on Saturday, December 20th, at the Watseka Community High School Gymnasium, the 1974-75 Warriors Boys Basketball Team will receive the WCHS Athletic Inspiration Award. The ceremony will be at 7:00 pm prior to the Warrior Holiday Basketball Tournament game with the Danville Schlarman Hilltoppers.
1974-75 Watseka Warriors Boys Basketball Team
After a very successful “Final-Four” football campaign, the Warriors entered the ‘74-’75 basketball season with high hopes of returning to the Normal Super Sectional avenging the prior year’s disappointing loss.
Coach Keith Baldwin’s Cagers were lead by All-Stater Lyndon “Wally” Swanson, who averaged 29 points and 11 rebounds per game. Defense was the Warriors’ greatest weapon. Rotating 10 to 12 players into the game, the cat-quick Warrior defenders hounded opponents with a withering array of full court pressure and half-court traps. That defense created numerous turnovers and transition lay-ups going the other way with runs of 8, 10, and 12 points, the Warriors frequently turned close contests into routs.
The Warriors advanced through a very tough regular season schedule, which included 8 Class AA schools and compiling an 18-7 record.
March Madness came to Watseka in the form of Regional wins over Wellington and St. Anne. Traveling to the Danville sectional, the Warriors defeated two teams with 25 wins to their credit, Oakwood and Cissna Park.
The Warriors returned to ISU’s Horton Fieldhouse meeting Normal University High School and outscoring them 13 to 1 during the final 3 minutes pulling out a 65-59 win and vaulting them into the Elite Eight at the University of Illinois Assembly Hall.
Buda-Western, with a perfect 29-0 record, was defeated in the quarterfinals by the Warriors, 63-57. Venice, the eventual State Champions, shot 61% and defeated the 24% shooting Warriors 57-49 in the semi-finals. Playing their best game in the Hall, the Warriors claimed the 3rd place trophy with a 74-65 victory of the Eldorado Eagles.
The 1974-75 Watseka ended the year averaging 75 points per game with a 25-8 record. To date this team remains the furthest advancing boys’ basketball team in school history.
Members of Coach Keith Baldwin’s ‘74-’75 team were Lyndon “Wally” Swanson, Dana Razzano, Kerry Bell, Rod Yergler, Ed Dene, Dann Irwin, Mark Krum, Mike Cluver, David Gaines, Jeff York, Glen Natschke, Joda Crabtree, Blake Bahler, Bob Devine, Chris Perry, Kevin Verkler, Dennis Koonce, and Eric Sloter.
Assisting Coach Baldwin were coaches Mike Duax, Roy Johnson, Terry Woods, and Jerry Harvey.
Team managers included David Mitchell, Larry Duling, and Richard Bird.
