Lehigh Valley All-Star Basketball: Mike Guman left an impression in the first game 50 years ago

Mike Guman is one of the greatest athletes in Lehigh Valley sports history.

The 1976 Bethlehem Catholic graduate was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 13th round, and was the 300th pick overall, in the 1976 Major League Baseball amateur draft.

He was a 1,000-point scorer in basketball and, of course, had a distinguished football career for Joe Paterno at Penn State and with the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL.

Last fall, he was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame and was recently recognized along with his son, Andrew, as past National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame scholar-athlete winners.

But there was one moment where Gumans remarkable athletic ability wasnt at its most graceful best.

It came in the first LARC Lehigh Valley Basketball All-Star Classic in March of 1976 at Allentown Central Catholics Rockne Hall.

In between games, event organizers held a slam-dunk competition and Guman was one of the participants.

They didnt have collapsible rims back then like do now, Guman said.

I went up for a dunk, lost my balance and my weight went out in front of me.

I had to hold on to the rim before I let go and the rim broke.

Both the slam-dunk competition and the ensuing all-star game was delayed while a new rim was found and installed.

They gave me the rim and I had it in my garage for a long time, Guman said.

Gumans rim-breaking moment in the first all-star event may have boosted enthusiasm and interest in the all-star event which has changed formats and sponsorship names over the years, and will be celebrate its 50th edition Sunday at Northampton Community College Spartan Center.

Four games two girls and two boys will sandwich a special ceremony that will induct new teams and individuals into the Lehigh Valley Basketball Hall of Fame and recognize two scholar-athletes as scholarship winners.

Gumans daughter, Emily, was a member of Allentown Central Catholics state championship teams in 2001 and 2002 that will inducted into the Hall of Fame and he will likely be in attendance at the all-star event he helped to start celebrates its 50th anniversary.

I have a lot of fun memories from the first all-star game, Guman said.

It was a chance to meet and play with a lot of the same guys you competed against all year.

It was just a lot of fun.

In the first year, the teams were divided by leagues East Penn Conference Division I and Division II, the Colonial League and the Centennial League.

Guman was a member of EPC Division I along with Rocco Calvo and Lou Strubeck from Freedom; Pat Harrington, Gene Kent and Paul Rosko of Liberty; Derek Hoppes from Emmaus; Jeff Gross from Parkland and Jim Filipovits and George Crawford from Northampton.

EPC Division II featured Pat Flannery from Pottsville, who went to become a head coach at Lebanon Valley and Bucknell.

Mike Palumbo and Andy Dwyer of Hazleton were also on the team along with Dave Lutz and Greg Kowalick of Easton; Bill Edwards from Dieruff; Chuck Bachert of Allen; Lou DAnnibale of ACCHS and Chris Fichera and Russ Viscomi of Phillipsburg.

Some probably have forgotten that Pottsville, Hazleton and Phillipsburg were EPC members in that era.

The Centennial League all-stars that first year included Russ Gould from Pleasant Valley; Ernie Isom, Scott Taylor, Dave Beck and Paul Milenkovic of East Stroudsburg; John Kovacs from Notre Dame-Green Pond; Gary Snyder from Palmerton; Randy Rabenold and Craig Reabold from Lehighton; Bill Bramley from Pocono Mountain and Gary Delong of Slatington.

The Colonial League all-stars in 1976 were Joe Kessler from Bangor; Vince Rogusky from Catasauqua; Todd Quinter, Pete Reichel and Jamie Fry from Nazareth; Tom Shank and Dan Wanish from Salisbury; Doug Brown from Saucon Valley; Joe Palmisano from Pen Argyl and Keith Kelchner from Wilson.

Quinter went on to become a video coordinator and scout for the Phoenix Suns, Charlotte Hornets and is currently with the New Orleans Pelicans.

He is also a cousin of the late Glenn Frey, a driving force in the rock band known as the Eagles.

Kovacs is the uncle of Olympic silver medalist Joe Kovacs.

Guman is happy that an event he helped get started is still going strong.

Anything that has lasted this long is worthwhile and has been meaningful to the community, he said.

Its a great event for basketball and its great that the Hall of Fame is part of it and we can celebrate the games history along with the current players.

The schedule for Sundays event: 10 am: North vs South girls; 3-point shooting contest to follow; 11:45 a.m., East vs.

West girls.

Approximately, 1 p.m., Hall of Fame inductions and LV Senior Scholar-Athlete awards.

2 pm: North vs.

South boys; boys 3-point shooting and slam-dunk competition to follow; 3:45 p.m., East vs.

West boys.

NORTH Coach: Matthew Field, Stroudsburg.

