northwest Catholic* 96-69; beat Milford 74-73; beat Stratford 78-43; beat Central 102-74; beat Staples** 94-70; beat Lee** 97-87; lost to Harding 57-55; beat Bunnell 116-69; beat Law 123-76; beat Notre Dame (Bpt.) 92-65; beat Bassick 94-50; beat Stratford 90-63; beat East Catholic* 82-62; beat Central 85-53; beat Milford 84-61; beat Harding 92-68; beat Bunnell 106-59; beat Notre Dame (Bpt.) 79-65; beat Law 138-67; beat Bassick 116-79
*--non-conference game; **--Staples Christmas tournament games (non-conference)
CIAC tournament results (4-0): Beat Southington 102-64; beat Harding 84-58; beat South Catholic 60-53; beat East Catholic 61-51

Notable: State champion, ranking No. 1 in New England, and averaging 95 points per game, Jim Fitzsimmons was a national All-American. He won a third straight MBIAC title, started 6-0 before suffering only loss, 57-55 to Harding, after which the team went on a five-game scoring spree in which it averaged 103 ppg and avenged their only loss with a 92-68 victory at Harding as Fitzsimmons scored 33 and Smith 29. Fitzsimmons set school and then-state record with 64 points in 138-67 rout of Law, breaking ex-Norwalk High All-American Calvin Murphy's mark of 62. Hal Smith added 41 in that game as they finished the season 19-1, then beat Southington (102-64) and Harding (84-58, as Fitzsimmons had 43) before defeating South Catholic in the semifinals, coming from behind for a 60-53 win. They beat defending champion East Catholic 61-51 in Class L title game. It was Prep's third straight appearance in finals; they lost to East Catholic in 1968 and Sacred Heart (Waterbury) in 1967. Fitzsimmons was named MVP with 20-point performance in finals. Fellow co-captain and all-MBIAC choice Smith had 10 points and 10 rebounds in the title game, while point guard Wally Halas had 17 points, 10 in the third quarter. Fitzsimmons also scored 10 points in the third quarter as Prep stretched its lead from 27-21 at halftime then to 47-37 after three. Prep led by six with 46 seconds left, but Jim Connolly scored on a layup and Halas added two free throws to seal it. Sylvester took over the coaching duties for the '61-'62 season and won more than 250 games in 17 seasons. He was inducted to New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

Jim Fitzsimmons ('69)
Jim Fitzsimmons is the only player in Prep history to be named high school All-American. He holds the school record for career points with 1,732. He set the school and since surpassed the state single game scoring record with 64 points vs. Law. Averaging 32.5 ppg., he was named New England Player of the Year. Jim made third straight all-MBIAC first team and second consecutiver all-state first team while playing in Dapper Dan Roundball Classic for high school All-Americans. He received a scholarship to Duke and was the leading scorer for the freshman team (20 ppg.) while battling a sore back (freshmen were not allowed to play on varsity then). Fitzsimmons transfered to Harvard, where he played two seasons and made all-Ivy his sophomore year. ... Is still the school's single season scoring leader (24.2 ppg. in 1971-72) and career leader in points per game (18.5 from 1971-73). He was inducted to New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 and now resides in Charlotte, N.C., with his wife and two children. Fitzsimmons currently works as the Carolinas' Regional Developer for Massage Envy.
Candidly speaking: "We had a lot of unknowns for '69. ‘Weed’ [Jim Kroesser, the center at 6-foot-2, 160 pounds] had raw talent, but we were sort of short up front at the time. We started off playing Prep basketball, very methodical. We were 6-0, but the big turning point was the [first] Harding game (played at home). We lost by two; Harding's center was basket-hanging and he made a shot with two seconds left. We went ballistic after that, going from a methodical team to an up-tempo one. We scored a lot of points [averaging 103 points the next five games] and the starters were playing half a game at that point."
On his 64-point game: "[That] game, there was a little history there. The game had originally been snowed out and we needed that game to get the top seed in the [CIAC] tournament. [Law] didn't want to play, figuring [it was] going to lose anyway, but we insisted they come and play. I had 25 points at halftime and [coach Sylvester] decided to keep me in for the second half. I came out with three or four minutes left. That was funny. They were trying to get me the [Prep] record and I was telling Hal to give me the ball and he said, "'The heck with you, I'm trying to break my own record.'" [Smith finished with a personal high of 41]. So as soon as I [got] to 64, they took me out, so it was somewhat intentional, I guess. We beat everyone by so much, most of the time we only played a half."

Wally Halas ('69)
Wally Hala was the starting guard and was selected to second team all-MBIAC. He received scholarship offers from several schools but selected Whitman scholarship from Clark University. Halas played and started for four years, earning All-New England honors and winning Bob Cousy Award as a senior. He now works as Vice President for University Advancement at Fairfield University, responsible for all of alumni and fundraising activities. He and his wife Patrice reside in White Plains, N.Y., and have 4 children, Mike, John, Jaclyn and Matthew, and one granddaughter, Monroe.
Candidly speaking: "Under the brilliant guidance of coach Bob Sylvester, the team leveraged [its] collective determination and underdog status. Coach Sylvester recognized and utilized the team’s talents, which were a blend of quickness, toughness and self-confidence. The team scoring records were not solely the products of the phenomenal scoring abilities of Fitzsimmons and Smith. Coach Sylvester developed and deployed a variety of full court presses that resulted in many steals and conversion to easy baskets. Prep’s pressing defense, team rebounding and smart floor play were the extra ingredients needed to complement Fitz and Smitty. Each member knew his unique role, and excelled at it. It mattered not who was scoring points; scoring margin (an incredible 29 ppg.) was the only statistic that the team valued."

1997 – “The Improbable Dream”

If the 1969 team had an air of invincibility about it (as well as unparalleled talent), the 1997 squad was diametrically opposite in that were no expectations of a league championship, much less a state title. Rather, the team was one of grit and perseverance which combined with a confluence of events resulted in a most improbable victory in the Class LL final.
"Most coaches will tell you that the hardest thing to do as a program is to win on a regular basis when you haven't done so in the past," Coach Tim Owen said. "Our program was struggling to create a consistently winning program. While we always had good kids who were committed, we just never had the talent or depth necessary to maintain a lot of success playing a super tough schedule of largely [Class] LL teams in the SCC."

