Under a new coach,
Mr. Ken Kline, the Crimson Tide captured the East Penn League crown for the first time in twenty-two years and brought great
honors to our Alma Mater. The season was spotted with flashes of brilliant team work and scoring encouraged by the three things
which make a winning team--desire, attitude, and hustle. Led by two of the most outstanding basketball players in the state,
Ron Morris and Talton Alston, this team compiled an enviable record of seventeen wins and seven losses. Along with Ron and
Talton were Tom Piccioni, who at 5 feet 2 inches in height was the smallest man in the league, Jack Morris, and Bob Lengel,
who rounded off a well-balanced nucleus. Upon sending these boys to the bench, Coach Kline could rely on Irv Ambrose and Roy
Shellhammer to the job expected of them.
Some
of the high spots of the season were Ron Morris scoring 47 points in one game, to break the previous Pottsville record of
44 points; his scoring a total of 443 points in league games, 172 field goals and 99 foul shots, all of which set individual
East penn League records, and an individual floor record of 44 points set at William Allen. Ron's total points for the season
for the season numbered 647.
On March 19, Ron was honored
with membership on the Associated Press All-State Basketball squad, First Team. This is the first time in the history of Pottsville
High School that one of our basketball players were so acclaimed. Our hardiest congratulations to Ron for showing such distinction
to himself, the school, and the community.
Alston's
brilliant rebounding, especially in the Bethlehem game where he had a total of 31 rebounds, and his outstanding offense in
inter-District play against Catasauqua will long be remembered.
Tom Piccioni's "Cloud 9" performance in the league playoff game against Dieruff in which he tied for scoring honors
with 23 points and gave a dribbling exhibition in the last two minutes of this title clash, earned for him a well-deserved
standing ovation from the audience.
John Morris, Bob
Lengel, Irv Ambrose, and Roy Shellhammer all gave outstanding performances and many times came through when the rest of the
team wasn't clicking.
The season was certainly a most
satisfying and memorable one and certainly one that will go down in the annals of basketball history.