#1 Mikayla Pengelly, Palmerton; #2 Ella Baumgardt, Palmerton; #4 Johanna Zearfoss, East Stroudsburg South; #10 Emily Bozena, Stroudsburg; #12 Julia Vargo, Pen Argyl; #23 McKayla Strunk, Stroudsburg; #24 Amber Beckworth, East Stroudsburg North; #25 Avery Nelson, Bangor; #31 Zanaiya Days, Pocono Mountain East; #32 Grace Weaver, Pen Argyl; #33 Julianna Imhof, Pocono Mountain East; #34 Kamrin Hock, Stroudsburg.

SOUTH Coach: Avon Mack, Emmaus #2 Brooklynn Lucas, Palisades; #3 Bryanna Fernandez, Dieruff; #5 Amaya Moore, Executive Education; #10 Bria Kringe, Lincoln Leadership; #10 Marisa Price-Velazquez, Dieruff; #12 Piper Gluck, Southern Lehigh; #15 Taylor McDonald, Southern Lehigh; #21 Kaley Martin, Allen; #22 Emma Naccarato, Emmaus; #25 Milly Wolf, ACCHS; #32 Sofie Laird, Emmaus; #41 Cassie Doemling, Emmaus.

EAST Coach: Jarrett Carnes, Liberty #2 Abymarie Colon, Wilson; #3 Giana Kasper, Bethlehem Christian; #5 Anijah Davis, Liberty; #15 Maia DAmico, Freedom; #21 Renee Wells, Nazareth; #21 Kourin Carew, Easton; #22 Tula Sobrinski, Liberty; #22 Emily Lessig, Notre Dame-GP; #23 Daviana Jones, Becahi; #25 Peyton Long, Nazareth; #25 Mekhyla Britt, Becahi; #32 Shawna Beatty, Liberty.

WEST Coach: Ed Ohlson, Parkland #2 2 Brook Balliet, Northwestern Lehigh; #3 Anne Beenders, Northampton; #10 Delaney Chilcote, Parkland; #11 Alexia Polazzo, Pleasant Valley; #11 Timara Klotz, Lehighton; #14 Katelyn Barthold, Northern Lehigh; #20 Cara Thomas, Northwestern Lehigh; #24 Jenna Raysely, Northampton; #30 Dekota Barthold, Northern Lehigh; #31 Sarah Car, Parkland; #32 Jade Alvarez, Whitehall; #45 Natalia Smith, LV Academy Charter.

NORTH Coach: Mark Dudley, Pocono Mountain East #1 Exavior Prado, Bangor; #1 Corey Serfass, Palmerton; #3 Michael Bucher, Bangor; #3 Jacob Lewis, Lehigh Christian Academy; #5 Marc Jackett, Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg; #10 Bernard Bowen, East Stroudsburg North; #13 Jonathan Mateo, Pocono Mountain West; #14 Preston Protheroe, Notre Dame-ES; #15 Stephon Bethea, Pocono Mountain East; #24 Adrian Brito, Pocono Mountain West; #33 Rayshawn Harris, Pocono Mountain East; #50 Parker Scoz, Pocono Mountain East SOUTH Coach: Darnell Braswell, Allen #0 Keith Jackson, Allen; #1 Elias Lopez, Executive Education; #5 Manny Polanco, Allen; #10 Sean McMenamy, Southern Lehigh; #11 Will Anderson, Palisades; #11 Jack Robertson, Saucon Valley; #14 Owen Hafner, Emmaus; #15 Dwight Prudhomme, Lincoln Leadership; #24 Jahrel Vigo, ACCHS; #24 Adam Clark, Saucon Valley; #30 Lucas Mushrush, ACCHS; #32 Nick Marinari, Salem Christian.

EAST Coach: Nigel Long, Liberty #1 Marquise Acree, Wilson; #3 Jost Santiago, Freedom; #3 Jahsi Cole, Liberty; #3 Carmine Diaz, Notre Dame-GP; #4 Tyshaun Dunlap, Easton; #5 Matt Scerbo, Jr., Phillipsburg; #5 Ethan Roman, Becahi; #14 Roman Rex,Bethlehem Christian; #21 Chase Dusseau, Liberty; #23 Mitch Nowroski, Nazareth; #24 Jason Abbott, Phillipsburg; #33 Camron Black, Freedom.33 Camron Black Freedom WEST Coach: Jeff Jones, Whitehall #2 Aaron Curran, Jim Thorpe; #3 Connor Simms, Northern Lehigh; #4 Eli Zimmerman, Northwestern Lehigh; #4 Mason Roberts, Whitehall; #13 Brayden Johnson, Lehigh; #14 Matt Fotta, Catasauqua; #14 Jereal Moore, Pleasant Valley; #15 Gavin Nelson, Northwestern Lehigh; #21 Shane Marth, Northwestern Lehigh; #23 Joe Roth, Lehighton; #23 AJ Hines, Whitehall; #40 Zachary Prator, Pleasant Valley..

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