When the Saint Vincent College men's basketball team defeated the University of Mount Union (OH) on Sunday, November 23, it was much more than a successful end to a tough tournament weekend in Ohio. For the program as a whole, which began in 1928, it was win number 1,000, a milestone achievement.
In recent years, the Bearcats have been extremely successful, making four straight trips to the NAIA National Tournament between 2002 and 2005, as well as back-to-back Presidents' Athletic Conference championships in 2013 and 2014. However, victories were not always as easy to achieve for the Bearcats.
Clem Crowe coached the first Bearcat team, posting a record of 7-9 in the 1928-29 season. The next year, Crowe's team had its first winning mark, 11-7, the first of seven consecutive winning years, which stretched into the tenure of head coach Gene "Red" Edwards, who took over when the program returned from a one-year hiatus in 1933-34. The program then struggled for several seasons through 1950, when the team was mothballed for three years.
The winter of 1953-54 brought the debut of a new coach, Oland "Dodo" Canterna, who ushered in a new era for Bearcat basketball. "I could never have thought about the program getting 1,000 wins," said Canterna. "When I started, of course, we were starting from scratch. We didn't win any ballgames that first year.
"We were fortunate. We picked up some kids from the Greensburg area. We had no scholarships back then, just like now, and it was tough. We won a couple of games the second year but then it came together."
The 1955-56 season saw Canterna's Bearcats go 16-3 and earn national recognition, named the George Mikan Award winners for the most improved team in the United States.
"We played teams like Saint Bonaventure, Saint Francis and Youngstown State; they had good ball clubs," said Canterna. "We had guys like Bernie Peterson, Jack Kalbfus and Harry Folk, some really good ballplayers. They helped me to build it up."
Kalbfus and Peterson became All-Americans in 1958 and 1959, respectively. They were the first two student-athletes in school history to earn such an honor. Peterson, along with teammate Harry Folk, became the first two players in school history to reach the 1000-point plateau, with Folk scoring 1,575 points during his four seasons in Latrobe.
In 1970, Canterna decided to focus on his role as the college's athletic director, and the college hired Bernie Matthews to take over the Bearcat basketball program.
Under Matthews, the Bearcats became a force in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The 1980-81 season brought the program's first 20-win season, as Matthews' group posted a record of 21-7. In 1984-85, the team went 20-11 and Matthews was named District 18 Coach of the Year.
The Bearcats made their first trip to the NAIA National Tournament in 1991, with Matthews earning his second Coach of the Year award.
By the late 90s, the program had developed into a powerhouse in the region. In 1997-98, Matthews, who would eventually top 500 coaching wins – half the milestone - coached the team to a school record 28 games against just five losses. The team went to the national tournament and made it all the way to the Elite Eight, with Daniel Santiago earning National Player of the Year honors. Santiago would later go on to a career in the National Basketball Association, the first and only Bearcat in history to reach the NBA.
In 2001-2002, the Bearcats brought in a pair of freshmen that would take the program to new levels, Tony Washam and Kenny Roberts. Coached by Matthews during their first two seasons, and by new coach DP Harris for their final two years, the duo of Washam and Roberts helped lead Saint Vincent to four straight NAIA National Tournaments, posting a record of 97-24 during the span. The team twice made it to the Elite Eight, and twice earned berths in the Sweet 16 round.
The team's success continued after departing the NAIA in 2006 to become members of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
While the Bearcats unable to qualify for postseason play in the Presidents' Athletic Conference as provisional NCAA Division III members for the next four seasons, they were still successful, winning a school record 26 straight home games from 2007-2009, and winning the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) post season tournament in 2008.
In 2013, Coach Harris and the Bearcats captured their first PAC Championship and earned a berth in the NCAA National Tournament, a feat that was repeated in 2014, a year that saw Harris earn his 200th coaching victory.
"It's an honor to be at Saint Vincent at the right place and at the right time," said Coach Harris after the 1,000th victory. "I'm grateful to all the coaches who have coached, all the players who have played, and all the fans who have cheered for the team throughout so many years."
In its 82nd season on the court, the Bearcat men's basketball program has now posted a record of 1000-884 (through Nov. 23, 2014). The team has produced 31 players that have scored 1,000 or more points, 15 All-Americans, and 15 players who have gone on to professional careers, either in the United States or abroad.
"We are very appreciative of the program, and especially of the players, not only those who were successful on the court, but also of so many student-athlete alumni who have become doctors, lawyers, teachers and other leaders in their churches and communities," said president Br. Norman W. Hipps, O.S.B., Ph.D.
Canterna, who at age 88 still attends many Bearcat home games, has seen many of those wins, and the players that helped earn them. "When you win, you just keep building and building," he said. "You get some ballplayers and they do the job for you. I'm happy for Saint Vincent. Some guys watch Kentucky or other big schools on TV, but for me it's nice to see games right here in front of me. To watch these guys play, it's a real thrill. A thousand wins, that's a lot, it's wonderful. These guys have done a heck of a job."
