Scranton holding 40th reunion of 1983 national championship team
Feb. 3—Billy Bessoir remembers the second time the University of Scranton men's basketball team faced Hamilton College during the 1982-83 season.
It was Jan. 16, 1983, in the final of Hamilton's tournament. To that point, the Royals had a 10-2 record, including an 89-74 win over the Continentals 19 days earlier in the semifinals of the Albany State Great Dane Classic. Their two losses — to Philadelphia Textile and Muskingum — were by a total of three points.
This time, however, Hamilton was ready. It raced to a 24-point halftime lead on the way to a 98-80 victory.
"We were doing well, feeling good about ourselves. We killed Hamilton at the Albany State tournament, but when we played them at their tournament, they smacked us," Bessoir said. "That woke us up. It made us realize that we were good, but on a bad night we weren't that good.
"After that, we went on a spree and were unstoppable."
Indeed, the Royals didn't lose again. They won their final 19 games on the way to capturing the program's second NCAA Division III championship.
On Saturday, during halftime of the men's game between the Royals and Catholic University that begins at 4 p.m. at the John Long Center, Scranton will celebrate the 40th anniversary of that title with a team reunion.
Kicking off the Landmark Conference doubleheader at 2 p.m. are the Lady Royals and Catholic.
Players on the 1983 squad were Billy Bessoir, Mickey Banas, Todd Bailey, Mark Hutchinson, Jeff Jones, Steve Joseph, Tom Kosin, the late Bill Maile, Rich Para, Dan Polacheck and Floyd Wood. The late Bob Bessoir was the head coach, assisted by Bob Walsh and Oriey Glenn.
Like Billy Bessoir, Bailey also remembered that loss to Hamilton.
"After that game, Jeff Jones ripped into everybody in our locker room," Bailey said. "We went on to win 19 in a row and win it all. That was a moment that really stood out for me. It definitely was a turning point."
When looking back at that season, it is easy to focus on the major highlights such as the 74-69 triple-overtime victory over Widener in the second round of the NCAA Division III tournament — arguably the greatest game in school history. Or the 63-62 win in the title game over Wittenberg at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
However, there were many other moments that don't receive as much attention but ultimately helped complete the championship puzzle.
Some of the groundwork was laid before the season even started.
The previous season ended with an upset loss to Ursinus at the Long Center in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
"Walking off the court, Hutch and Todd said, 'We're never going to lose again in the NCAAs,' " Walsh said.
During the summer of 1982, Jason Miller was in Scranton filming "That Championship Season." The ever-boastful coach Bessoir visited the set and it provided him with some inspiration.
"Dad went out on a limb and predicted we were going to win the championship," Billy Bessoir said. "We had to live up to that. It was ingrained into our psyches. We stuck together to do it."
Other moments during the season:
—Overcoming an early 12-point deficit to win, 67-65, at Bloomsburg, which was ranked No. 13 in NCAA Division II.
—Outlasting another Division II opponent, Mount St. Mary's, in overtime, 64-62.
—Using a late push to subdue Wilkes, 77-60, hours after receiving the No. 1 ranking in NCAA Division III.
—On Valentine's Day, the Royals scored the game's first 19 points to crush Elizabethtown, 123-74. It still is a team record for points in a game, as are Hutchinson's 16 assists in the game. Also it kicked off a stretch that saw the Royals top the century mark in three of the next four games.
—In the Middle Atlantic Conference Northern Division final against FDU-Madison at Albright College, Kosin — who went from All-American to sixth man when Bessoir transferred into Scranton from the University of South Carolina — came off the bench to ignite a late run that gave the Royals a 57-51 win and the league title.
"We didn't play too well, but Tommy carried us in that game," Walsh said. "We used that the next day at practice. Bess gave it to them good. 'You're looking ahead, one weekend at a time, etc.' It all worked out."
Not every moment occurred during games.
Banas remembers Walsh, at the end of long practices, yelling "On the line!" to work on free-throw shooting. The players had to hit a series of foul shots before they could leave. It paid off. Bailey hit six free throws in the third overtime against Widener. Polacheck, Bailey and Banas each converted one-and-ones in the final 64 seconds of the national championship game to seal the win over Wittenberg.
"I remember everyone stepping up at a crucial moment down the stretch run," Banas said. "Throughout it all, a talented cast of teammates plugged the gaps. It was always a team effort."
Added Bailey: "Each one of our guys had great games at different times of the season. We had the most unbelievable chemistry. Billy and Mickey did the scoring. Jeff just wanted to get rebounds. I just wanted to shut people down and Hutch just wanted to pass. With Kosin coming off the bench providing firepower, it was just beautiful. And we had the best coach. He was so calm and cool about stuff."
Bessoir also remembered the impact the fans had. The line wrapped around the Long Center to buy tickets, which sold out within minutes. Overflow crowds packed the gym and traveled to Michigan for the Final Four.
"Whenever I come back to Scranton for a visit, I'll be walking around with my family and somebody will stop us and say how they remember those games and that they were the best years of their lives," Bessoir said. "My wife couldn't believe it. There was such a sense of community."
Bailey lived in Scranton's Hill Section and would walk to the Long Center for every home game. He remembers the throng of people waiting to get into the building during the NCAA playoffs.
"I had to walk through that line, which was a block long, and remember the fans cheering me and saying, 'We're going to win tonight! We're going to the Final Four!'," Bailey said. "Then being in the locker room and hearing the thunderous crowd upstairs. It was incredible."
Sadly, two members of the championship team won't be at the reunion. Maile died last May and coach Bessoir died in December 2020.
"It will be bittersweet to gather together without coach Bessoir. He was the leader of the band. The maestro," Banas said. "But I'm sure he'll be looking down on us with a smile, bragging to everyone in heaven as to how great his Rock n' Roll Royals were in 1983. That much I can guarantee."
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