Scholastic Basketball, 1955
---
City Title
At the
Palestra | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Overbrook
83, West Catholic 42 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Wilt Chamberlain contributed a game-record 35 points as 'Brook finished 18-1. Six-five
Vince Miller was right behind with 31 points, making 14 of his 15 baskets on corner jumpers. Chamberlain finished his
three-year varsity career with 2,252 points (later reduced to 2,206; 46 were scored in games against the alumni) and an overall record
of 56-3. The other starters were Marty Hughes, Dave Shapiro and Howard Johnson. Pat Carey scored 11 points for West.
Public League
Playoffs
SEMIFINALS Doubleheader at the Palestra Overbrook 83, Bok 46 Wilt Chamberlain sank 23 field goals en route to 48 points, a total that
enabled him to expand his PL postseason record (41, set in ’54). He played all but
the final 27 seconds. West 58, Northeast 53 Ray “Chink” Scott shot 13-for-14 at the line while scoring 25
points and Joe Goldenberg added 15 points. West took the lead for good, 48-47, on Pete
Urquhart’s only basket of the game. For Northeast, the scoring leaders were Jim
“Tee” Parham (14), William “Sonny” Hill and Bob Young (12 apiece). FINAL At the Palestra Overbrook 78, West 60 Seven-foot Wilt Chamberlain and 5-6 Marty Hughes scored 33 and 25 points,
respectively, before a capacity crowd of 8,500 paid. Vince Miller added 17 points. With
chief stars Ray "Chink" Scott and Joe Goldenberg in deep foul trouble, West was
led in scoring by Reese Murray and Pete Urquhart (13 apiece). In the '54 and '55 seasons,
West had six losses — all to 'Brook.
Standings
Overbrook | 12 | 0
Northeast | 11 | 1
West Phila. | 10 | 2
Bok | 9 | 3
Southern | 8 | 4
Olney | 7 | 5
Central | 6 | 6
Frankford | 6 | 6
Gratz | 6 | 6
Lincoln | 6 | 6
Dobbins | 5 | 7
Franklin | 5 | 7
Roxborough | 2 | 10
Bartram | 1 | 11
Germantown | 1 | 11
Mastbaum | 1 | 11
Coaches' All-Public
FIRST
TEAM | | | |
Wilt
Chamberlain | Ovb | 12 | 566 | 47.2
Jim
"Tee" Parham | NE | 12 | 266 | 22.2
Joe Goldenberg | West | 12 | 207 | 17.3
John Scott | Fkd | 10 | 250 | 25.0
Ray
"Chink" Scott | West | 12 | 237 | 19.8
Bruce Gordon | Bok | 12 | 194 | 16.2
SECOND
TEAM | | | |
Lee Elia | Oln | 12 | 208 | 17.3
Larry Osuch | Mast | 8 | 173 | 21.6
Al Schwait | Cent | 12 | 202 | 16.8
Ken Marder | Oln | 11 | 212 | 19.2
George Boggs | Sou | 12 | 170 | 14.2
Champs' Rotation
OVERBROOK
Coach
Cecil Mosenson
Record
12-0, 18-1
Starters
Wilt
Chamberlain
Vince Miller
Marty Hughes
Dave Shapiro
Howard Johnson
Key
Subs
Ben Jones
Simeon Jones
Tom Fitzhugh
Catholic League
Playoffs
SEMIFINALS
Doubleheader at the Palestra
West 62, North 55
John Rowan scored five of his 14 points in a 12-0 run that enabled West to win
the fourth quarter, 24-10. Pat Carey, who’d posted a 47-point game during the regular
season, managed 17 points. George ‘‘Buddy’’ Kline (21) paced North.
La Salle 54, ST More 46
Joe Heyer (18) and Gerry Bohlinger (14) led La Salle, which scored 10
consecutive points to start the third quarter. Dan Devine (15) and Jim Jenkins (12) paced
More.
FINAL
At the Palestra
West 63, La Salle 55
Joe McGinn's 11-point effort — all on free throws — typified the
game, which gave Jim Usilton Jr. his third championship in his four years as coach. The
teams combined to shoot 84 free throws as West went 35-for-52 and La Salle went 19-for-32.
Joe Spratt scored seven of his 15 points in a 19-13 fourth quarter. Pat Carey scored 16
points. George Schmidt (16) and Hugh Brolly (14) were high for La Salle.
Standings
North | 11 | 3
ST More | 9 | 5
La Salle | 9 | 5
West | 9 | 5
SJ Prep | 8 | 6
South | 5 | 9
St. James | 3 | 11
Roman | 2 | 12
Coaches' All-Catholic
FIRST
TEAM | | | |
Joe Ryan | Prep | 14 | 321 | 22.9
Pat Carey | West | 14 | 281 | 20.1
Jim Grazione | South | 14 | 350 | 25.0
George
"Buddy" Kline | North | 14 | 250 | 17.9
Nick DiCiurcio | More | 14 | 199 | 14.2
SECOND
TEAM | | | |
Frank Delano | Prep | 14 | 246 | 17.6
George Schmidt | La S | 14 | 183 | 13.1
Jack Marshall | North | 14 | 195 | 13.9
Ed Barkett | Roman | 14 | 252 | 18.0
Hugh Brolly | La S | 14 | 143 | 10.3
Champs' Rotation
WEST
Coach
Jim Usilton Jr.
Record
9-5, 19-9
Starters
Pat Carey
Jack Rowan
Joe Spratt
Joe McGinn
Jim McNichol
Key
Subs
Paul Wallin
Gerry Donaghy
Jim Dunn
Inter-Ac League
Penn Charter (8-2)
In Game No. 8, Richie Kohler exploded for 50 points, 10 better than the
league record, to pace an 86-56 blowout of Gtn. Academy that clinched the title. Kohler
made 16 field goals and shot 18-for-21 at the line to break the 40-point record set by
Haverford’s Fred Gieg in 1949, and then tied by Malvern’s Charles
"Jerry" Kehoe in ’50 and Penn Charter’s Drew Schaufler in ’53.
Ollie Powers added 27 points. The Quakers lost their final two games, 62-59 to runner-up
Haverford (7-3) despite Kohler’s 22 points and 73-70 to Episcopal despite
Powers’ 25 points.
Standings
Penn Charter | 10 | 0
Haverford Sch. | 7 | 3
Episcopal | 5 | 5
Gtn. Academy | 5 | 5
Malvern | 4 | 6
Fds. Central | 1 | 9
Coaches' All-Inter-Ac
FIRST
TEAM |
John Mangan | HS
Ted Pounds | FC
Dave Barry | MP
Richie Kohler | PC
Ollie Powers | PC
SECOND
TEAM |
Jay Howson | HS
Dick Crawford | GA
Bill Ward | HS
Charles Roselle | EA
Earl Glazier | PC
Bob McCaughey | GA
Champs' Rotation
PENN
CHARTER
Coach
Ray Evans
Record
8-2
Starters
Richie Kohler
Ollie Powers
Earl Glazier
Tom Twitmyer
Chuck Clayton
Key
Subs
B.
“Chip” Stonehouse
Bill Colehower
Author
Published
March 5, 2026
Updated
March 5, 2026
Bracket Chaos: Two Catholic League Powers Crash Out of PIAA Tournament in Stunning Exits
3/19/2026
The Imhotep Dynasty Just Won Its Sixth Straight: Inside Andre Noble's Unstoppable Panthers
3/19/2026
Father Judge's Historic Repeat: How Derrick Morton-Rivera Wrote His Name Into Philadelphia Basketball Lore
3/19/2026