Published: November 30, 2008 12:14 am      

Rough return for ex-Rambler

Pitt-Johnstown’s 95-73 win over Bloomsburg in men’s basketball on Saturday night at the Sports Center put a damper on former Mountain Cats assistant coach John Sanow’s homecoming.

Sanow, a Windber native who starred for the Ramblers basketball team, is in his third season leading the Huskies.

“He was with me for four years,” UPJ coach Bob Rukavina said. “I actually learned a lot from him as a coach. He really knows his stuff and it’s just a matter of time until he gets it turned around at Bloomsburg.”

Sanow said he hopes someday soon his Huskies will resemble the Mountains Cats on the court.

“My time here at UPJ was great,” Sanow said. “I learned a lot from Coach Rukavina, and now we’re trying to put our program together to mirror what Pitt-Johnstown has done.”

Sanow has 19 years of coaching experience with previous stops at the University of Vermont, a Division I program, and at Division II Gannon University. Sanow also was an assistant for 11 years at Division I St. Francis University.

He was a vital part in the Red Flash winning the Northeast Conference (NEC) title in 1991, earning St. Francis a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

During Sanow’s initial season (2006-07) at Bloomsburg, which participate in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, the Huskies reached double-digit wins for the first time in six years.

Sanow is the 21st coach in Bloomsburg’s 107 seasons of men’s basketball.

Sanow began his college basketball career at Clarion before transferring to IUP.

He graduated from IUP in 1987. While starring at IUP, Sanow was named to the PSAC All-Conference First Team in 1986 and led the Indians in scoring that season.

“I’m just very proud to be from this area,” Sanow said. “I had a lot of fun playing ball in the Johnstown area and close to home at IUP, and coaching here at UPJ and at St. Francis. It’s always fun to come back.”