Jim Gano

A graduate of Easton High School, where Jim played basketball for Pete Carril, and then went on to play basketball and baseball at Moravian College. He rejoined Carril at Reading High School (1963) as the varsity assistant for one season, and then became the JV coach for seven seasons, compiling a 106-46 record under Carril and Jut Missbach. After Missbach’s resignation (1970-71), Jim became the head basketball coach at Reading High for the next 10 seasons, compiling an overall record of 251-51. Only one of his teams failed to win 20 games, 19-5 (1973-74) and was the only one of his teams which failed to qualify for the inter-district playoffs. Five of his first eight teams won the Central-Penn League title, with his last two winning the Berks Conference title and with six of his teams won the District III title. One of Gano’s teams, led by two-time All-State selection Stu Jackson, lost the state Class AAA title game 63-62 to General Braddock (1972-73). Jim also had another team that finished third in the state (1976-77). He also became Reading High’s athletic director (1979), and resigned as head basketball coach due to the demands of the position (1980-81). Gano was also the baseball coach at Reading High for three seasons and was a District III committee member and the district’s wrestling chairman.