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Thursday, January 17, 2002
LoBalbo had influence on Knight, Krzyzewski
Associated Press
MONROE TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- Al LoBalbo, who coached basketball
on the high school, college and professional levels in a 50-year
career, died Jan. 5 after a short illness. He was 82.
LoBalbo's first coaching job was at St. Mary's High School in Elizabeth, N.J., in 1947. He was an assistant to Bob Knight at Army from 1967-69,
when the Cadets had a point guard named Mike Krzyzewski.
LoBalbo's only head coaching position was at Fairleigh Dickinson
and he went 128-142 from 1969-80. His best season was 1970-71, when
the Knights went 16-7. His teams were usually ranked among the
leaders in scoring defense.
He had a brief stint as an assistant coach with the NBA's
Buffalo Braves before taking over at Fairleigh Dickinson.
After leaving Fairleigh Dickinson, LoBalbo joined Lou
Carnesecca's staff at St. John's and stayed there until retiring in
1996.
"He was a throwback to the old coach," Carnesecca said Sunday
night. "He broke in when you taught six classes a day and coached
the varsity, JV and freshman teams and there was no money. He had a
great love for the game."
Carnesecca said Knight was among the many coaches who praised
LoBalbo's defensive tactics.
"Everybody talked about his defense, but he put in some good
stuff on offense, especially against zone presses," Carnesecca
said.
LoBalbo is survived by his wife, Ruth, and daughter, Karen
Singer of Creskill, N.J.
His funeral is Wednesday morning at Holy Spirit R.C. Church in
Union, N.J.
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