1971-72 Men’s Basketball Team

Class of 2015

The first varsity men’s basketball team in SJBK history took the court during the 1971-72 season, featuring eight underclassmen led by coach James Sullivan. The team competed primarily as a road team, playing 12 games against a variety of opponents throughout the metropolitan area. In just a short period of time, this nucleus quickly developed into a quality squad that immediately earned respect on the hoops scene across the entire city in the early ’70s.

Tom Flahive ’75, a team captain who later coached the Lady Bears from 1995 to 1997, recalls: “The 1971-72 team was made up a few young men that embraced the principles of D-III basketball. We were students first and athletes second. We played for the love of the game and we were very fortunate to find a coach in Jim Sullivan who shared our love for the game and was willing to take on the daunting task of building something special. The members of the team were guys that were not afraid to work hard and develop as players and ultimately as individuals.”

The “Intrepid Eight”

Frank Annunziata
Jim Cogan
Tom Flahive
Roddy Greaves
Frank Marino
Tom Mohan
Richard Vogel
Ken Wheatley 

Coach James Sullivan

Thanks to the efforts and determination of the 1971-72 squad, the men’s basketball program got its start and blossomed into one of the most respected Division III programs in the NYC area. Despite facing long odds, limited resources and the lack of a home facility until the recent opening of The Hill Center, the spirit of that original team resonates today. They truly paved the way and provided the opportunity that many male student-athletes have enjoyed for the past four decades.