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Ron Naclerio has once again etched his name in the annals of New York high school basketball history.
As the veteran head coach of the boys’ basketball team at Benjamin N. Cardozo High School in Queens, Naclerio secured his 973rd career victory on Friday with a commanding 69-46 triumph over Julia Richman. This milestone now makes him the all-time winningest high school coach in New York state.
At 68, Naclerio surpasses the illustrious Jack Curran of Archbishop Molloy, whose impressive career concluded with 972 victories over a span of five decades.
In addition to this remarkable achievement in high school basketball, Naclerio has also claimed the title of the most successful head coach in New York City basketball history across all levels, including the NBA.
Before the game on Friday, Naclerio sensed something special in the air, describing the scene as a “Cardozo basketball lovefest,” despite it being an away game.
“I knew it was special,” Naclerio told The Post via phone following the win. “Because when you look in the crowd and you see 30 or 40 former players, and you see the media.”
Cardozo got off to a commanding lead to start the game, with Naclerio having the chance to get all of his players on the court for the win.
“At halftime I realized unless an atomic bomb hit the place, 16 basketball minutes would put me on a basketball Mount Rushmore myself,” Naclerio laughed.
Then, with a minute left in the game, the milestone of standing alone in New York City basketball history started to set in, with Naclerio noting the weight of being discussed in the same sentence as legendary Knicks coach Red Holzman.
“To even be considered in the same sentence as the only Knick coach to win two NBA championships, a Hall of Famer … I’m going to enjoy this,” he said.
As expected, celebration ensued following the win, with Naclerio noting the many people in the NYC basketball world who reached out and gave their congratulations.
“It’s nice to see on the phone Rick Pitino texting you, Kenny Anderson texting you, Kenny Smith texting you, it’s definitely a ‘Wow,’ ” he added.
The Bayside native’s milestone also comes after he was almost sidelined from coaching after city investigators accused him of improperly recruiting students from surrounding schools to join his team.
Naclerio ultimately scored a legal win, but higher-ups at Cardozo gave the legendary coach a two-game suspension in December.
Naclerio, who has coached at Cardozo for 51 years, has won two city titles — 1999 and 2014 — and produced four NBA players: Rafer Alston, Royal Ivey, Duane Causwell and James Southerland.
Despite five decades of coaching, Naclerio doesn’t think he’s done just yet, saying that, in basketball terms, he’s in the fourth quarter of his career.
“I know I’m in the fourth quarter,” Naclerio said. “Am I in the beginning of the fourth quarter? Am I in the middle of the fourth quarter? Am I late in the fourth quarter? Or am I in overtime? I don’t know.
“All great things come to an end, and I know when the day will come. The day is not here yet,” he added.