"In the '90s, Prep was not the basketball powerhouse it is today," said 6-foot-6 tri-captain and all-state senior center Dan Flaherty, who scored 27 points with 12 rebounds and was named Finals MVP. "We were known for hockey state championships and a strong football team. There were no expectations for our team that year and we remained largely unknown as the season began. The SCC was newly formed and the FCIAC was considered the premier basketball league in the state. We were a strong group of seniors and juniors that had been playing together for a long time since we were all from Fairfield."
But a key component of the team was a seasoned 6-foot-2 sharpshooter who transferred in from the Philadelphia area in junior Dan Pangrazio. Pangrazio had been teammates with a prodigy named Kobe Bryant, but he brought a quiet confidence to an experienced core group.
"I've been on many teams in my life in sports and outside of sports, and that group of young men and our coaches were part of something very special," said Pangrazio, now an educator in California. "We became greater than the sum of our parts. Other teams might have had more talent, but none had so many parts that fit well together, and none had so much heart."
Flaherty and Pangrazio were joined in the starting lineup by seniors Bob Mpuku and Nick Bilotta, and junior Ian Walsh. "Going into the year, we had a talented team by Prep standards but I don't think anyone thought we could contend for a state title," said Walsh, a forward. "Pangrazio transferring in that year gave us a great three-point shooter, and Flaherty and Mpuku could play, but I think we were expecting maybe 12-14 wins. Good by Prep basketball standards, but nothing special."
Owen said he knew right away that he had a special group of players and the talent began to evolve as the season progressed. "We were getting a lot of contributions from different kids," Owen said. "Our skill level was excellent. Our passing, ball handling and shooting ability were real strengths. Pretty quickly we established an identity of a team that was very tough to play in the half court. We really executed our offensive sets, including hard screens and precise cuts and we always found the open man. Our primary defense was a tough half-court man-to-man. We neutralized more athletic teams with this focus on half-court play." 
"We had a very impressive win in our opening game against Notre Dame of Fairfield," Mpuku said. "We must have won by 30 points, and one of my good friends was so impressed he told me after the game that [we were] going to win the state championship. Of course, I brushed that off as it was only the first game of the season. Fast forward four months later to the end-of-the-season banquet and we are watching the video documentary of the season. You can distinctly hear that same friend yell out during the post-championship trophy ceremony, 'What did I tell you, Bob!'"

"As the year went on, we all started to jell and bought in to coach's motto that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts (I think he termed it "the fist was stronger than the five fingers")," Walsh added. "He was a great coach, tough at times when he needed to be, but aside from Xs and Os taught us that talent is only half the game; if you do your job, check your ego at the door, and outwork the opponent, it can overcome any talent mismatch. That rang true the whole year -- we played unselfish, disciplined basketball, where everyone knew their roles and stuck to them: Flaherty and Pangrazio were the scorers, Mpuku the distributor and guys like myself, Bilotta and the bench players were the 'glue guys' and would do the dirty work (rebounds, screens, tip-ins, etc.). We didn't stray from that too often."
Prep finished the regular season 17-3 and earned the No. 2 seed for the SCC tournament. "Everyone knew and understood their role on the team," Bilotta said. "There were no egos, no drama, just work. We pushed each other. We took care of one another. We were a team." However, Amity threw an unexpected haymaker in the SCC tournament by upsetting the Jesuits in overtime the first round. That loss served as an immediate wake-up call. "We took a few days off to clear our heads and lick our wounds before getting back in the gym," Owen recalled. "As I look back on it, maybe [that] loss awakened us from a little slumber and refocused us." Once the CIAC tournament began, Prep was indeed refocused. The Jesuits disposed of Hamden, Rockville, Windsor and Hartford Public before meeting Norwalk in the title game.
Of the four, the quarterfinal game against Windsor might have been the most inspiring victory in that the Jesuits rallied from 18 points down to earn the win. "[It was a] rainy, sleeting night at a neutral court in Meriden. Very few fans [came] due to the distance and the weather," Owen said. "Windsor was a tough athletic opponent with a lot of state tourney experience. Things looked bleak as we [got] down 18 in the first half. But we [didn't] panic and gradually we chipped away at their lead with great offensive execution and shooting. We tied it at halftime in an incredible second-quarter shooting display. We continued our great offensive play in the second half and won going away. It was just incredible. It was after [that] game that I believed it really set in for all of us -- we had a fighting chance to win the [Class] LL tourney!"
"{Windsor] had a much more talented team on paper," Walsh said. "They had a guy, Keyon Smith, [who] ended up playing at Hartford who was dominating us out of the gate. I think we were down 25-7 or something. We called a timeout and we had the classic "deer in the headlights" look like, 'It's been a good run, but we may be in over our heads here.' Coach just laughed and said, "Where else would you rather be right now? This is fun! Let's get back to basics and take it one basket at a time." And the game just turned on a dime and we just started getting in our groove -- executing, hustling, and chipping away. We ended up tied at halftime and actually won going away." In the final, the Jesuits trailed by four points at the half, but a big third quarter gave Prep a five-point advantage heading into the final quarter.
"In the fourth quarter, Norwalk pressed us relentlessly and eventually fouled us in an effort to disrupt our offensive rhythm. It did not work," Owen said. "Mpuku and Bilotta handled the pressure flawlessly. Flaherty was scoring big basket after big basket and Ian Walsh had 10 key points." Prep held on for a 66-60 victory.
"We found a way to win – a lot," Bilotta said. "I attribute this mentality to Coach Owen. He instilled in us a no-nonsense work ethic and winning attitude. Daily, he grew in us intangible attributes I try to instill in my three children today. He knew when to push us, and knew when let us be high school kids trying to figure out where our lives would take us. He was a mentor, coach, and exceptional role model."
"Winning the 1997 Class LL basketball state championship was a tremendous accomplishment for this great group of kids," Owen said. "This was the culmination of a lot of hard work and the overcoming of a lot of odds. We rarely were the most athletic team on the court. We didn’t have the winning pedigree of many of our opponents. Heck, we didn’t have a player who could dunk! However, what we did have was ultimately more important. We had a lot of determination and grit. We had a commitment to playing the game the ‘right’ way. Simply, we defended, we executed and we shared the ball. Together, we were greater than the sum of our parts.”
"It was an honor to coach this team. I will always be proud of the kids for their accomplishment."

