Bianchi retires as state’s top Class 5A coach

Ken Bianchi was both the source of and the deliverer of news on April 24.

Just hours after being named state Class 5A Coach of the Year by Pennsylvania Sports Writers, Bianchi and assistant Jeff McLane met with their Abington Heights team to inform them of the decision to retire.

Bianchi departs after establishing Abington Heights as the premier boys basketball program in District 2 and making the Comets a major player in the state race. Abington Heights won a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association state title in 2018, went back to the semifinals in 2019 and reached the state quarterfinals the last two seasons only to be eliminated by Imhotep Charter on the Philadelphia school’s way to the title.

This season’s team had the first perfect regular season in school history. The Comets won Lackawanna League Division 1 and District 2 Class 5A and took a 26-0 record into the game with Imhotep Charter.

Bianchi retires as the winningest coach in District 2 history. He won a total of 894 games in a 49-year career, the last 28 of which were at Abington Heights where he produced more than 600 of his victories.

Abington Heights had a mediocre boys basketball history prior to Bianchi’s arrival and the coach had enjoyed modest success.

Together, they formed a combination that produced a winning record in all 28 of his seasons and 20 or more wins in the majority of them.

“It was a huge honor to play under them,” said Will Marion, one of two players on Bianchi’s final team to earn all-state recognition. “All journeys come to an end. I’m really proud of what they accomplished and what we on our team accomplished with them.”

Mason Fedor was also an all-state choice, learning of that selection along with the honors for Bianchi and Marion.

“Our season that we had this year, it’s a great thing that you can say that you left on a really high note,” Fedor said. “It’s so humbling and great to say I got to play for a coach like that. I’ve learned so much.

“So many things I’ve learned from the both of them that I’ll carry on for the rest of my basketball career and the rest of my life.”

Bianchi began his coaching career with one season at Line Mountain, then had stops at Scranton Tech and West Scranton before being hired to lead the Comets.