Three Peat

A recap of the three consecutive Portage High School basketball sectional titles 1971-1972-1973
Contributed by Bob Miller (PHS 1974)

INTRODUCTION

Portage High School began playing basketball in the 1924-25 season.  In the school’s first 46 years, the boys’ basketball team had won one sectional title.  The 1955-1956 team coached by Dean Snider had won the sectionals but were beaten in a thriller by Gary Froebel 76-75 in the first game of the regional.  There had been some good teams over the years.  For example, the 1942-43 team under Charlie McComas had won their first 23 games of the season before losing to Hammond Tech in the semifinals of the sixteen team East Chicago sectionals.  A significant accomplishment as the 1950 census would have the Portage population at approximately 2,100 people.  Portage was not the city that it was today.  The school had won several in season Porter County Tournament titles, but post season hardware was limited to the one title in 1956.  Beginning in 1971 that would change as the school would win three consecutive sectional titles, the only time to date, that has happened in school history.  This contribution to the Portage Community Historical Society attempts to cover those three very special seasons.