Former AKO basketball coach took team to six national titles
Sam Sasso, who along with his brother Randy coached the Windsor AKO Fratmen junior men’s basketball to six consecutive national titles in the 1970s, has died.
The former teacher, coach and referee was 70.
Sasso died suddenly on Tuesday while playing senior volleyball on the court at St. Clair College.
“He had a heart attack right there and didn’t survive it,” his brother Randy said Thursday.
“He really never stopped playing in his life, he just changed games a little bit but he was really into volleyball.”
Before he coached the AKO Fratmen to their six E.W. Bowering Trophy titles between 1974 and 1979, Sasso played on their 1970 championship team, which at the time hadn’t won since 1946.
The Windsor AKO junior men’s teams from 1974 to 1979 were inducted into the Windsor/essex County Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.
Speaking to the Windsor Star for the occasion, Sam described how meaningful the honour was.
“I think it’s well-deserved, but any time you’re honoured by any kind of body of that stature, I think it’s a wonderful honour and we’re very proud,” Sam had said. “We’re very pleased, very honoured.”
The AKO clubs went undefeated in Ontario and at the Canadian championships for five straight years from 1974-78 and the 1979 team had only one loss.
“We were dominant in that we won, but we didn’t thump teams,” Sam had recalled. “When we were in Nova Scotia, our first one, and we won in double overtime. When we won in New Brunswick, we had to come back, and it was a great comeback. Although we ... won six Canadian championships, it’s not like we were dominating.”
But there would be no seventh title because the other provinces chose to cease competing because of AKO’S dominance.
Sasso was also an accredited volleyball referee, handling University of Windsor Lancers games and travelling for tournaments.
Randy said his younger brother dabbled in many sports.
“He was an avid golfer and for a stretch of time we were road racers,” Randy said. “He has a few marathons to his credit.”
Sasso is survived by his daughter Gabriella, brothers William, Randy and Tom and sister Rose Anne.
Visitation will be held at Janisse Funeral Home, at 1139 Ouellette Ave., on Monday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday at noon at the funeral home.