Allen's back-to-back state finalists to be honored at Yasso banquet

FROM KEITH GROLLER

Allen High's back-to-back PIAA state 3A finalists in boys basketball from 1979 and 1980 will be honored at the seventh annual Yasso/Rothrock Tip-Off Tournament Banquet at Moravian's Johnston Hall on Dec. 8 at 6:30 p.m.

Harold Jensen, who played a major role in Villanova’s Cinderella victory over Georgetown in the 1985 NCAA championship game, will be the main speaker.

Jensen, now a financial planner in the Philadelphia area and the recipient of the university’s St. Thomas alumni medal honor in 2008, made all five of his shots from the floor in a tightly-played contest won by the Wildcats 66-64. Villanova went into the tournament as an eighth seed and played what observers called later “a perfect game” in toppling a powerhouse No. 1 seed led by Patrick Ewing. It is widely considered one of the most memorable games in NCAA tournament history.

The banquet, which serves as the kickoff event for the Lehigh Valley scholastic basketball season, honors the memory of two long-time figures in Lehigh Valley basketball: George Yasso, a tireless organizer, supporter and coach of youth basketball, and Todd Rothrock, a Nazareth product and well-known scholastic coach who led Liberty High to the District 11 4A championship in 2008.

Proceeds from the banquet support feeder basketball programs throughout the valley. Three nights later, on Dec. 11, the Lehigh Valley Conference scholastic season kicks off with quadrupleheaders at Bethlehem Catholic, Freedom and Liberty. Twenty-four teams (12 boys and 12 girls) will be in action. Funds from those games, too, will be used to help the feeder programs and individual schools.

Allen High’s 1979 and 1980 teams, coached by John Donmoyer and featuring players such as Tony Semler, Bill Dreisbach and Sean Ward, will be saluted. The Canaries are the last area boys program to play in back-to-back state finals, and they brought considerable pride to Allentown with Dr. Jack McHugh, their principal who recently passed away, leading the cheers.

It is fitting that Allen's glorious past will be saluted at the start of the 2010-11 season because the current Allen team, featuring Division I recruits Jalen Cannon and Daquan Holiday, figures to be one of the area's best this season.

It figures to be a great night to get the juices flowing for the coming season.

“We’re pleased to continue our tradition of presenting outstanding speakers who serve as role models to our young men and women,” said Spud Yasso, chairman of the banquet committee. “It’s very important that our kids get a positive message.”

Among the former banquet speakers are several well-known coaches: the late Chuck Daly, who led the 1992 Dream Team; Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim; the Philadelphia 76ers Doug Collins. St. Joe’s Phil Martelli and the New York Knicks Mike D’Antoni.

For sponsorship and ticket information contact Yasso at spudjazz2@hotmail.com.

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