The 2014 Warwick Boys Basketball Hall of Fame
WARWICK — The Warwick Valley High School boys basketball program held its fifth annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony earlier this year, paying tribute to five men whose efforts, commitment and past accomplishments on the hardwood, as former Wildcats, have helped shape the history of Warwick Wildcat Basketball.
The Class of 2014 consists of the following five former Warwick High School Basketball players: Donald Bainbridge, William Batz, Phil Brady, Peter Casey and Michael Kreeger.
Donald Bainbridge
Bainbridge, a 1959 graduate of Warwick High School, was a three-year starter on the varsity team (1956-59) and played under Hall of Fame Coach Vito Magdelinskas.
He helped lead his team to the 1957-58 Orange County League (OCL) championship and the 1958-59 OCL and Section IX championships.
The 1958-59 team set the school record for the most wins in a season with 19.
Bainbridge was selected to the OCL and Section IX All-Star team during both the 1957-58 and 1958-59 seasons. During the 1958-59 season he was selected as the OCL - Section A Player of the Year and was also selected as a member of the Section IX All-Tourney Team.
He was an all-around athlete while at Warwick as he lettered in four sports: football, basketball, baseball and track.
He also helped lead both the 1958-59 football and baseball teams to league championships.
His most memorable basketball moments were beating Port Jervis in the 1958-59 Section IX championship game and falling to Pine Bush in five overtimes in the 1957-58 championship game played at the West Point Fieldhouse.
Bainbridge is a retired teacher, coach and athletic director from upstate New York.
William Batz
Batz, a 1971 graduate of Warwick High School, was a two-year starter and three-year varsity player (1968-71). Batz played under Hall of Fame coach Vito Magdelinskas.
He helped lead the 1969-70 team to the Section IX play-offs.
Batz was selected as the Most Valuable Player of the 1970-71 team. During the 70-71 season he averaged 16.8 points a game and scored a career high of 32 points in a game against Seward High School.
He was the only junior to make the 1969-70 season team.
Batz was one of the top defensive players in both the OCL and Section IX during his junior and senior seasons.
His most memorable moments were in a game against Port Jervis High as he held Rich Saul, the Section IX leading scorer, who averaged 32 points per game, to seven points as he played him straight man-to-man defense and his final high school game beating perennial power John S. Burke in double overtime.
Phil Brady
Brady, a 1958 graduate of Warwick High School, was a three-year varsity player (1955-58) and a two-year starter for the Cats and played under Hall of Fame Coach Vito Magdelinskas.
He helped lead his 1957-58 team to a 17–3 record and the Section A Orange County League championship.
He also helped lead the 57-58 Wildcat team to a stunning upset of perennial power Port Jervis High in the Section IX semi-finals by a score of 70–69.
Brady was one of the top defensive players in both the OCL and Section IX during both his junior and senior year. He led the team in rebounding both years and was known for his rugged style of play.
He was an all-around player who could score, rebound, defend and pass.
In many games he led the team in rebounds, assists and scoring.
His most memorable moment was beating Port Jervis High in a 1958 Section IX play-off game.
Peter Casey
Casey, a 1999 graduate of Warwick High School, was a three-year varsity starter (1996-99).
Casey was the starting point guard under head coach Gary Vyskocil. He helped lead the 1997-98 and 1998-99 teams to Section IX play-off appearances and second-place finishes in division play. Casey led the Wildcats all three years in assists, steals and minutes played.
In 96-97 he was selected as the team's most improved player.
During the 97-98 season he was selected as the team’s most valuable player and during the 98-99 season he was elected captain and won the Most Valuable Player and Mr. Basketball Awards.
Casey was one of the top point guards in Section IX during his career. He was known for his outstanding ball-handling and passing ability.
His most memorable moment was beating Middletown High on our home floor as a senior avenging a Section IX play-off loss as a junior.
Michael Kreeger
Kreeger, a 1990 graduate of Warwick High School, was a two-year varsity starter (1988-90) and played under head coach Tom Folino.
He helped lead the 1989-90 team to a Section IX play-off appearance.
Kreeger was the 89-90 season team’s most valuable player. He also won the Most Valuable Player Award for the 1989 Warwick Tip-Off Tournament as he led his team to the tournament championship.
In the 1989-90 season Kreeger set, and still holds, two school records: most points scored in a season 387 points and highest scoring average for a season as he averaged 21.7 points per game.
He finished his career with 501 points placing him 16th on the all time scoring list.
His most memorable moments were: breaking the school record for most points scored in a season in his final high school game against Port Jervis and in a win over Pine Bush as he and teammate Denis McLaughlin scored every Warwick point except two.
If you would like to nominate a former Warwick Wildcat basketball player for consideration for induction into the Hall of Fame contact Coach Tom Folino at 987-3050 extension 12883 or e-mail at tfolino@wvcsd.org.