Something to think about....very entertaining....

[Coach]

Imagine this....seriously let yourself imagine this for a second, lol. What if Nastasi, Miller, Gable, Snider, Kagarise, Nelson and the rest of that basketball team would have worn the red and black at Tussey Mountain? I want you to know that I am taking nothing...NOTHING away from anyone right now either (Nas or Ewart). I believe Nastasi may not have broken the points record because of the style in Saxton if he played there. Instead of teams averaging over 85 ppg it would have been more like 70-75 ppg which would have cut into his points. At the same time, I feel that the defense these kids played would have been outstanding. I mean OUTSTANDING. They worked extremely hard as it is, but Bailey would have had more of a defensive focus. The game would have slowed down with the opponent working extremely hard for each and every point instead of the run and gun style that I loved so much. I would picture things being more like 72-40 instead of 85-60. This would have meant tons in the playoffs, and I know these guys could play some defense. Gable was a beast on defense and a different style would have been to his benefit even more. The quick Nastasi would have been tough to get by. Snider would have been a twin tower down under with Gable. I think if these guys were at Tussey Mountain playing under Dave Bailey, they would have won a state championship. As it was, the team lost a tough game to eventual state champs Kennedy Christian (now Catholic, and I don't get that one either).

Others may disagree and feel that they were in the style best suited for them, which I can see too. They had 4 starters that averaged about 9 ppg or more. They averaged 85 ppg on offense and they were amazing to watch. I just imagine how 'rugged' guys like Gable and Kagarise could have been in the Bailey style of basketball....

OK, enough of this...thinking about them adorning the red and black just made me feel sort of queezy.....