Seton Hall Honors 1989 Final Four Team
6/18/2014 12:00:00 AM | Pirate Blue
June 18, 2014
2014 Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - On the evening of Wednesday, June 18, Seton Hall Athletics honored the 1988-89 men's basketball squad by inducting the entire team into the university's Athletics Hall of Fame during a ceremony held inside Historic Walsh Gymnasium.
Following the recent the 25th anniversary of their historic season, the now iconic team becomes the first in the 41-year history of the Hall of Fame to be collectively inducted.
"We have instituted the Hall of Fame ceremony as an annual event in an effort to recognize those who made an exceptional impact on athletics here at Seton Hall," Director of Athletics Patrick Lyons said. "Certainly nobody is more deserving than this group and with this being the 25th anniversary of their outstanding run we felt this would be a fitting time to induct our first team and commemorate their remarkable achievements."
Led in part by head coach P.J. Carlesimo as well as seniors John Morton and Ramon Ramos who already resided in the Hall of Fame as individuals, the 1988-89 Pirates helped shape the modern era of athletics at Seton Hall with their transcendent run to the national title game.
A group rife with some of the most recognizable names ever to don the blue & white, players honored also included Anthony Avent, Michael Cooper, Trevor Crowley, Andrew Gaze, Gerald Greene, Khyiem Long, Nick Katsikis, Rene Monteserin, Jose Rebimbas, Frantz Volcy, Daryll Walker and Pookey Wigington.
Assistant coaches Rod Baker, John Carroll, Bruce Hamburger and Tom Sullivan, former Athletic Director Larry Keating and student managers Wayne Brooks, Anthony Chaves, Chris Crowell, Robert Duffy, Dave Flood, Clark Holle, Lou LaForgia and Felix Roman were recognized for their valued contributions as well.
"I think it's great for the '89 team to be recognized by Seton Hall University," said Morton. "It's always good to see the guys and come together. This is a big night."
Picked to finish seventh in a nine-team BIG EAST Conference prior to the 1988-89 campaign, The Hall set a new standard with 11 conference wins to finish ranked second in the league. Making just the second NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, third-seeded Seton Hall scored double-digit victories over national powers Indiana and UNLV to capture the West Region crown and secure a Final Four berth.
In a national semifinal matchup against Duke, the Pirates erased an early 18-point deficit before coming away with a convincing 95-78 victory that set a program record for most points in an NCAA Tournament game which still stands today.
Despite the narrow defeat in the subsequent meeting with the Wolverines, Seton Hall finished with 31 wins, matching the single-season school record for victories established by the 1952-53 squad that captured the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) championship behind fellow Hall of Famers Walter Dukes and Richie Regan.
As part of the landmark season, Seton Hall collected a multitude of postseason awards. John Morton took home the Haggerty Award as the top men's basketball player in the metropolitan area and also earned a spot on the All-BIG EAST Third Team where he was joined by Andrew Gaze. A standout on the court and in the classroom, Ramon Ramos was named BIG EAST Student-Athlete of the Year on the heels of an All-BIG EAST First Team selection in recognition of his stellar play.
Morton and Ramos also garnered BIG EAST All-Tournament honors after helping to guide the Pirates to their second consecutive semifinal appearance.
On the sidelines, Carlesimo had asserted himself as one of the top coaches in the country and was rewarded with a second-straight BIG EAST Coach of the Year Award prior to being named National Coach of the Year.
"Seton Hall is the best thing to ever happen to me," said Carlesimo whose coaching career spanned over four decades. "This team and coaching these guys is the best thing to ever happen to me."
Wednesday's ceremony was preceded by an informal cocktail hour during which the distinguished honorees interacted with attendees and featured a question and answer portion that was presided over by former Seton Hall head coach and esteemed FOX Sports 1 college basketball personality Bill Raftery.
The 1988-89 squad comprised the entire induction class for 2014, the 26th in the history of the university's Athletics Hall of Fame which was instituted in 1972. Since 2012, the Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony has been an annual staple of the events calendar for the Pirate Blue Athletic Fund.