1997 State Champs: (22-4)

Regular season results (14-2 SCC, 17-3 overall): Beat Notre Dame-Fairfield* 85-38; lost to Stratford* 48-46; beat Trumbull** 68-66; beat Fairfield** 68-58; beat Wilbur Cross 59-39; lost to Xavier 81-60; beat West Haven 52-50; beat East Haven 87-65; beat Shelton 75-56; beat Hamden 70-54; beat Hand 48-36; beat Notre Dame-West Haven 77-46; beat Xavier 79-69 (2 OT); beat North Haven 79-64; beat West Haven 67-60; beat Branford 65-47; beat Hamden 73-66; beat Wilbur Cross 77-60; lost to Notre Dame-West Haven 66-65; beat Cheshire 54-49
*--non-conference game; **--Christmas Classic tournament games (non-conference)
SCC tournament results (0-1): Lost to Amity 65-63 (OT)
CIAC tournament results (5-0): Beat Hamden 61-53; beat Southington 53-35; beat Windsor 71-52; beat Hartford Public 59-53; beat Norwalk 66-60
Notable: Unexpected run to the title after losing to Amity in SCC playoffs... Beat Norwalk 66-60 in Class LL final...Defeated Hamden, Southington, Windsor and Hartford Public on the way to finals... Best regular season win might have been against Xavier (ranked No. 2 at the time), a double OT victory (79-69). Dan Flaherty, Bob Mpuku, Nick Bilotta, Ian Walsh and Dan Pangrazio were the starters with key reserve seniors such as Evan Caliento and Mike Brennan; reserve juniors such as Todd Maloney, Dennis Kokenos and Brian Schnurr.

Coach Tim Owen
Candidly speaking: "The pieces of our roster fit together nicely. Our starting five were able to play at their natural positions and we had enough depth and versatility to offset foul trouble. Senior point guard Bob Mpuku was an excellent and classy pass-first point guard who initiated our offense, always found the open man and scored when needed. His ball handling was outstanding, which contributed to our opponent's inability to press us. Regardless of the situation, I always felt comfortable with the ball in Bob's hands. ... Pangrazio was a big addition to our returning group from the prior year. He was a catch-and-shoot guard with great distance on his jump shot and brought a winning attitude to the team. ... Lefty senior guard Nick Bilotta brought a lot of intangibles and versatility; tough, strong and crafty, Nick could beat you in a lot of ways. He would hit a big shot, shut you down on defense or run the offense on occasion. ... Junior power forward Ian Walsh won the starting job in the preseason and provided valuable defense and rebounding to the team. He saved his best game for the state championship. ... After much frustration his junior year due to his nagging foot injury, Flaherty really blossomed his senior year. A very skilled big man at 6'6", Danny could really score around the rim but he would also step out and shoot threes, which made him incredibly difficult to defend. He would beat his man up the court for easy buckets and was relentless on the glass. His stats in the state championship game speak volumes about his abilities -- 27 points and 12 rebounds. ... Juniors Todd Maloney and Dennis Kokenos and senior Mike Brennan played prominent roles off the bench. Todd was a versatile guard who could play several positions. Mike and Dennis were big men who made significant contributions at the forward and center positions. In addition, speedy senior Evan Caliento and junior Brian Schnurr made contributions off the bench as well. ... Not only was this group talented on the basketball court, but they were well rounded in many different ways and all of them were good students. Many of the kids played multiple sports at Prep and achieved a high level of success on those other teams. Incredibly, I believe eight players from the team went on to play a sport in college -- a couple at the Division I level."

Dan Flaherty ('97)
Tri-captain Dan Flaherty was SCC MVP, Class LL Final MVP and first team Class LL all-state. He played four seasons at Tufts with Bob Mpuku and they were co-captains junior and senior seasons. Flaherty won the Northeast ECAC championship junior year and is now living in Atlanta with his wife and two children (one on the way in July). He works for FIG Partners, a national investment banking firm, along with his brother (and fellow Prep alum) Brian.
Candidly speaking: "We brought the best out in each other. None of us were outstanding players on our own but together we took down some very strong state programs that were stacked with D1 players. We embraced an attitude that the sum of our parts was better than individual tally. Without a doubt, winning the state championship was the highlight of my athletic career and a moment that will forever define my adolescence. On the eve of our state semifinal game, Coach Owen wrote "Fairfield Prep -- 1997 Class LL State Champs!" on our locker room chalkboard. It should still be there."

Bob Mpuku ('97)
Tri-captain Bob Mpuku was second team all-SCC and played four seasons at Tufts University and was a co-captain with Flaherty his junior and senior years. He now works in finance for a money manager and is married with three boys: Mason (5), Ben (3) and Will (3 months). They reside in Fairfield.
Candidly speaking: "Being part of the '97 state championship team was truly a special experience. There have been many times over the past 20 years I have thought about that incredible journey I was very fortunate to be a part of. There are so many moments from that year that I still remember vividly today. I was recently having a parent-teaching moment with my 5-year-old son, Mason. We were playing a game of nerf 1-on-1 basketball at our house, and Daddy was winning. It was still early in the game but Mason was not dealing with losing well, and wanted to give up. I needed to jump in and encourage him to not give up, and let him know if you keep playing anything can happen. Mason went to his first Fairfield Prep basketball game this year and has become totally enthralled with the Prep team. So I told him the story of when Daddy was on the team and we were losing the quarterfinal state tournament game to Windsor High School, [which] was definitely one of the favorites to win the state championship that year. We were down 25-7 in the second quarter and Windsor had just scored [its] 25th point with an emphatic dunk. If I had to be totally honest, the thought of, 'Well, that was good run' must have snuck into my head. Coach Owen called timeout, regrouped the team and possession by possession we came back. No one lost [his] nerve, and just chipped away at their lead, tying the game at halftime. In the second half, we dominated and won the game going away. That was definitely a turning point from having a good team, hoping to make some noise in the state tournament, to a team that believed they were going to win it all. There is definitely a connection from that team, the players and coaches that will always bond us together. Of course, we worked hard and at times we got tired of hearing it from the coaches, but what I will always remember from that time is how much fun we had. I wouldn't trade that time for anything. It was a really good group of kids who were dedicated, hard-working and looked out for one another. Together we were able to accomplish more than anyone could have reasonably thought. I have remained close friends with Dan Flaherty, but most of the other guys I've only seen sporadically through the years. The number of those encounters continually diminished, and now mainly it is only through a Facebook update post do we have any contact. That said, I will always have a place in my heart for those guys and that team."

