GMC Hoops has put together a retrospective on the historic 1963-64 South Plainfield Boys Basketball Season. Coached by legendary SPHS boys basketball coach, Anthony Cotoia, these Tigers compiled a record of 24-1 and won the school’s only state championship. Winning its first 18 games, South Plainfield captured its only state crown in boys basketball by defeating Summit 67-54 in the 1964 Group 3 State Championship at Atlantic City.
Stories on Games from the 1963-64 SPHS Campaign
- 1963-64 SPHS Winning Streak Halted by Loss at Dunellen
- 1964 NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 3 Semifinals–South Plainfield vs. Sayreville
- 1964 Central Jersey Group 3 Championship–South Plainfield vs. Piscataway
- 1964 Group 3 State Championship–South Plainfield vs. Summit
- 1964 NJSIAA Group 3 State Tournament Bracket (from Sectional Semifinals to State Championship)
1963-64 South Plainfield Tigers Boys Basketball Team Roster
| Player Name | Position | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Laney McLaughlin | Center | 6’7″ |
| Greg Cisson | Forward | 6’4 1/2″ |
| Richie Steele | Guard | 5’11” |
| Roger Catarino | Guard | 5’10” |
| Wally Cirafesi | Guard | 6’1 1/2″ |
| Louis Calderone | Guard | 5’9″ |
| Ward Spisso | Guard/Forward | 6’2″ |
| Bob Fulton | Guard | 5’11” |
| Greg Burgoyne | Guard | 6’0″ |
| Artie Bierns | Guard | 6’0″ |
| Richie DeVito | Guard | 5’9″ |
| Bobby Yackanin | Guard | 6’0″ |
| Billy Piotrowski | Forward/Center | 6’5″ |
By The Numbers–Analyzing the 1963-64 SPHS Season
| Overall Record | 24-1 |
| Winning Percentage | .960 |
| Home Record | 11-0 |
| Away Record | 9-1 |
| Neutral Site Record | 4-0 |
| PPG | 68.0 |
| PAPG | 48.9 |
| Avg. Margin of Victory | 19.1 |
| Most Points in a Game | 79 |
| Fewest Points in a Game | 50 |
| Most Points Allowed in a Game | 69 |
| Fewest Points Allowed in a Game | 31 |
| Largest Margin of Victory | 42 |
| Longest Winning Streak | 18 |
| Star-Ledger Ranking at Beginning of the Season | 14th |
| Highest Star-Ledger Ranking | 4th |
1963-64 SPHS Boys Basketball Season Ledger
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1963-64 South Plainfield Tigers Boys Basketball Scoring
NOTE: These numbers are based upon information gathered on games with box scores in the South Plainfield Suburban Review. Unfortunately, the paper didn’t have a box score for every game played during the 1963-64 South Plainfield Boys Basketball Season.
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