Coach Mark "Max" Levin

  One season after setting the Philadelphia city leagues record for most wins while going 34-1, Overbrook High, coached by Mark "Max" Levin, stormed through a 34-0 campaign. That remains the best record in Public/Catholic/Inter-Ac history. As in every season, the game vs. archrival West Philadelphia was the most "important." Below is that story . . .

By Ted Silary
  First, there was the red in Tony Costner's eyes, which was there all day and
served to drive home the point that, when provided the proper opponent and
moment, the fires can burn within.
  There was also the red, as in blood, which spurted from a cut above Tony
Costner's right eye in the first minute of the fourth quarter, the result of an excuse-me elbow unleashed by Gregory Brandon, who scored on a layup.
  Ultimately, there was almost a sea of red faces for Tony Costner and his
Overbrook High teammates who pulled together at just the right time yesterday to trim West Philadelphia, 68-67, thus negating a mini-collapse.
  Judging by past performances, we should have known that no game between
'Brook and West for the pride of Public League Division D could ever end with a point spread anything close to comfortable, even if one of the teams was forced to dribble and shoot from wheelchairs.
  But with 2:35 to go in the annual spectacle before an overflow throng of 1,200 at 59th St. and Lancaster Ave., the Panthers were ahead, 63-56, and threatening to do the unthinkable. The same was true at 0:57, as Steve Black cruised inside for a three-point play and padded the lead to 66-58.
  At that moment, a portion of fans - admittedly small - at both ends of the gym
started to stream for the exits, with those from the 'Brook (24-0, 11-0) waving their pompoms high and those from west (16-5, 10-1) stuffing same inside their coats.
  Fools. Fools. All of 'em fools.
  "It is amazing," said West's Joe Goldenberg, who appeared to have the coaching time of his life. "Whenever these teams get together, it always comes down to a couple of seconds and a little heroics here and there.
  "It was an outstanding effort on the part of our guys, plus i have nothing but respect and admiration for the Overbrook people. This is the way that Overbrook and West Philly should be . . . And have been for as long as I remember."
  The heart-in-throat conclusion - a missed heave by Speedboys' sub Kenyatta
Bey from just inside halfcourt at 0:01 - resulted as much from Overbrook's mistakes as the super effort by West.
  Even before Black's three-point play, they had blown three one-and- ones in the quarter and would proceed to blow three more as West crept back into contention on a jumper by Jerry Moore, a three-point play by Brandon and the conversion of a one-and-one by Brandon at 0:18.
  As you can imagine, the ball barely entered the playing area before West found what it thought was another pigeon. This time, however, Costner sank one of two from the line at 0:16 and Moore, who cemented his position as one of the city's finer players all game, nailed a jumper at 0:11 to tie at 67.
  Now, here's where two small goofs come into the picture. First, Goldenberg had exhausted his supply of timeouts and West was unable to stop the clock.
  Second, Moore was under the impression that his team was still behind and as
Black used precious ticks to dribble in the frontcourt, Jerry mugged him and referee Jimmy Huggard signaled a two-shot foul.
  At 0:04, Black swished the first shot and flubbed the second. The rebound went to Eric Smith, who started the year as West's scorekeeper, then his outlet pass went to Bey. The shot kicked off the right side of the rim . . . Barely.
  . . . continued right below . . . 

