1959-60 Varsity Basketball Team

The 1959-60 basketball team compiled the best record in the history of Ottawa High School, finishing with a record of 31 wins and 2 losses. During the season, the Pirates achieved the Number 1 ranking in the state. During this era, all schools competed in a single class and Ottawa was ranked Number 1 in the state for two weeks in January 1960. The Pirates were ranked in the top five throughout the entire year. The team finished first in the Illinois Valley Conference, first in the NCIC Conference, and captured the regional, sectional and super sectional championships. The Pirates also won the Morris and Kankakee Christmas Tournaments. The Pirates’ only losses were to LaSalle-Peru in a regular-season game (by one point) and to Bridgeport in the state quarterfinals. Bridgeport subsequently finished as runner-up for the state crown. Notwithstanding the loss to L-P, Ottawa defeated L-P two other times during the year, including at the L-P Sectional to advance in the state tournament. OTHS Hall of Famer Gil Love was the head coach of the team assisted by OTHS Hall of Famer Dean Riley. Ottawa was led by John Love, Coach Love’s son. Love was named to every all-state team throughout the state. He went on to play basketball at the University of Illinois. Love was the team MVP averaging 17.7 points a game. He is a member of the IBCA Hall of Fame. The other Pirate starters were Dave Polancic, LaVerne Blue, R.C. Johnson, and Don Stahly. Team members seated L-R: Coach Gil Love, Don Stahly, R.C. Johnson, John Love, Laverne Blue, Dave Polancic, John Ristau, Frank Bernardoni, and Coach Dean Riley, standing L-R: Manager Lanny Pfolsgrof, Jim Gromm, Tom Lynott, Art Norman, Gary Stohl, Randy Kinzer, John Heth, Larry Hess, Terry Green, and Manager Bill Perros Carey.