Nick Bilotta ('97) 
Tri-captain Nick Bilotta attended the United States Military academy at West Point, where he played lacrosse and was team captain in 2002. He graduated in 2002 and is still on active duty, serving as a Major in the Infantry. He is currently stationed at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., where he works for the Mission Command Training Program. Bilotta and his wife Sarah have three children.
Candidly speaking: "Up front, this is one of my fondest sports memories: winning the state championship -- especially being a significant underdog all season long. But the best part was that our institution, the Prep community (staff/faculty/administration/student body) never doubted us. I distinctly remember the Prep "bomb squad" having a significant presence at every home hockey game; a sport that we experienced continued success in year after year. The tides shifted home game after home game, and before we knew it, the "bomb squad" was rattling the stands in Alumni Hall for the first time in a long time. The support was overwhelming and I was, and still am, very appreciative of the support everyone across the above-mentioned community showed the team. I think our season was validation of the famous quote, "Hard work beats talent, when talent isn't working hard." Not to take away from the tremendous talent and effort of the teams and players we lined up against that year, but make no mistake, there were opponents that were bigger and more talented and were easy bets at many corner stores offering friendly wagers. I am grateful [Tim Owen] and the entire coaching staff were leading the charge. My teammates were like brothers -- period. Prep teaches us to be "men for others". That consistently translated onto the court daily. The unselfishness, camaraderie, and support we gave each other enabled us to find a way to win -- a lot. Twenty-two times, enough times to take home the Class LL state championship. It was a great year. I will never forget it."

Dan Pangrazio ('98) 
Dan Pangrazio attended Saint Mary's (Calif.) on a basketball scholarship. He played freshman year and sustained a ruptured disk in his back which essentially ended his career. He completed his undergraduate work in education on an academic scholarship and remained in California where he earned his Masters Degrees in Education and Educational Leadership. He has been a middle school assistant principal and an elementary school principal. Walsh is now a high school principal and starting July 1st will the Assistant Superintendent of Business Services in the Ceres (Calif.) Unified School District. He resides in Turlock, Calif., with wife Kelly and children Caden (6), Sofia (5), and Eli (19 months).
Candidly speaking: "The '97 Prep state championship team was just that, a TEAM. That's the most lasting memory for me. I've been on many teams now in my life in sports and outside of sports, and that group of young men and our coaches were part of something very special. We became greater than the sum of our parts. Other teams might have had more talent, but none had so many parts that fit well together, and none had so much heart. We believed we could win if we truly played together and utilize team play so our opponents could not key in on stopping any one player or strategy. I will never forget that experience. It taught us all what can be accomplished, as the saying goes, when no one cares who gets the credit."

Ian Walsh ('98) 

Ian Walsh went to the University of Scranton and was a reserve forward on the basketball team for four years. He works as Director of Leveraged Finance at Ally Financial, Inc. in San Francisco, where he lives with his wife and infant son.
Candidly speaking: "In 1997, Prep basketball was way down in the pecking order of sports (unlike today, where they seem to churn out [Division] 1 players and state title appearances, which still amazes me). Unlike high schools, where basketball is one of the more popular sports, the hierarchy of sports at Prep [at that time] was hockey, football, hockey again, lacrosse, hockey again, swimming, soccer, and then maybe basketball. A "successful" season was .500 and making the state tournament. Coach Owen had been there a while and had seen some really rough times (I vaguely remembering him saying they went winless one of his first years at Prep). We regularly got kicked off the Alumni Hall practice court if the Stags' or Lady Stags' practice(s) ran long. Hartford Public and Norwalk had a lot more talent on paper (both teams had multiple Division I prospects, I think), but we just kept playing the same disciplined style each game, out-executed, out-hustled, and played unselfish ball, and we ended up as state champs. ... Just a great collection of guys, and a perfect mix of talent and roles but a lot of intangibles, as well as leadership from [Owen] and seniors like Flaherty and Bilotta (who ended up playing lacrosse at West Point and I believe served multiple tours in the Middle East). A really fun year -- whether you're playing a pick-up game or on a team, or even watching the NBA, the game is so much more enjoyable when you have five guys on the same page playing unselfishly and trusting each other." 

2015 “Third Time's the Charm”

Given the circumstances and recent history of success, it wasn't a surprise that the 2014-15 Prep team won the state championship. Rather, it was more a sense of vindication and relief.

After all, the 2013-14 squad had been poised to finish off the school's first undefeated season in the Class LL final against Bridgeport Central, but after holding an 18-point lead at the half, it couldn't finish the job as Central prevailed 76-73.

So the players who returned for coach Leo Redgate in the winter of 2014 arrived with a chip on their collective shoulders. All-Stater Tom Nolan, all-SCC guard Ryan Foley, guard Rich Kelly, and forwards Patrick Harding and Joe DiGennaro comprised the starting five, with Matt Gerics first off the bench.

"We pushed the ball up the floor and averaged 75 points per game," Redgate said. "Our defense was stifling and we created a lot of opportunities off our aggressive style of play. [We] played together and with confidence.
"[We had] great guard play and great sharing of the basketball," he added. "All the guys were very focused and worked so hard. Each player had a role and each embraced it for the betterment of the team."
"When we started the season we weren't even ranked in the top 10 of the state, but by the end of the year we were state champions, and I think that says everything about our team," Kelly said.
Prep won its first 14 games before suffering a close loss to Hamden. It followed with five more victories to end a 19-1 regular season, then won two games in the SCC playoffs before being blown out by Career of New Haven in the league final.
With a clean slate for the CIAC tournament, the Jesuits posted a pair of lopsided wins over Newtown and Ludlowe, respectively. In the semifinals, they survived a tough battle against SCC rival Hillhouse, prevailing 59-57 in overtime.
"It came down to the second half and we were in the locker room down by 13 points," co-captain Foley recalled. "There were a lot of pale faces staring blankly at one another and me and [fellow] co-captain Thomas Nolan knew exactly what we had to do. We came out with this new-found motivation to let out any effort we had left.

