The buzzer had long sounded after their first HCIAA basketball championship in almost 40 years and the reality of the victory was beginning to settle in for the Emerson High School boys’ basketball team on the bus ride back to Union City, when head coach Drew Morano reached for the cell phone to make a very important call.
The man who guided the Bulldogs to their last county title – and the guy who introduced the current coach to the game of basketball – was far away, relaxing during a well-earned vacation in Florida. Drew wanted to share the championship moment with his beloved father, Hank, who was the heart and soul of Emerson basketball for more than 25 years.
There was only one problem with the call. Papa Hank wasn’t home. He was out enjoying the Saturday evening in the Florida warmth and forgot all about his son’s title game against Hudson Catholic.
“He was the first person I thought of calling,” Drew Morano said. “And he wasn’t there.”
The young coach finally got a hold of his mentor Sunday morning and needless to say, the father was very proud of the son.
“He just said, ‘Congratulations,’ ” Drew Morano said after his Bulldogs completed an undefeated season within the confines of Hudson County, capped with the 41-38 victory over Hudson Catholic in the championship game last Saturday at Yanitelli Center on the campus of St. Peter’s College.
“He said, ‘I know it’s not easy to do,’ ” Drew Morano relayed his father’s message. “And he definitely knows.”
That’s because Hank Morano, one of the finest basketball legends that Hudson County has ever produced, both as a coach and as a player, won the HCIAA title exactly once in his prestigious and historic 27-year career. There were other titles, like state sectionals and overall NJSIAA Group crowns. But just that one HCIAA title, way back in 1966.
“Yes, that was before I was born,” said the 33-year-old current head coach. “It is a little remarkable that it took so long to get another one. It’s finally sunk in that we did it.”
Morano didn’t want any more attention about winning the title. He wanted the attention to be centered on his players.
“This is a team,” Morano said. “It’s about as balanced of a team as I’ve seen in my years in Hudson County. There are no stars, no attitudes. Coaching is easy when you have kids that play hard and don’t care who scores. I’ve been coaching here for five years now and I’ve never seen chemistry like this team had. They just play hard and want to win.”
Back in the early 1970s, there was a local basketball team with that kind of chemistry, that style of selfless basketball that led to championships. They were a conglomeration of talented players, all together for the same common cause. They were the New York Knickerbockers of Walt Frazier, Willis Reed, Bill Bradley, the late Dave DeBusschere and Earl Monroe. They were all for the one goal and played together like a perfect symphony.
Well, that’s Drew Morano’s Bulldogs. They play so well together that you would think they were one. They feed off each other and pick each other up when they’re down. They never panic and never complain. They’re a joy to watch and in Morano’s eyes, even more of a joy to coach.v “They just believe in themselves and they find a way to win,” Morano said. “You have no idea how proud I am of these kids.”
It all came to fruition on Saturday, when the Bulldogs were in a dogfight with upstart Hudson Catholic.
“It wasn’t a well played game on either side,” Morano said. “I think both teams were nervous and both teams were playing tremendous defense. But when we needed the plays, our kids stepped up and like they have all year, they played as a team.”
Morano said that he was impressed with the way senior guard Danny DeLuca handled the leadership role. “He was coaching the team on the floor during dead ball situations and time outs,” Morano said. “He really took control.”
Morano said that he liked the way Omar Colon kept a level head and focused on playing defense, even on a night when the Bulldogs’ leading scorer was not at his best offensively.
“He busted his tail on defense, holding [Hudson Catholic’s leading scorer Hugo] Carvajal to just three points,” Morano said. “That’s a testament to his dedication. He was able to step it up on defense.”
Offensively, the key performer was senior center David Murillo, who earned game Most Valuable Player honors with 12 points and nine rebounds.
“When we needed the big play, it came from David,” Morano said.
Omar Mieses and Carlos Huertas each added 10 points, again in typical balanced team fashion.
The Bulldogs are now a remarkable 22-1, having rolled through the HCIAA without a single loss. It has been a magical ride that Morano wants to keep enjoying.
“I don’t know what will happen next, but I don’t want this to end,” Morano said. “They’ve been a pleasure to coach. It’s really been great.”
Morano gave credit to Emerson principal Bob Fazio, who was a great basketball player during his days at Emerson, then St. Peter’s College.
“I wouldn’t have the job if it weren’t for Mr. Fazio,” said Morano of Fazio, who played for Hank Morano during his days. “He’s in the middle of everything with these kids and they know they can go to him for anything. He’s so supportive of us. The kids know he was a great player, but you wouldn’t know it from him, because he’s so humble.”
Morano also credited his assistant coach Steve Ricciardi, Jr., who had to feel mixed emotions about winning last Saturday, because the win came at the expense of his father, Steve, Sr., the head coach at Hudson Catholic. “He’s a great coach and great with these kids,” Morano said.
So the Bulldogs now head to the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 1, Group IV playoffs. They got a first round bye and await the winner of Ridgewood-Paterson Eastside in the second round.
Regardless of what happens in the states, it’s been a great year for Morano and the Bulldogs, a historic year, one for the ages.
“We lost an All-County player last year to graduation and we really don’t have a star on this team,” Morano said. “We’ve been harping ‘teamwork’ all year. The kids are so great together. I was a nervous wreck with a knot in my stomach all week and they said, ‘Relax, Coach, we have this.’ They were so cool about it. I love that.”
They certainly do have it, the right to be called county champs. – Jim Hague