By Ted Silary

  Scratch that buzzer to conclude the warm ups and player introductions. What was needed the most on Saturday to start the proceeding was a sun rise from one side of the Palestra and a rooster to cackle from the other.
  If there was ever an underdog in the Public League basketball final that would seemingly face a day's worth of work stretching from dawn past dusk, it was Ben Franklin High.
 With a back line featuring 6-4 Phillip Burton, 6-3 George Dennis and 6-1 Brent Colbert, it was figured even before the tap that the Electrons would cancel out the presence of 6-10 Tony Costner, Overbrook's redwood, only with the help of a 5 a.m. wakeup call and a gift of 10 to 15 axes.
  So, once the Electrons awoke, what they did was chop, and chop and chop it all some more. In fact, they eased so quickly into the habit of taking their swipes at everything in sight - not just Costner - dull discarded blades and
shattered handles soon were everywhere.
  By the end of the game, not only had Dennis, Colbert, guard Earl Hightower and sub center Vic Alexander been banished to the bench because of fouls, but point guard Kevin (Mug) Brown was right on their heels with four plus two of the five remaining players on Ken Hamilton's roster had been saddled with three.
  Though Franklin handled The 'Brook in field goals, 26-23, and rebounds, 46-41, it lost the only battle of math that really mattered, 72-61.  
  "This was a money game," said Costner, who totaled 26 points and 14 boards. "I was hoping my teammates would throw it into me early because I wanted to assert myself.
  "Maybe they thought if they knocked me around, I would get angry and foul them right back. A couple of times, I did get kind of angry, like on my second foul. I did 'bow that guy.
  "But, hey, the bottom line was this: I got three fouls in the first half and I still had my three at the end.
Franklin had loot half its team."
  But not its pride. Despite the incredible foul problems, which ate away like a cancer, Franklin still had the chance to sneak off with a win with as little as five minutes remaining, thank a jumper by Anthony Abson. However, Overbrook took 18 of the next 24 points to expand the lead to 72-57.
  "You guys all downplayed Franklin," said Overbrook Coach Mark (Max) Levin, who sports a 66-1 record over the last two seasons. "Nobody thought they were going to win. Hey, I'm not a bullbleeper. Those kids know how to play the game.
  "Coming in, we wanted to do three things - stop them on the boards, beat their press, get it to Big Tone and work from there when he had to set it up. For the most part, the kids did what I asked them to do."
  Nothing new there. All year, this team has surprised observers by winning game after game against a schedule that was every bit as hard (except maybe the lack of a Johnstown Tournament appearance) as the one tackled by the 1979 squad that went 34-1 and finished No. 2 in the nation.
  Thing is, Steve Black is not Joe Washington, John Bryant is not Richard Congo, Terry Carter - or emergency replacement William (Vernon) Hardwick - is not Rick Tucker and in the joust between Darryl Brown and Jeff Tucker, whatever edge the former has in shooting was negated by the latter's rebounding and shot-blocking skills.
  Now, if we agree that three starters on this year's team are not quite as good as the men they replaced, how the heck does 'Brook own a second straight Public League championship and a record (33-0) that is still unblemished?
  Part of the answer, of course, is Costner, who has handled a shift in his role from one of five to big cheese with much ease.
  "We hustle just as much as last year's team. And our desire is just as great," said Bryant. "That helps a lot. Plus, we've got a new Big Tone in the middle. I used to sit on that bench last season and think ahead to this
season, hoping we would be able to do it again. Now, as long as we win the City Championship, the match will be complete.
  "Right about now, we should be compared with last year's team. I'd say we're as good, Not better, though. "
  Costner, for what it's worth till the results are in on Thursday's 8 p.m. bout with Roman, begs to differ.
  "I still say we're not as good as last year's team," he said. "That offense we had was unbelievable. But maybe if we win that one last game, I'll be forced to change my mind. All season, we've been determined not to let anyone
beat us, no matter who they have on their team or where we play 'em. So far, it worked."
  The Panthers/Hilltoppers went on to win the City Title over Roman Catholic, 65-56, in overtime. That story can be found on this page.

CITY TITLE
At the Palestra
Overbrook 65, Roman 56 (OT)
  Overbrook put the finishing touches on a 34-0 season -- the best record in city-leagues history -- as Tony Costner collected 23 points and 15 rebounds, Darryl "World" Brown added 14 points and five assists and John Bryant (12 rebounds) and Steve Black split 20 points. Costner scored eight points in a 15-6 overtime session. With 0:11 left in regulation, Roman's Randy Monroe went to the line for a one-and-one. He hit the first shot to create a 50-50 tie, but then missed the second. William "Vernon" Hardwick (jumper) and Costner (tap) missed shots for 'Brook to make necessary the first OT session in the series since 1943. Gerald Roberts (21) and Lonnie McFarlan (18) led Roman in scoring while Monroe (14) and McFarlan (13) were tops in rebounds.