"We [went to] overtime and that’s when I knew we had the game," Foley added. "All we needed was momentum. And that is exactly what we got and we won that game in the best fashion possible. Then it was on to Mohegan Sun for the third time in the last three years. We were on a mission. "
The Hillhouse game may have indeed been the tonic for getting over the hump as the final against Westhill was another tight contest. This time, however, the outcome was a positive one as Prep held on for a 51-50 triumph.

The Jesuits rallied from a nine-point deficit at the end of three quarters, outscoring the Vikings 16-6 over the final eight minutes. Harding led the way with 13 points, followed by Kelly with 12. Nolan also scored 12 points and pulled down nine rebounds.
"It was a close championship game leading to a final shot by Westhill at the buzzer that would’ve decided that game," Foley said. "When that shot bounced off the rim and I knew we had won and it was over, I truly didn’t know how to feel. I remember being in absolute shock. I didn’t know whether to cry or scream with joy. I just remember looking at all of my teammates and hugging each and every one of them."

Redgate best described Prep's accomplishment moments after that victory.

"These kids [had] been fighting all year," he said. "[The 2013-14 season] left a tough taste in our mouths but they really stuck together. But it [was] a fitting end for a team that has had a terrific record the last five years. They deserved it."

2015 state champs: (25-2)

Regular season results (7-1 SCC Quinnipiac, 19-1 overall): Beat Hand* 86-64; beat Shelton* 73-71; beat Fairfield Ludlowe** 71-63; beat Notre Dame-Fairfield** 79-69; beat Hillhouse 80-70; beat Notre Dame-West Haven 59-56; beat Hamden 70-62; beat Career 63-56; beat West Haven 61-44; beat Xavier 66-54; beat Hand 77-68; beat Cheshire 82-45; beat Hillhouse 62-52; beat Shelton 95-79; lost to Hamden 72-68; beat West Haven 71-53; beat Notre Dame-West Haven 69-45; beat Xavier 78-62; beat Career 84-71; beat Cheshire 82-79. 
* non-conference game; ** Holiday Festival tournament games (non conference)
SCC tournament results (2-1): Beat Notre Dame-West Haven 71-56; beat Hamden 68-51; lost to Career 81-59 (SCC final)
CIAC tournament results (4-0): Beat Newtown 80-49; beat Fairfield Ludlowe 70-48; beat Hillhouse 59-57 (OT); beat Westhill 51-50.

Notable: The team finally won after appearing in four of the last five Class LL title games and had lost to St. Joseph in 2011, Hillhouse in 2013, and Bpt. Central in 2014 (lost in Class LL semis to Hillhouse in 2012). They beat Westhill 51-50 in Class LL championship one year after blowing 18-point second half lead and bowing to Central 76-73 in 2014, lone loss in 27-1 season. Prior to the 2015-16 season, Coach Leo Redgate's teams had gone to four of the last six Class LL finals; the other two seasons his teams were eliminated in the semifinals. 

Ryan Foley ('15) 
Ryan is currently a sophomore studying Mechanical Engineering and playing basketball at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts. He is intending to go into the concentration of design engineering.

Candidly speaking: "The 2014-2015 basketball season was easily the most amazing team I have ever been a part of. It was a season trumped by injury and adversity. But this didn’t stop our team from succeeding. Going into the year everyone in the state thought that we would barely go .500 after losing a big time player in our 7-footer Paschal Chukwu [a two-time All-State performer who committed to Providence]. But what people underestimated was the chemistry that our team had. I had been playing with and against some of the other players on the team for a good majority of my life and we all knew each other and all of our tendencies. There have been a lot of great teams in Prep history, but I don’t think there were any as close-knit as this group. There was no losing in mind for us seniors. It was the last chance we had to win it all and we weren’t letting anything stop us. Although we lost in the championship of the SCC tournament, it was a good lesson for the team that we didn’t want to feel that way again after a loss. [In the finals] we were on a mission. This game had been the only thing on my mind for the past year after coming up short the two previous trips. There was no stopping me and my teammates from taking the hardware home. And that’s exactly what we did. There was no other team that I would have rather won a state championship with. I was with my brothers at that point in time and will forever remember the moments that I had with them. It wasn’t just about being a team and playing basketball. It was about being a family. I can easily say that I love each and every one of those kids to this day and I know that everyone on the team feels the same way. Nothing will ever relate to that season. It was one for the ages and was the ride of a lifetime. I couldn’t thank my coaches and teammates more for letting me graduate in a better way." 

Tom Nolan ('15) 
Tom is completing his sophomore year at Fairfield University, where he is a member of the Stags’ basketball team. Candidly speaking: “My four-year run as a Prep basketball player was such an incredible journey. I was part of four exceptional teams and played alongside phenomenal players. The devastating loses in ‘13 and ‘14 fueled my determination to bring a state championship back to Fairfield Prep. In 2015, [we] battled our way back to the championship game. As we celebrated on the court with our incredible student body, from the crowd emerged many of my teammates from 2013 and 2014. This was a victory for Prep.”

Rich Kelly ('15) 
Rich is currently doing a post-graduate year at Cheshire Academy. He is committed to play basketball at Quinnipiac next season.
Candidly speaking: "Our team consistently proved people wrong night in and night out and we did it with toughness and intellect. We weren't the biggest, and we weren't the fastest, but we knew how to win games, and that's what matters. I'll never forget the memories I made during the season, especially the moment that the final buzzer sounded and I realized that we had done it. It was the greatest feeling I had ever had, and when I look back on it, it feels like a dream."

EDITOR'S NOTE: In addition to Chukwu, who was the state MVP in 2014, other all-state players for Prep in recent years were two-time selection Terry Tarpey (2011, 2012), Tom Nolan (2015) and Chris Cummings (1980). Michael Myers Keitt (2006, 2007), Tavonne Reid (2007, 2008) and Tim Butala (2012, 2013) were two-time All-SCC honorees.

The Early Years

1942-43 ~ 1950-51

Written by Sandy Sulzycki, '64
Just as their counterparts in football, the basketball program has also played a key role in the Fairfield Prep experience right from the start and has continued to do so for all 75 years of Prep history. Here's a look at some of the coaches, players, memories and highlights from that pivotal era when Prep had to earn the respect of the region's public schools that already had long-established reputations in athletics. Prep teams in all sports were not recognized by the CIAC at the time, had to play independent schedules, and were not eligible for state tournament consideration nor its players for all-state honors until the fall of 1955. The Connecticut Association of Secondary Schools had voted earlier in April of that year to end the ban on private and parochial schools, allowing such schools as Prep to join the CASS.

