Jan. 7, 2002

MONROE TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- Al LoBalbo, who coached basketball on the high school, college and professional levels in a 50-year career, died Saturday 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.