Jan 14, 2018 7 min read

It is simply not true that the offensive strategy for the Immaculate Conception High School boys basketball team in 1978 was revealed on a simple command from Coach Bill Watson: “Give the ball to Abel.”

While the Comets’ attack was a bit more diverse than simply keeping the ball in John Abel’s possession, it sure seemed that – from the beginning and to the end – getting the ball to him was paramount to the team’s success.

And with good reason.

John Abel is one of a number of outstanding basketball players from the IC basketball program’s history.

He was unique and a dominant force for the Comets during his stellar career.

Abel scored 1,412 career points and was the WPIAL’s leading scorer in 1978, his senior season, averaging 31.5 points per game. He scored a record 49 points in a postseason game.

“He was a very good athlete, a good basketball player and good baseball player,” Watson said. “I was fortunate to coach him his whole career at IC. He could shoot the jump shot and go to the basket real well.

“He had good size and skill. We had a young and inexperienced supporting cast his senior year. John had to do a lot of stuff for us and he was very good at doing it. Basically, with the young kids around him, I felt he had to control the tempo of team.”

At the time of his graduation, Abel was IC’s all-time leading scorer and first in a number of offensive categories. He held the single-season points record with 693. He had the highest career average at 22.8 per game. Abel also led in career free throws with 320, including 157 in a single season. He also held the record for career field goals (546) and most field goals in a game (22).

“It was one of the best eras of my life,” Abel said. “Even my freshman year playing strictly together as a ninth-grade class. It was fun. It was a gas.

“Then getting a chance to compete and start as a sophomore was really great. Vince Yevins started as a sophomore the year before my sophomore year.”

He also mentioned Jake Pliska, George Wheeler, Rich Hamilton and Joe Hall as good teammates and players.

“And everyone knew of the Powers brothers, Dave Clutter and Tom Drakeley before all of us,” Abel added.

“There was a lot of competition,” said Abel, who resides in Washington with his wife, Laurie. “My goal was to start my sophomore year. It was a fantastic time those four years playing basketball for IC.”

Ironically, baseball was Abel’s first love. It remained that way until he suffered a major arm injury during a game against Trinity during his junior year in 1977.

“I was playing shortstop and a guy was attempting to steal second base,” Abel said. “The throw was good and we had him out by two or three steps. I had my glove down and he came in spikes high. I had two sensory nerves cut and needed 17 stitches. I was in a cast four weeks.”

It ended Abel’s baseball career.

But it did not stop him from preparing for his senior basketball season.

“I dribbled and shot with just my right arm for awhile,” Abel said. “My entire athletic focus switched to basketball. It was a most unfortunate injury. But there was no question I was going to be able to play basketball my senior year.

He also credited his youth coach, the late Camillo Trapuzanno, for teaching him and insisting on Abel having the capability to use either hand to dribble or shoot.

“I’ll never forget how adamant he was about being able to use both hands,” Abel said.

“Getting back for my senior season wasn’t work to me. It was fun. I remember walking up the alley to go and practice with my right arm. The only one I had that was useable at the time.”

Abel, who has two children, John and Natalie, and owns a restoration company, Abel Systems, Inc., did return strong for the Comets and led the 1977-78 team to the WPIAL playoffs. While the Comets lost to Burgettstown in the first round at Chartiers Valley, Abel scored his record 49 points. It remained the WPIAL playoff record until 2009.

The game pitted him against a longtime rival in the Blue Devils’ Harry Pappas.

“We had mutual respect for one another,” Abel said. “But it was a rivalry, quite competitive. It was a good game. It was fun. Obviously, we wanted to win the game. The scoring in that game came naturally. It was a cool way to end what ended up being a good season for us.”

Drakeley, who was one of the Comets’ top players who preceded Abel, was an assistant coach to Watson during Abel’s senior season and has a lasting impression of Abel’s abilities and contributions.

“John excelled in anything he did,” Drakeley said. “He was a tremendous baseball player. Had IC had football, he’d have been an excellent football player. As time went on, we all realized his special talents and his leadership.

“We had a really talented sophomore group when he was a senior. And that group ended up doing very well, winning the section championship as seniors. John had to lead that team his senior year with his play.

“He was such a talented player with a variety ways to score – outside and inside.”

Ray Natili III, a sophomore during Abel’s senior season, broke Abel’s all-time points record at the school. But it was Natili’s father, Raymond Jr., who motivated Abel to become one of IC’s greatest basketball players.

“I knew about all the points,” Abel explained. “When I first went to IC, Ray Natili was the athletic director. He had a small, little office and right on the window were all the school records: most points overall, most points in a season, most in a game. They were all there – eight to 10 categories – in plain view. I looked at it every day.

“The scoring record then for points belonged to John Powers with 1,116. My goal was to score more.”

Said Drakeley: “He just became part of a line of really good players at the school who went on to play basketball in college. For such a small school, IC produced quite a few guys. I know Johnny was one of the best.

“He was and is such a laid back person with so much natural talent. Years after high school, going golfing with him, it still just seemed to come easy for him.”

Abel went on to play at St. Vincent College in Latrobe when the school was still a member of the NAIA. He received an athletic scholarship and lettered four seasons and graduated with honors.

Attending St. Vincent was a family matter for Abel. It went back to his grandfather, who graduated from the school.

“The cards fell into place at St. Vincent,” Abel said. “However, I will say point blank that I did not have enough to give 100 percent to athletics and 100 percent to the work I had to do for my education. I had to decide where I wanted to be better – in the classroom or on the court. I could not give my all to both. I just could not give the time to basketball and get the grades I wanted to get.

“St. Vincent was a good experience. I have no regrets.”

Said Watson: “John was a super kid and a super person. I coached a lot of good kids at IC. John was one of the best.”