Fairfield Prep 1944-45 Basketball Team

Fairfield Prep 1945-46 Basketball Team

Fairfield Prep and Fairfield University did not have a home court until the construction of Alumni Hall was completed in December of 1959. Prior to that, practices and home games had to be conducted at various sites in Bridgeport, including the old Knights of Columbus Hall on Washington Avenue across from St. Augustine Cathedral, The Armory (also known as the Brass Center, currently the Archbishop Shehan Center) on Main Street and the North End Boys Club on Madison Avenue. The school did not provide transportation so players were expected to car pool or take public transportation for practices and then get back home on their own.

ALL-DECADE TOP 10 BASKETBALL TEAM 1942-51
Emil Garofalo, '45; Matt Forman, Dick Shea, John "Mickey" McBride and Ed Dailey all from '46; John Maiocco and George "Babe" Risley, '50; Jack O'Connell, Fred Lane, and Bob Gerwien, '51.

Garofalo (shortstop), Forman (pitcher), Shea (2nd base) and Risley (right field): also members of the All-Decade Baseball Team. McBride (end), Risley (end) and Maiocco (halfback): also members of the All-Decade Football Team.
Source: "A Tradition of Excellence" by John Szablewicz

THE COACHES

• Tom Murphy: 4 years, 1942-43 to 1945-46, record 39-31 (.557)
  

  

• Fella Gintoff: 6 years, 1946-47 to 1951-52, record 56-36 (.607)

  

• George Bisacca: 6 years, 1952-53 to 1957-58, record 75-45 (.625)

  

• Vin Burns: 3 years, 1958-59 to 1960-61, record 32-29 (.524)

  

• Bob Sylvester: 16 years, 1961-62 to 1977-78, 1969 CIAC state champions

Source: Heartstone yearbook reports

GETTING STARTED
After guiding the football team through its inaugural season in the fall of 1942, coach Tom Murphy did the same in basketball with a small but scrappy team that finished 6-10. Murphy did not teach at Prep but was employed as a purchasing agent at Bridgeport Molding Products on Kings Highway in Fairfield and at Park City Metal in Bridgeport. Murphy compiled a 39-31 overall record (.557) over his four years. His teams showed steady improvement the next three years, going 7-6 in 1943-44, 11-6 in 1944-45 and 14-9 in 1945-46. His last two teams played in the prestigious eight-team Eastern States Catholic Invitational Tournament in Newport, R.I., losing to Cumberland, Md., 42-28 in the 1945 finals and in the 1946 semifinals to St. Elizabeth of New Jersey which was coached by Vince Lombardi, who had played college football at Fordham and had become friends with Murphy, an end at Notre Dame. Emil Garofalo captained Murphy's teams his junior and senior seasons.

Fella Gintoff, who earned All-American citations during his three years in the backfield at Boston College, came to Prep after coaching at St. Raphael's Academy in Rhode Island and then Boston College High. Gintoff coached football, basketball and baseball for six years in addition to teaching math. Prep went 8-8, 6-7, 11-7, 12-2, 11-4 and 8-8 during his tenure, highlighted by impressive victories over regional, state and New England powerhouses Central, Harding and Hillhouse during the 1949-50 and 1950-51 seasons. Serving as captains for Gintoff's teams were Dave Roach, Kendall Murphy, John Maiocco twice, Jack O'Connell and Dick Ramik.

George Bisacca played basketball and baseball for three years at Fairfield Prep, graduating in 1946 with Honors as part of Prep's first four-year graduating class. He then played at Georgetown, graduating Cum Laude in only three years in 1949. He received his Doctor of Juris-prudence degree from Georgetown School of Law in 1951. While conducting his local law practice he served as an assistant under Gintoff for the 1951-52 season before assuming head coach duties the following season until 1957-58. From the four-year period from 1953-54 to 1956-57 his teams compiled impressive 13-5, 14-6, 13-6 and 16-4 records (56-21:.727). Prep's first CIAC state tournament appearance came in 1956 when it was 8th-seeded in the 16 team field. After opening with wins over Torrington and fourth-seeded Norwalk 60-57, Prep lost, 75-58, in the semifinals to eventual champion Hartford Weaver and two-time all-state guard John Egan (Providence College, 11 NBA seasons). All three games were played at the New Haven Arena. The 16 wins in 1956-57 was a school record. His captains were Art Pavluvcik, his first season in 1953, followed by co-captains Bill Gilhuly-Vin Martin, Lou Viglione-Ron Liptak, Henry Rojas-Jim Keane, Joe Dunn-Joe Sikorski, and Steve Csontos-Bill Mullaney.

Vin Burns took over in 1958-59 when Bisacca departed to become the head coach at Fairfield University. Burns '48, was a member of the 1942-51 All-Decade Baseball Team as an outstanding pitcher. An English teacher, he was assisted by Bob Sylvester. He went 8-10 his first season with Joe Troiano earning All-District honors, and 10-11 his second year with captain Rocky Inglis. Frank Grywalski captained Burns' third and final team that finished 14-8, earning co-MBIAC championship honors and a pair of CIAC wins over Bassick and Andrew Warde before losing to Wilbur Cross in the quarterfinals. Brian Murphy led the team in scoring (18 ppg) closely followed by Ray "Sparky" Ulatowski and sophomore Jim Lyddy. Five team members also played on the legendary 10-0 football team of 1960 that earned Prep's first state championship in any sport (backs Pete Frigon and Donald "Ducky" Moran, QB Ed McCarthy, George Pond and Grywalski, an end). McCarthy and Grywalski were all-state selections. Tackle Gene Skowronski was the third all-stater from that team, but did not play basketball.

Bob Sylvester's early 16-year career got underway in impressive fashion with his first two teams posting 18-5 and 18-6 records. The 1961-62 edition not only set a school record for wins, but was also co-MBIAC champs for the second straight season and upset top-rated Bristol Eastern in the opening round of the CIAC tournament before falling to Notre Dame-WH. The following season co-captains Jim Lyddy and Bill Lavin led Prep to the 1963 CIAC semifinals where they lost to eventual champion Hillhouse 89-69 at the original UConn Fieldhouse in Storrs. Lyddy capped off a brilliant four-year varsity career by becoming the first Prep player to earn all-state honors and surpass the 1,000-career point mark with 1,308.

