A 50th Anniversary Celebration honoring the 1973-74 Dunmore Boys Basketball championship team, the winningest team in Bucks history, was held on December 16.
Diane Pegula shared the script she read at the event with our readers:
At this time the Dunmore School District would like to take a moment to recognize the Dunmore Bucks Boys Basketball team from 1973-74. They were led by Head Coach Tom “Doc” Dougherty and Assistant Coach Canio Cianci.
Fifty years ago, the team captured the hearts of the student body and local community. Playing before capacity crowds both home and away, the Bucks broke the school record-winning 22 games while losing only five, with three of those losses by two points or less. The .814 win-loss percentage continues to be the school record. The team also scored 70 or more points 13 times, and that was before the 3-point field goal existed!
Playing before estimated crowds of 4,000 fans at the famed Scranton CYC, the Bucks beat West Scranton for the Lackawanna League title; beat Riverside for the District 2 title, and beat James Buchanan in the PIAA playoffs, and they did this all within a 3 week span. The win over James Buchanan was the first inter-district win in school history. The playoff run ended with a Sweet 16 berth, but locally the Bucks were ranked Number 1 in all polls.
Following the season, Mayor Martin Monahan proclaimed the spring season of 1974 the Championship Season in the Borough of Dunmore, with each player and coach receiving a day in their honor.
It is my pleasure to introduce one of the greatest teams in Bucks Boys’ Basketball history: Players who are with us tonight: Lenny Carlucci, Bobby Mancuso, Frank Murrin, Tony Nardelli, Mark Nicolais Joe Nicosia, and Mickey Perry. The coaches are Assistant Coach Canio Cianci and Head Coach Tom “Doc” Dougherty
Family members with us tonight representing deceased players: Representing Captain Tim Earley are his wife Margie and sons Dr. Timmy and Michael Representing team member Harry McGrath are his son Harry and grandson Harry.
Not with us tonight: Guy Ardizoni, Frank Capoccia, Jerry Dempsey, Jerry Hart, Joe Risse, and managers Joe Gaughan and George Kofel