Cardozo Hoops Coach Ron Naclerio Wins 800th Game

The victory marks the most wins by a coach in New York State public school history.

Ron Naclerio secured his historic 800th career win as the head basketball coach at Queens’ Benjamin Cardozo High School on Tuesday night.

The victory marks the most wins by a coach in New York State public high school history.

Naclerio has actually been chasing himself with each win and building on a record he broke back in 2016 he got his 755th win. The milestone catapulted Naclerio past the late East Hampton High School coach Ed Petrie’s long-standing record.

ron naclerio on Twitter

My mom, dad and my brother up in Heaven wanted to come down and root and hopefully see me win my 800th game today. God as usual did the right thing as he had them watch the game with him on cable from Heaven!

 

For 38 years, Naclerio, who attended Cardozo more than four decades ago, has built the humble Bayside, Queens school into a powerhouse with a unique and underrated effect on basketball culture. 

“I’ve had four [players] in the NBA, but I’ve also had 40, 50, 60, 100, 150 that’ve become stars in the game of life,” the coach told CBS2’s Ali Bauman.

Back in 2015, when Naclerio was setting the PSAL all-time wins record, The Shadow League did a two-part feature on him entitled, “Diary of A Mad Coach.”

It tells you everything you need to know about the remarkable and dedicated coach from Queens who would walk through the most dangerous housing projects at 3:00 am to go to address a player who was out of pocket. 

He’s had an indelible impact on the culture of basketball and the kids who were fortunate enough to cross his path.

Click here for Diary of A Mad Coach, Part 1

Click here for Diary of a Mad Coach, PT 2: Ron Naclerio And The Birth of a MixTape King

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