Clark University - Clark News Winter 2003
Clark basketball earns place in new Hall of Fame
Former men's basketball Head Coach Wally Halas '73 recalls the glory of the 1987 men's basketball team
by Judith Jaeger
The inaugural induction ceremonies for the New England Basketball Hall of Fame this fall gave alumni more reasons to be proud of Clark Athletics. The 1987 men's basketball team, the head coach of that team Wally Halas '73 and Sigmond "Ziggy" Strzelecki '43 were inducted into the Hall of Fame for their contributions to the development of New England basketball.
The New England Basketball Hall of Fame, located on the University of Rhode Island campus, inducted its first class on Oct. 4. The Hall of Fame honors players and coaches from high school, prep school, junior college and Division I, II and III colleges and universities; organizations or individuals who have made noteworthy contributions to the sport in New England; professional players and coaches; and members of the media. Clark was one of only four schools to have both a coach and team inducted in the inaugural class.
Clark's 1987 men's basketball team is considered the greatest-ever Division III men's team in New England. Of all New England teams, the 1987 Clark team made it the furthest in the NCAA Division III tournament and staged a record-setting comeback in its final game of the tournament.
"People really do recognize it as the greatest team in New England Division III history, and that's something of which all of Clark can be proud," says Halas, who served as the team's head coach from 1974 to 1987.
The strength of the 1987 team, Halas says, was grounded in a nucleus of senior players who were part of the 1984 team - the first team in New England basketball history to make it to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. The 1987 team included Clark basketball notables Scott Harrigan '87, Chris Wickles '87, Mike Reaves '87, Rob Ball '87, Finbar Regan '87, John Pappas '87, All-American Kermit Sharp '88, 6-foot-8-inch Brian Blanchard '88 and Jason Qua '90, who was recently inducted into Clark's Hall of Fame. The seniors, in particular, pushed the team toward the NCAA tournament in 1987, Halas says.
"They rededicated themselves as seniors because they wanted to prove that they were on par with that 1984 team," says Halas.
In its first major challenge of the 1987 tournament, Clark defeated Southeastern Massachusetts, who was ranked No. 2 in the nation with a 28-0 record. Clark then faced defending National Champion and top-ranked Potsdam State, which boasted a two-year, 60-game winning streak. The game, held at Clark, came down to the wire. Tied at 60, Rob Ball made a three-point shot, clinching the 63-61 victory for Clark.
Clark lost the National Championship in the finals, but not without a remarkable effort. Down 25 points at the half, Clark scored an NCAA record 70 points in the second half of the game and lost by only six points. Halas again credits the senior leadership of the team.
"The seniors only had 20 minutes of their career left, and they made it their best 20 minutes," he says.
Halas was also recognized by the New England Basketball Hall of Fame for his contributions as a player and coach. Halas was a four-year starter at Clark and three-time team most valuable player and All-New England selection. As a senior, he received the 1973 Bob Cousy Award as New England's Outstanding Basketball Player under six feet tall.
In 1974, Halas became director of the basketball program. Over the next 13 years, his teams won 233 games against just 103 losses. During the 1980s, Halas led Clark to a 200-49 record against New England Division III teams and an impressive 77-2 record at home. He also led Clark to 10 consecutive NCAA Tournament berths, five NCAA Regional Championships and two trips to the NCAA Championship game. During that time, Halas was named New England Coach of the Year five times. He left Clark to become head coach at Columbia University and is now commissioner of the Scholar-Athlete Games at the Institute for International Sport.
Even with this impressive record, Halas prefers to give credit to his players and coaching staff, which included Fan Gaudette '61, Duane Corriveau '64, Gary Moller '75 and Kevin Clark '81.
"If you have good players and good teams, it makes you a good coach," says Halas, who prides himself on recruiting good players and players with potential for Clark. "But the guys have to play the game. The team getting
inducted was the best part of the evening for me."
Sigmond "Ziggy" Strzelecki '43, a four-year basketball player at Clark, was considered to be the outstanding player of his time. He was the country's leading scorer in his last three seasons at Clark, which earned him the Hebert Trophy for the top male senior athlete. Considered by many opposing coaches to be one of the top players in the east, Strzelecki was best known for his hook shots—right- and left-handed—as well as his dribbling, passing and fast release set shots. After graduating from Clark, Strzelecki played with several semi-professional teams. Between 1937 and 1952, he played in approximately 1,200 games, scoring more than 24,000 points. He turned down an offer to join the newly formed NBA Boston Celtics in 1945 and instead became the physical-education director for the Webster-Dudley, Mass., public schools. He also coached boys' basketball at Webster's Bartlett High School, where he earned an 80-40 career record, and was a high-school and college official for 25 years.
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Clarknews Winter 2003
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