LATROBE - Marian Catholic’s crack basketball team won the greatest victory in the history of the school Saturday night and turned all of Pennsylvania into “Colt Country” when the Colts whipped St. Basil’s of Pittsburgh, 67-48, for the PCIAA Class B championship.

As in previous victories en route to a fantastic 25-4 record, the Colts did it with a team effort complimented by a sharp and well-drilled defense and an explosive offense. For the miracleworker, coach Bob Fulton, it was his greatest victory as a coach leading Marian from the losing side of the ledger three years ago to a winner in just two short years as head coach.

The history-making triumph occurred in St. Vincent College’s Kennedy Gym before over 2,700 fans - over 70 percent of them or better from Marian. It was a fitting cap on a season never to be forgotten for Marian supporters as the team won, in addition to the big prize of state champions, the first Allentown diocese crown ever, the most wins by a Colt team ever and the most wins in playoff competition ever by a Marian five.

Unbelievable was the most used word but the best to describe the feelings of the hundreds of faithful Colt followers who journey in the sometimes hectic weather to Latrobe. Latrobe, where Arnold Palmer’s golfing army captured the hearts of the area residents, was captured by a new army called Fulton’s miracle men.

The victory was not as easy coming as the final tally indicates. The first half was a hectic, emotioned filled 16-minutes that had a see-saw battle waged by the Colts and the western title-holding Sabers.

Again, the Colts had foul problems with their big center, 6-5 Joe Balascik, and a scrappy outfit from St. Basil’s. In addition the Colts had to battle some inept officiating.

What started out to be a thrilling finish to a fantastic campaign was turned into a rout by the Fultonmen in the second half. The Colts broke the tight contest wide-open in the final four minutes of the third period and coasted to the win in the fourth period much to the delight of the fired-up Marian followers.

The Colts and Sabers played it tough through the first 16-minutes of play but Marian’s superiority showed through like television flood lights in the second half which turned the title game nothing more than a Marian practice session.

In that exciting third quarter when the tide turned unmistakenly towards the Colts, the Sabres pulled to within two, 30-28, when Bob Holzer hit on a 20-foot jumper from the left of the foul circle. But that was as close as the western titlist could get for the remainder of the night.

John Teprovich, Marian’s top scorer all year and leading scorer Saturday, hit two foul goals to give the Blue and Gold a 32-28 margin. A Teprovich short jumper in close made it 34-28 and a Balascik rebound tap rocketted the Colts into a 36-28 lead with 5:36 remaining.

Frank Yusella, the Colts’ smooth-operating floor general, hit a 25-footer from the top of the foul circle and the Colts had a 38-28 margin and were on their way to the state title.

The heroics continued for Marian in that third period. Don Miller, a fine 6-4 center, hit two fouls to make it 38-30, but Teprovich converted a technical foul and Yusella hit with a bomb deep in the left corner and an 11-point Marian lead at 41-30 with 2:38 left.

Larry Banaszak tried to keep the Sabers in it and hit deep from the left corner but Joe Prekopa hit back-to-back fouls and Yusella converted another free and it was 44-32. Teprovich kept things going with a two-shot foul conversion with Marian holding a 46-34 lead entering the final eight minutes of play.

Marian began holding the ball back in the third quarter playing on the patience of the Sabers. When St. Basil’s came out and committed themselves the Colts went to the bucket and usually scored or were fouled in the act.

The fourth period was more joy for Marian and a continuation of the nightmare for the Sabers.

Balascik, who was hit with three fouls in the first half and picked up his fourth early in the third period, hit the boards in the fourth period. Wally Yext, a cracker-jack guard, hit both ends of a one and one at the start of the final stanza to make the count read 48-34. Miller hit the first end of a one and one but Teprovich, off a beautiful feed from Yusella, hit underneath to make it 50-35. The Prekopa brothers, Joe and Mike, hit back-to-back goals including a three-point play by Joe to put it on ice at 55-35 with 5:56 remaining.

The first two periods were hectic indeed for the Colts as early fouls hurt their game plan.

