Ron Naclerio finds himself standing alone within the New York highschool basketball historical past books but once more.
Naclerio, the longtime head coach of the boy’s basketball program at Benjamin N. Cardozo Excessive Faculty in Queens, captured his 973rd victory on Friday with a 69-46 win over Julia Richman, making him the winningest highschool coach in New York state historical past.
Naclerio, 68, finds himself above legendary head coach Jack Curran of Archbishop Molloy, who racked up 972 profession wins over his five-decade tenure.
Together with highschool basketball, Naclerio additionally grew to become essentially the most victorious head coach in New York Metropolis basketball historical past throughout all ranges of play, together with the NBA.
Even earlier than Friday’s sport started, Naclerio knew that one thing completely different was within the air, noting that the environment was a “Cardozo basketball lovefest” regardless of being an away sport for them.
“I knew it was particular,” Naclerio informed The Publish by way of cellphone following the win. “As a result of whenever you look within the crowd and also you see 30 or 40 former gamers, and also you see the media.”
Cardozo bought off to a commanding result in begin the sport, with Naclerio having the possibility to get all of his gamers on the courtroom for the win.
“At halftime I spotted until an atomic bomb hit the place, 16 basketball minutes would put me on a basketball Mount Rushmore myself,” Naclerio laughed.
Then, with a minute left within the sport, the milestone of standing alone in New York Metropolis basketball historical past began to set in, with Naclerio noting the load of being mentioned in the identical sentence as legendary Knicks coach Pink Holzman.
“To even be thought-about in the identical sentence as the one Knick coach to win two NBA championships, a Corridor of Famer … I’m going to get pleasure from this,” he stated.
As anticipated, celebration ensued following the win, with Naclerio noting the many individuals within the NYC basketball world who reached out and gave their congratulations.
“It’s good to see on the cellphone Rick Pitino texting you, Kenny Anderson texting you, Kenny Smith texting you, it’s undoubtedly a ‘Wow,’ ” he added.
The Bayside native’s milestone additionally comes after he was nearly sidelined from teaching after metropolis investigators accused him of improperly recruiting college students from surrounding colleges to affix his staff.
Naclerio finally scored a authorized win, however higher-ups at Cardozo gave the legendary coach a two-game suspension in December.
Naclerio, who has coached at Cardozo for 51 years, has gained two metropolis titles — 1999 and 2014 — and produced 4 NBA gamers: Rafer Alston, Royal Ivey, Duane Causwell and James Southerland.
Regardless of 5 many years of teaching, Naclerio doesn’t suppose he’s completed simply but, saying that, in basketball phrases, he’s within the fourth quarter of his profession.
“I do know I’m within the fourth quarter,” Naclerio stated. “Am I to start with of the fourth quarter? Am I in the midst of the fourth quarter? Am I late within the fourth quarter? Or am I in additional time? I don’t know.
“All nice issues come to an finish, and I do know when the day will come. The day isn’t right here but,” he added.
