On Saturday, January 10th, we proudly hosted our Alumni Basketball Day, bringing together past and present to celebrate our program, our tradition, and our community. We had the great honor and privilege of recognizing the 1982–1983 McClancy Varsity Basketball Team — a City Final Four squad that helped launch one of the most successful eras in Crusader basketball history.
Team members include James Hamill ’83, Robert Casal ’83, Wesley Jones ’83, Dennis Frlan ’83, Joseph Franco ’83, William Hofmann ’84, Robert Cascarino ’84, Vincent Connaughton ’84, Raymond Connolly ’84, Lino Raspanti ’84, Thomas Maher ’83, Kevin McEachern ’84 and Thomas McManus ’84. Entering the 1982–83 season, McClancy had not made the playoffs in either 1981 or 1982. But everything changed that year with the arrival of a new head coach, Coach Don Kent.
From the very beginning, Coach Kent brought new energy, a new culture, and a new standard. That season marked the start of his three-decade run as head coach and the beginning of a legacy that would make him the winningest coach in McClancy basketball history. Under Coach Kent’s leadership, this remarkable team produced four Monsignor McClancy Athletic Hall of Famers Joe Franco, Wesley Jones, Lino Raspanti, and Billy Hofmann whose impact continues to be felt throughout our school’s basketball tradition.
The 1983 Crusaders stormed through the opening rounds of the CHSAA playoffs, first defeating Monsignor Farrell by a score of 69–57 and then advancing to the quarterfinals with an impressive 82–67 victory over Tolentine. They went on to face St. Peter’s, the eventual 1983 City Champions, and battled them to the very end, falling just short in a dramatic 53–51 overtime loss in the city semifinals.
That unforgettable run was led by New York Post All-City selection Joe Franco, along with a roster filled with toughness, skill, and heart. Each member of the team received a framed team photo and a special piece of the original court from that historic season — a small but meaningful piece of Crusader history, and we held a moment of silence in loving memory of Wesley Jones and Thomas Maher.
Once a Crusader, always a Crusader. 🏀
View the complete photo album at: https://www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=msgrmcclancyhs&set=a.1523757256418500