Coach Levin's All-Stars  and 1,000-Point Scorers

  Mark "Max" Levin coached basketball at Overbrook for 18 seasons (1972-89), winning 306  games, three Public League championships and the last two old-school City Titles. The '79 and '80 champs went a combined 68-1. The '80 team (34-0) beat Roman Catholic for the City Title. Here is that story . . .

By Ted Silary

  In the individual battle for laurels and glory that was discussed much more by us than by them, Lonnie McFarlan charged ahead by one and then by two.  But Tony Costner has now pulled even . . . And then some, in his eyes.
  All basketball season, the 6-5 forward from Roman Catholic and the 6- 10 center from Overbrook have been compared and contrasted by sportswriters, fanatics and even callers to radio talk shows, for goodness sake.
  On several occasions, organizations have been forced to choose between the two and about one month ago, Lonnie broke first from the gate with his
selection by McDonald's as one of the country's top 20 players, who are set to perform April 12 in Oakland in the East-West All-American Game.
  Then, this past Monday, he was presented the coveted Markward Award as the top senior player from the Public or Catholic league, squeezing out none other than Tony Costner.
  Well, it seems that Big Tone only gets even, not mad.
  Early yesterday afternoon, word clattered across the UPI wire that Costner was named fourth team All-American by Parade Magazine, which closed the gap to 2-1. And at just about 10:15 last night, word began to clatter throughout the city that Costner's team had beaten McFarlan's team for the City Title.
  The score was Overbrook 65, Roman 56 and despite what the spread may indicate, the game was great and it did require an overtime. 
  However, Costner notched eight of his 23 points in the extra period and by the end of the game, viewers were quickly switching from Channel 10 to 3 or 6 since roman's death was so drawn out and painful to watch.
  The real entertainment, though, was still to come. As media types cornered Big Tone in a hallway just outside the referees' dressing room, he tossed a
barb or three at McFarlan - as gently as he knows how - and provided evidence that yes, he is human.
  "Lonnie is my friend, I love him and he might be the best player in the city," said Costner, "but there's one thing he doesn't have . . . And that's this City Championship trophy.
  "In the overtime (regulation ended at 50-all), it was my world. I wanted the whole thing to come to me. I knew they could put two and three people on me and push and shove, but it didn't matter. I knew they weren't going to stop me. All i had to do was get the ball and it was a matter of putting it in.
  "Coach (Mark) Levin told us it was going to be a close game, decided by one or two points, at the most. Hey, it was almost decided in Roman's favor. But Randy missed that foul shot . . . "
  "Randy" is Randy Monroe, the Cahillites' extra-intense junior center and, with 11 seconds remaining in regulation, he was thrust into the limelight after Gerald Roberts (21 points) missed an 18-footer from the left side with Roman down by one, 50- 49.
  In the kung-fu exhibition that highlighted the scramble for the rebound, ref Jerry Donaghy noticed that Overbrook's Darryl Brown was guilty of a push. At first, Roberts was placed on the line for a one-and-one though everyone on press row agreed that Glenn Welton was the guy who should have been there.
  Somehow, Monroe was then placed at the line and swished the first shot.
  However, he missed the second and Costner rebounded. At the other end, William (Vernon) Hardwick missed a jumper and Costner was short with a tap before Welton hugged the ball at the buzzer while laying on the ground.
  "Vernon's shot looked like it was going to fall," Costner said. "Something told me to grab the rebound, but I didn't and that tap was lousy. I was kind of upset because i could have won the game right then and there."
  As it was, Costner won the game inside of 41 seconds as he converted twin feeds from Brown (sandwiching a Roman turnover) and had chances for three-point plays each time. He made only the second free throw, but 55-50 signaled the largest lead for either team and the damage was done.
  After the field goals, Overbrook followed with 11 free throws as Steve Black (6) and Costner (4) led the way.
  "For once I can say that I did feel pressure," Costner said, " especially when Roman had those three and four-point leads a couple of times. That's why my shots were going way over the rim.
  continued right below . . . 

Coach Mark "Max" Levin

SEASON BY SEASON
League / Overall
1972: 11-3 / 15-7
1973: 2-0 / 3-8
1974: 9-4 / 12-10
1975: 12-2 / 19-3
1976: 10-3 / 16-7
1977: 13-1 / 23-4
1978: 14-1 / 21-6
1979: 14-1 / 34-1
1980: 14-0 / 34-0
1981: 8-7 / 11-15
1982: 11-1 / 21-7
1983: 6-2 / 21-5
1984: 5-7/ 6-20
1985: 10-3 / 14-10
1986: 6-7 / 13-12
1987: 9-4 / 12-12
1988: 10-3 / 18-7
1989: 7-6 / 13-11
TOTAL RECORD
18 Seasons, 1972-1989
League - 171-55
Overall - 306-145
PLAYOFF BREAKDOWN
Appearances Ended in  . . .
Quarterfinals (4)
1975, 1982, 1985, 1988
Semifinals (2)
1972, 1978
Finals (14)
1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1983
Note: 1973 team reached semis in Sonny Hill Winter League after teachers' strike ended PL season