STEUBENVILLE — The fourth-annual Chuck Watt/John Nese Holiday Classic will be staged at Steubenville High School starting Thursday.
Teams from Big Red, Catholic Central and five other schools are set to compete in the event, which was launched to honor the accomplishments of two local coaching legends.
“The classic continues to be a great way to honor coach Watt and coach Nese for all they did for the basketball programs at Big Red and Catholic Central,” said Mike Haney, head boys basketball coach at Big Red and the classic director. “In addition, we are able to honor them for all the people they coached and all the lives they touched during their years in education.
“Really, when you think of high school basketball in this area, you think of those two coaches. We think it’s going to be another quality classic with some outstanding teams. And once again this year, we have received tremendous assistance from the business community.”
Watt, a 1945 graduate of Steubenville High School, was a mainstay of Big Red athletics. He made his mark as a head basketball and baseball coach.
In basketball, Watt assisted Ang Vacarro before taking over in 1967 and beginning a 23-year stint as the Big Red court boss. During that time, he compiled a stellar record of 350-149, a winning percentage of 70.1.
Big Red won eight OVAC championships under Watt. His teams won 12 sectional titles, including seven straight from 1983 through 1990, and captured four district championships (1970, ’71, ’85 and ’90).
Watt was inducted into the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1994.
He also succeeded Vaccaro as the school’s head baseball coach, serving in that role from 1965-75 and compiling a 192-87-4 mark. His Big Red teams won two OVAC championships, three sectional titles and one district crown.
Watt’s stellar coaching career actually began during his senior season at the College of Steubenville when he took over at mid-season and guided a team that started out 3-5 to a 14-8 record.
Nese graduated from East Pittsburgh High School 1956 and joined the College of Steubenville basketball team that same year. He was co-captain in his senior year. The 1957-1958 Baron team went 24-1 and was named the number one small college team in the country.
He began his coaching career at Follansbee St. Anthony High School and captured a West Virginia Catholic League Class B championship.
When he moved to Catholic Central, Nese guided the basketball and baseball programs. His CCHS basketball teams won three sectional and three district titles in 10 years. Meanwhile, his baseball teams captured seven sectional, five district and a regional championships. In 1973, Nese was elected co-coach of the U.S. All-Stars for the annual Dapper Dan Round Ball Classic in Pittsburgh.
Nese was inducted into the Ohio High School Athletic Association Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1981. He joined the East Boros Chapter of the Pennsylvania Hall of Fame in 1986. A long- time baseball/softball umpire, Nese entered the OHSAA Officials Hall of Fame in 1988.
Nese, who had a 54-year career in education and athletics, died in July 2017.
He attended the first two classics, presenting plaques to the most valuable players of each varsity game.
“John always watched the games and helped select the MVPs and gave away the trophies,” Haney said. “Members of his family will be in attendance to help carry on that tradition. I think that says something about what this classic meant to John.”
Jeff Lombardo, Big Red’s girls coach, called the classic “a great opportunity for programs to honor two legendary basketball coaches from the valley.”
“It’s two great days for Ohio Valley basketball fans to come down and celebrate the sport,” he said. “There are going to be some outstanding boys and girls games to enjoy. We’re hoping to draw big crowds both days.”
The schedule for the classic is as follows:
Thursday
¯ 12:30 p.m.: Catholic Central girls junior varsity vs. Bridgeport, Crimson Center
¯ 2 p.m.: Catholic Central girls varsity vs. Bridgeport, Crimson Center
¯ 2 p.m.: Big Red girls junior varsity vs. Oak Glen, Stern Gymnasium
¯ 3:30 p.m.: Big Red girls varsity vs. Oak Glen, Crimson Center
¯ 3:30 p.m.: Catholic Central boys junior varsity vs. Bridgeport, Stern Gymnasium
¯ 5 p.m.: Catholic Central boys varsity vs. Bridgeport, Crimson Center
¯ 5 p.m.: Big Red boys junior varsity vs. Toronto, Stern Gymnasium
¯ 7 p.m.: Big Red boys varsity vs. Alliance Marlington, Crimson Center
Friday
¯ 4 p.m.: Toronto boys varsity vs. Alliance Marlington, Crimson Center
¯ 4 p.m.: Big Red boys junior varsity vs. Martins Ferry, Stern Gymnasium
¯ 5:30 p.m.: Big Red boys varsity vs. Martins Ferry, Crimson Center
¯ 5:30 p.m.: Big Red girls junior varsity vs. Catholic Central, Stern Gymnasium
¯ 7 p.m.: Big Red girls varsity vs. Catholic Central, Crimson Center
“I know our girls look forward to playing in this event each year,” said Jess Looman, the girls coach at Catholic Central. “I’ve come to learn and appreciate the impact coach Nese had on Central basketball. I also got to know him and actually wrote a story on his retirement from education. He saw my teams play several times and I enjoyed talking basketball with him.
“It’s great that our game with Big Red will be Friday’s final. We have a ton of respect for Jeff (Lombardo) and his program. We’re hoping the girls will have the chance to play before a big crowd. I also want to thank Bridgeport for agreeing to come back to the classic for a second season.”
Toronto coach Sean Tucker was involved in creating the classic during his stint at Catholic Central.
“It’s great to be back in the Watt/Nese Classic,” he said. “Toronto is proud to be part of a showcase that honors two of the Ohio Valley’s greatest basketball minds. This was the vision that coach Haney, Lynn Meyer (Big Red’s athletic director) and I had when this event was created. We wanted to bring quality basketball to the valley during the holidays to honor two great coaches. Mike and Lynn are class acts and they put on a great event.
“We look to use this game to prepare our Red Knights for the tournament run as we will take on a very talented Alliance Marlington team. Marlington assistant coach Ryan Cernansky has ties to Toronto so we are hoping all of Red Knight Nation comes out to support us and the classic.”
Marlington will play Big Red in Thursday’s finale.
The players and coaches will be spending the night in the area.
As Haney said, numerous area businesses have stepped forward to help sponsor the event, including Naples Spaghetti House; Dr. Joseph V. Clause, D.D.S.; the Spot Bar; Pittera Pizza; Fort Steuben Maintenance;Gus’s Goodies; Steve’s Fish and Chips; and Mosti Funeral Home Inc.
Haney pointed out Naples, Clause, Steve’s Fish and Chips and Gus’s Goodies have been sponsors since the classic began.
Souvenir shirts and commemorative shirts will be on sale during both days of the classic.
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