One of the best boys basketball teams to come from the Scioto Valley Conference or Ross County, will be remembered during the February 16th Reverse Raffle at Bishop Flaget School.
The 1982-83 Flaget Panthers were unbeaten in the regular season at (20-0), winning the SVC championship and later a sectional tournament title, before falling to Glouster Trimble in triple-overtime in the district finals at Chillicothe High School. They concluded their season at (23-1).
Flaget held a double-digit lead in that game and appeared at halftime as if they would have an easy win, but the second half turned into a shooting disaster, especially at the foul line where they missed eight straight open ends of the 1+1.
The team, coached by Ron Lovely, was loaded with great athletic talent that could have possibly been a Final Four squad. Lovely told iHeart Media Sports Director Mike Smith that this Flaget team was one of those he believes could have been a State Final Four team, had they not been upset by Trimble. Lovely later coached the 1991 Unioto Shermans to a state runner-up finish.
Team members included: Tony Taylor, Pat Austin, Steve Hirsch, Paul and Nick Corcoran, Jimmy White, Alan Smith, Greg Cenci, and the late John Stark.
Many of these players went on to enjoy successful lives in sports and business.
Pat Austin played baseball in the Detroit Tigers organization, advancing as high as their Class AAA team at Toledo.
Tony Taylor played college baseball at University of Rio Grande then played pro baseball in Europe before becoming a successful girls basketball coach and baseball coach at Unioto High School.
Steve Hirsch has become a successful businessman with Hirsch's Fruit Farm and has served in state and national leadership with Farm Bureau.
Paul Corcoran has long been affiliated with local government work while Nick Corcoran has worked many years for Kenworth Truck Company.
Jimmy White has been involved with coaching high school sports for many years, while Greg Cenci is involved in local real estate.
The Saturday February 16th event has a social hour from 5:30pm-6:30pm, dinner and silent auction at 6:30pm and the raffle at 7:30pm. Tickets for the event can be purchased at Bishop Flaget School. The event serves as a fundraiser for the school.
Listen to the interview Mike Smith did with Bill Taylor and Ron Lovely in our podcast link found below....