Kuester’s “skill was overshadowed by his will”

Tom Lukish was a freshman at Benedictine High School during John Kuester's senior year. Lukish yesterday recalled a spring day when he returned from a baseball game and waited at the school for a ride home.

"I walked into the gym, and John was in there by himself working on his ball-handling," Lukish said. "That sent a pretty loud message to a ninth-grader."

Kuester, who could be introduced as the Detroit Pistons' new head coach as early as today, will forever be remembered at Benedictine as a player whose "skill was overshadowed by his will," Lukish said.

Kuester, 54, graduated from Benedictine in 1973. With him as a regular, Benedictine was 30-3 in'71, 31-3 in'72 and 31-3 in '73. It captured three straight State Catholic titles. Kuester was part of the Cadets' string of 95 victories against in-state competition.

"He holds the all-time record for floor burns at Benedictine. There's no question about that," said Jack Hanky, who was a Benedictine assistant coach for 39 years. "If there was a loose ball between the Benedictine gym and Broad Street, he'd get it."

Kuester arrived at Benedictine slight of build and maybe 6-0, Hanky recalled. Kuester left the school 6-2 and well-built, on his way to a standout career at North Carolina. At Benedictine, Kuester was difficult to contain as a scorer. But that wasn't his priority.

"He was a great teammate," said Reed O'Brien, who was a year behind Kuester at Benedictine and played on two Cadets' teams with him. O'Brien added that Kuester focused on defense and ball movement. That made him a favorite of legendary Benedictine coach Warren Rutledge.

Rutledge guided the Cadets for 43 years. He retired in the spring of 2000 with a 949-334 record and died in September 2000 while on a golf trip.

"John always thought of assists before he thought of shooting," Hanky said. "It was that combination of defense, hustle and unselfishness that made him so special."

A wider audience learned of Kuester's value in the final of the 1977 Atlantic Coast Conference tournament. Favored North Carolina trailed Virginia 64-61 when Phil Ford fouled out with 5:45 left. Kuester ran the Tar Heels' offense, was perfect at the free-throw line, and after the Heels prevailed 75-69, he was named tourney MVP.

Kuester, a long-time NBA assistant who worked on the Cleveland Cavaliers' staff last season, returned to Richmond on many occasions over the years to help with Benedictine basketball camps and other school events. Kuester will soon become the second Benedictine graduate to assume command of a Detroit team. Bobby Ross, Benedictine High Class of 1955, coached the Detroit Lions of the NFL from 1997-2000.

Contact John O'Connor at (804) 649-6233 or .