EMIL GAROFALO, '45
After spending his freshman year at Ludlowe H.S. in Fairfield, Garofalo became a member of Prep's first sophomore class in the fall of 1942. He played three years of basketball and baseball, was named to the All-Decade team of 1942-51 in both sports and was a two-year captain in both sports. He went on to play three years of baseball at the University of Notre Dame. Veteran referee Charlie Petrino, certainly one of the best arbiters of the era, described Garofalo as the "Best schoolboy courtman in the state." ... Emil served an assistant coach at Fairfield University for four years, two under Jim Hanrahan and two under former Prep teammate George Bisacca. During his four years as coach, he helped elevate the program to Division I competition, mentoring the likes of Pedro Tagatac, Harry Hyra, Nick Macarchuk, Larry Rafferty, Art Crawford and Bob Jenkins. He holds the distinction of first coach to earn a win at Alumni Hall when his freshman team beat Holy Cross in 1959. He is a member of the Connecticut ASA Softball Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Fairfield Prep Hall of Fame in 1980. Garofalo recalls:

"When Prep was first getting started we practiced and played our games at the old Knights of Columbus Hall on Washington Avenue across from St. Augustine Cathedral. We had to drive there and I served as the chauffeur. The court was very small with fan-shaped baskets, was not well-lit with a few rows of wooden bleachers on both sides that seated a couple hundred at best. Players had to go downstairs to the locker room. ... We had some great players like Matt Forman, Dick Shea, Ed Dailey and John "Mickey" McBride and that was important because we were just trying to get established and earn some respect. In short time we made it known that Prep was a school that had to be reckoned with. We had to play against some great athletes: Central with George Saccone, Ed Bowden, and Buck Buchannon was one of our main rivals. Stamford had Andy Robustelli and Frank Robotti Sr. Zeke Bella was at Greenwich while in-town rival Ludlowe had Pat Farma, Rocko Jacuzzi and Bob and Bill Seirup. ... The game was mostly guard-orientated back then with very few big men, zone defense was very popular as were set plays with the fast-break only used occasionally. ... Making our first trip up to the 1945 Eastern States Catholic Invitational Tournament in Newport, R.I., in only our third season. It was quite an experience since it was the first time for any of us playing out of state. Plus we had brand new uniforms for the tournament thanks to our Athletic Director Father John Barry, who had developed a friendship with Fella Gintoff's friends like businessmen Marty Tristene and John Neary. Our old ones were a little better than practice jerseys so we looked pretty good."

MATT FORMAN, '46
One of the most ironic and compelling personal stories of Prep's early years in athletics is that of Matt Forman ('46), who grew up in the East End of Bridgeport on Union Avenue, went to St. Cyril's and would have gone to Harding High School. As a youth Matt was discouraged and not allowed to play sports by his mother. At first his name had to be "accidentally" left out of the box score that appeared in the newspapers the next day or his points attributed to another player. But Matt eventually won her over and she became one of his biggest supporters who rarely missed one of his games. Forman was only listed as 6-foot-1 and was very thin as a sophomore, but developed quickly and came into his own by the second half of his junior year and was close to 6-4 his senior year with great upper body strength. After playing his final game of the 1945-46 season at the no-frills Knights of Columbus Hall in Bridgeport, little did Forman, or his mother, realize that his freshman year Holy Cross would end before a sold-out Madison Square Garden crowd in New York City as the Crusaders of coach Alvin "Doggie" Julian put the small Jesuit college from Worcester, Mass., in the national headlines by winning the 1947 NCAA championship 58-47 over Oklahoma. Holy Cross was the last seed in the eight-team field but got superb play from MVP George Kaftan, Joe Mullaney (long-time Providence coach), Andy Laska (Assumption College coach) and freshman guard Bob Cousy. The Crusaders were greeted by a crowd estimated between 20,000-35,000 on "Holy Cross Day" when they returned to Worcester. Forman was also a member of the Final Four team his sophomore season in 1948 when Holy Cross beat Michigan 63-45, lost to Kentucky and Alex Groza 60-52 and beat Kansas State 60-54 to finish third. As a senior he helped the Crusaders reach the Elite Eight when they lost to North Carolina State and Ohio State. Forman was selected as the first pick of the Boston Celtics in the 10th round of the NBA draft (109th overall). Forman later starred for Hamilton Standard of Windsor Locks which monopolized the State Industrial Championship. He would also perform locally during the 1950s for Perry Pilotti's All-Stars, along with Jack O'Connell and Bob Gerwien, as they battled Carl Braun's NBA All-Stars before large crowds at the Brass Center. Forman was also a standout pitcher at Prep, making the 1942-51 All-Decade team as well as in basketball. Forman would also pitch at Holy Cross.

JACK O'CONNELL & BOB GERWIEN '51
You can't talk about one without mentioning the other. Their story covers a lifetime of being classmates, teammates and friends and is a remarkable one that very few, if any, can match. O'Connell and Gerwien attended the same school (all eight years at Blessed Sacrament in the East End of Bridgeport where they won the state parochial school basketball championship as eighth-graders). Both played on Middle Street Boys Club's State League championship team coached by Clayton McGran whose teams became well-known for their full-court press. Both were teammates at Prep for coach Gintoff where they earned All-District honors and were selected to the All-Decade Team. Both played at Fairfield University for Jim Hanrahan and were co-captains as seniors. Both were among the first inductees into its Athletic Hall of Fame in 1982. Remarkably, that's 16 straight years at the same schools and on the same teams unless it was during pickup games on the asphalt courts in the back of Blessed Sacrament before Father Tierney organized a team. After their college seasons were over, both would play in local and regional tournaments, including exhibition games at the Armory against touring pro teams from the NBA like Carl Braun's All-Stars which included his teammates from the Knicks like Harry "The Horse" Gallatin and Dick McGuire. ... Both proudly say that during all that time they never had an argument, not even a minor disagreement. Immediately after college they served for two years in the U.S. Army. They still meet monthly in Bridgeport with old friends from the East End and Fairfield University, with Gerwien making it in from Danbury and O'Connell from Stratford. Gerwien worked for the Diocese of Bridgeport for 37 years before retiring in 1996. He was the first lay principal in the state at Immaculate High School in Danbury where he was a math teacher, athletic director and basketball coach from 1963-72. He also taught and coached basketball and baseball at Stamford Catholic (now Trinity Catholic) from 1959-63. O'Connell retired from the food brokerage business in the Boston area in 1998 and returned to the Bridgeport area.

