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Milestones Past IndianaPuckeyBy JED WEISBERGEROne its Sport* EditorDuring a fit of pique on the Richland High bench Tuesday night, somebody gruffly brought a hand down upon a clipboard. The instrument broke with a snap, breaking into two pieces with jagged edges,Charley Puckey, the veteran Ram coach, ought to have the debris bronzed and set in his personal trophy case as a momento to a mentoring milestone.His crew’s 53-46 triumph over Indiana marked his 400th career scholastic win, allowing him to join a club that's rather exclusive in the state of Pennsylvania.All the old guys that were in it with me when I started bailed out, jived Puckey. I’m the only one that stayed around.In all, the much-revered tutor has given 24 years to Richland as boss of basketball. He coached Hempstead (Md.) High for a year, and was the Ram JV coach for a year.We had to sweat, said Puckey. Indiana certainly gave us a run.Dropping to 0-4 on the season, with an 0-2 mark in the Tri-County League, Indiana indeed gave the Rams a scare. Only a rotten opening quarter prevented the Tribe from giving it a heated go.With 6-5 Joe Chuba and 6-4 BillSteele playing Stan Webb tightly in a match-up, the Rams squirted to a 14-3 lead. IHS, still prone to the turnover, could never get closer than 25-21 and later 5146.There were too many, turnovers at key moments, Don Douds affirmed after another defeat. “It's inexperience, but these kids, are gonna come.But the story in defeat again was told in the rebounding statistics. The Tribe, which seems to treat the offensive glass like poison, could garner just five follow-ups.No team, unless it shoots about 80 per cent, can win with five offensive rebounds.At this point we know we’re gonna get killed on the boards, Douds figured, We’re gonna play at a slower tempo, look for the good shot andwork on the box-out.”4Webb scored 19 points against the match-up, a defense which no player, except a David Thompson, burns. He’s maturing into an outstanding offensive ballplayer.That kid’s really coming along,” praised Puckey. And on defense, you know he had to play both Chuba and Steele almost by himself.”Richland played a sloppy game—for them—in running their mark to 2-0. But the patient attack that Puckeymaps out so precisely was still too much for IHS.R.J. Matetic, taking the place of graduated Dave Janisko at the point, popped in 15 points on a varied assortment of shots. Chuba followed well, hit from the comer, and notched 13.Puckey was somewhat impressed with Mark Lezanic, the Indiana freshman point guard that seems destined for something big. He's doing things a frosh doesn’t usually do.Give that kid a few years and he'll be something, noted Puckey,In two years he'll pack the gym if he keeps working,” added Douds. His court savvy is super for a freshman.As Central Cambria’s Don Troppoli emerged as a freshman point guard last winter, Lezanic seems to be the top newcomer in the Tri-County League this year.Lezanic scored just four points, but. handled the ball well before fouling out late in the game. Junior Mark Sadler tossed in 10. and played his best game.Maybe this was our best game,” mused Douds. But we’ve gotta win. That’s how people measure success.”By planning to slow down the tempo, Douds just might bring his outfit around. If a rebounder emerges to help Webb, not a great leaper, things could materialize.Don.’s doing a heckuva job here,” Puckey noted. You have to build and it's tough, I guess I've seen a lot in 26 years and I’m glad I still enjoy it.One thing IHS is starting to get is the kid that works and loves the game of basketball. It shows in Dana Cunningham’s 3-1 JV team.GRAFFITI — Led by Chris Lentz’s 21 markers, the JVs won their third straight by edging to a 59-52 triumph ... Janisko has moved on to UPJ ,.. The play of Chuba and Steele remind one of past Richland teams, especially the one a few years ago that featured Dan Durica and John Robertson ... Indiana will host Kittanning Friday night , . . Dave Sysyn’s ‘Cats have looked good following an opening loss to Jeannette . . . Richland missed eight one-and-one foul shots in the fourth quarter Tuesday, something unusual for the Rams ... IUP assistant coach Tom Beck watched the game and visited with both mentors.RICHLANDINDIANAG. f. P.G. f. P.Sloan4 1 9Webb* 3 19Rvbal1 3 • 5Mat He3 1 7Chuba5 3 13Hudxicki2 0 4MoUti*5 5 15Uzarvr2 0 iSteel*3 1 7Sadler4 2 10Miller1 2 4Btrtnisi0 2 2TOTALS19 IS 53TOTALS19 8 44RttMond 14 ] I 19 9 —S3Indiana 3 U U 15 —44ft«lere«: Turity, Rbhil JVs Indiana, 59*52
Newspaper Details
Indiana Evening Gazette
Indiana, Pennsylvania, US
Wed, Dec 07, 1977
Page 31
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
PA, USA 02 Aug 2021
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