Balascik gave the Colts their first lead at 2-0 on a drive with Mike McCool notching it at 2-2 on a 20-footer plus from the top of the foul circle. Carman Rogers gave St. Basil’s the lead hitting the first end of a two-shot foul situation, 3-2, but Yusella put the Colts back on top at 4-3 on one of his patented 20-footers. St. Basil’s got its final lead of the night when Banaszak drove the right side of the lane for a 5-4 margin. Yext gave Marian a lead they never gave up the rest of the night when he hit on a drive across the middle off an excellent feed from J. Prekopa, 6-5.

Yusella hit on a 20-footer from the left of the foul circle to make it 8-5 and Teprovich hit on two foul goals for a 10-5 Marian lead with 3:36 left in the opening period. It was 11-6 with 2:24 left when Banaszak hit a foul goal and Balascik hit in close for a 13-7 Marian lead.

The work of Miller and Don Joyce kept St. Basil’s close with Marian the remainder of the period with the Colts on top at the end of the quarter, 20-16. In the quarter Teprovich had seven and Yusella five for Marian while Miller hit for five for the Sabers.

In the second period St. Basil’s pulled to within one right at the start, 20-19, on a two-foul conversion by Joyce and a one-shot foul by Ron Krayzo. Balascik pulled Marian out in front, 22-19, on two foul shots but Rogers made it 22-20 drawing the third foul on Balascik to force him out of the contest.

When Balascik left the game it appeared the Colts would really be hurting on the inside and especially off the boards, but Teprovich went to work on the boards. Teppy hit a rebound goal for a 24-20 Marian margin with 5:01 left with J. Prekopa hitting a jumper near the foul line. Back-to-back goals by Banaszak and Joyce brought the Sabers to within two, 28-26, but Teprovich hit two foul goals for a 30-26 Marian halftime lead.

In the second period the Colts hit two of nine from the field with Teprovich getting four.

In the third quarter Yusella had five and Teprovich seven while four players for St. Basil’s hit for two apiece. In the final period J. Prekopa had five and Miller a like amount for St. Basil’s.

The balance in scoring shows up for the Colts in the final stats with Teprovich finishing with 22, Yusella 13 and Balascik 12 and Joe Prekopa 11. For St. Basil’s Miller had 13 for the only player in doubles.

Team totals had Marian 22 for 51. Individual shooting went as follows: Balascik five of seven; J. Prekopa four of six; Teprovich six of nine; Yusella four of 12; Yext two of seven. As a team St. Basil’s had 17 of 46 with Miller hitting four of seven and Joyce three of eight.

Teprovich had another fine night from the foul line hitting 10 of 12 and Yusella five of seven. J. Prekopa had three of five. Miller hit five of seven from the charity stripe and Rogers three of seven.

The entire Marian squad got into the contest in the fourth period as coach Fulton began clearing his bench with 3:30 left to play. Marian committed 16 turnovers and St. Basil’s 20.

Colt Country may never be the same but it was a fantastic victory for a deserving team that worked hard all season for perfection and victory - the greatest of all the wins coming Saturday. It will be a tough act to follow for future Colt teams.

MARIAN

FG F T

J. Prekopa 4 3-5 11

Balascik 5 2-2 12

Teprovich 6 10-12 22

Yusella 4 5-7 13

Yext 2 3-4 7

M. Prekopa 1 0-2 2

Segalia 0 0-0 0

Knox 0 0-0 0

Schlosser 0 0-2 0

Kosciolek 0 0-0 0

McElmoyle 0 0-0 0

Sengler 0 0-0 0

Totals: 22 23-35 67

ST. BASIL

Miller 4 5-7 13

Joyce 3 2-2 8

McCool 3 1-1 7

Rogers 1 3-7 5

Banaszak 3 1-1 7

Holser 1 0-0 2

Krayzo 1 1-2 3

Ruscitto 0 0-0 0

McDermott 1 1-2 3

Totals: 17 14-22 48

Marian 20 10 16 21 - 67

St. Basil 16 10 8 14 - 48

Officials: Tony Klin and Dick Burke.