At Prep, O'Connell was an adept playmaker with a deadly one-handed, patented push shot. He was a three-year starter while Gerwien was a two-year starter and rugged rebounder in the frontcourt who blossomed into a star his junior and senior years. O'Connell was the captain his senior year when he was third among the district's top scorers (15 ppg) as he and Gerwien(14.2 ppg) earned All-District honors (Bridgeport, Stratford and Fairfield) along with Nick Vancho (Harding); Porky Vieira, Ernie Petruciano and Ron DelBianco (Central); Walter Waltz (Ludlowe), Joe Markoya (Bullard-Havens) and John "Sunny Boy" Forizs (Stratford). During the years of 1949-51, the Jesuits went 34-13 (.723) upsetting regional and state powers Bridgeport Central, Harding and Hillhouse of New Haven the years they were state and/or New England champs. Vancho, a two-time all-state selection at Harding and fellow Bridgeport East Ender, had high praise for Prep's teams and players. "Without a doubt Prep was the equal of any of the state's best teams of that time and O'Connell, Gerwien, Babe Risley and Fred Lane certainly were right up there with all the top players and would have drawn support for all-state recognition, if eligible," Vancho said.

After graduating from Prep, the two stayed together and continued their careers across campus at Fairfield University. The Stags were in need of a rebounder and Gerwien stepped in right away as a freshman, earning a spot in the starting lineup and keeping it all four years. Just like at Prep, rebounding and scoring from down low were the strongest parts of his game. He put those skills to good use by leading the Stags in rebounding while posting 1,062 career points. O'Connell (1,016 career points) played four years of varsity, three as a starter, and his 20.6 ppg average as a senior still ranks as 7th best in school history. It was during this time that they were referred to as the "Gold Dust Twins" by the local press.

O'Connell recalls: "Growing up in Bridgeport, I naturally wanted to go to Harding, but my parents made the sacrifice and sent me to Prep. It would be a decision I will always be the better for. I had so many great memories of my basketball career there, but as I reflect, I loved to practice and be with my teammates. We never considered the obstacles we had getting to school and practice at the Armory, all the time on the old CRL bus line. The teachers were great and expected us to perform in the classroom and athletes did not get any breaks, setting a good example for the other students. One teacher I had always called on me first thing if he knew we had a game the night before so I knew I had to be prepared. I made so many great friends on account of sports and still see many of them now. I consider myself very lucky to have attended Prep and that I was a help in laying the foundation for Prep athletics and basketball in particular. ...At that time freshmen could not play junior varsity or varsity, but only on the freshman team. However, we were permitted to play on outside teams so Bob (Gerwien) and I were part of that Middle Street Boys Club State League championship team. Thanks to our coach, Clayton McGran, that's where we learned the fundamentals - how to box out, how to play defense and it laid the groundwork for us to make in on the varsity level. The Clubs were a hotbed for youth basketball. It was where all the kids played and the best players came from. Our freshman team at Prep included many players from the schools we played against in the Parochial League like Bill Burns, St. Ann; Tony Scippa and Charlie LaChioma, St. Augustine in Bridgeport; and Swing Incerto from St. Mary's in Norwalk. ... All that exposure helped out right away my first varsity game as a sophomore when we played at Ansonia. I went out for the opening jump and was matched up against all-state quarterback Vin Drake. But we weren't intimidated and we won 33-31. Later that season we got the opportunity to play at the Boston Garden where we lost to LaSalle of Newport, R.I. It was the first time for any of us to play out of state. ... Bob (Gerwien) really blossomed as a junior when he grew five inches and grew into a man, very strong, a great rebounder and jump shooter with an amazingly fast first step. He really controlled the boards for us. ... Babe Risley was a year ahead of us and was our best all-around athlete, very smart playing up front although only 6-foot-1. That was a great team my junior year in 1949-50 with Risley in the pivot and captain John Maiocco and Ed Dardani in the backcourt. Fred Lane was also a key player for us, very smart. ... We knew that we were not eligible for the state tournament so we just wanted to beat our local rivals like Harding, Central, Ludlowe and Stratford. We knew most of those players from our early days from the Boys Club, Parochial League or the playgrounds."

Gerwien recalls:
"The good Dominican nuns and priests at Blessed Sacrament really stressed the importance of continuing our Catholic education. Fairfield Prep was at the top of the list because the Jesuits had a great reputation. ... Two of our biggest wins came my junior year in 1950 when we beat Harding for the first time in school history 62-61 in overtime before a capacity crowd on their court as Babe (Risley), Ed Dardani and Gene DeMalt came through with key baskets in overtime. Risley had one of his best games ever with 24 points. We also beat Central 38-36 as Risley hit a "sensational" one-handed buzzer-beater. The Bridgeport Telegram reporter described it as, 'One of the most thrilling games ever played at the Lyon Terrace gym.' Central was loaded with Alvin Clinkscales, Jim Neary, Ernie Petruciano and Gene Bethea. Risley had done the same the previous year in '49 when his last minute basket upset Central 32-30. This came at a time when Harding and Central were winning state and New England championships up in Boston so it was quite an accomplishment. ... Matt Forman from the class of '46 would bring his Holy Cross teammate, Bob Cousy, down to the courts behind Blessed Sacrament during the summer even after they had won the 1947 NCAA tournament. ... One of the problems back then was getting teams to play us because we weren't in a league or sanctioned by the state. We only averaged 15 games a year. ... Mickey "Hooks" Homa (Ludlowe High, Kentucky) was a few years older than us and was playing with the professional Newfield Steelers at the time. He was well-known for his patented hook shot and tried teaching it to me a few times at the Armory, but I could never master it enough to try it in a game. I was a terrible foul shooter and could have averaged several more points a game if I had been able to make a decent percentage. Unfortunately I didn't improve until much later. Even Jackie (O'Connell), who was such a great shooter, couldn't help me."