Hall of Fame
Coming out of Utica, Steve Babiarz was the Bears’ third All-American (along with Eddie Jachim and Leroy Witherspoon) out of Notre Dame High School. Babiarz delighted Potsdam’s crowds with his all-out play and explosive moves to the basket. He finished as the all-time leading scorer in Potsdam’s storied basketball history with 2,089 points and was named first-team All-American in his final two years as well as New York State Player of the Year.
“The thing I remember most about Steve was that he was one of the most competitive players we ever had,” former Potsdam coach Jerry Welsh said. “He never missed a single practice or a game during his entire four years, was an extremely hard worker, and as hard nosed as they come.”
During his four year career (1985-1989), the Bears had an overall record of 112-10, including the 1985-86 undefeated national championship team and a 60-game winning streak during Potsdam’s championship run in the decade of the ‘80s.
Steve currently lives in Chicago where he is employed as a foreman with the Alderidge Electric Company.
