Former big man considered greatest Sachem athlete of all-time by many
The term G.O.A.T., or greatest of all-time, is thrown around quite often today. But it’s undeniable that every former coach and teammate of Mark Graebe has the same exact comment about the former Sachem star: “he’s the greatest athlete to ever attend Sachem.”
Big words about a big man who put Sachem basketball on the map before the likes of Jeff Ruland and Nicole Kaczmarski.
Graebe, who graduated from Sachem in 1975, was the district’s first Division I basketball talent, and excelled as a gifted three-sport athlete also starring in football and track. He passed away this week, according to a post by his mother Joan via social media.
“He was quick, strong and graceful,” said Tim Clouser, Graebe’s former high school coach. “He made it very hard on our opponents to prepare because he did so many things.”
The Flaming Arrows won their first League I basketball title during Graebe’s senior season. Until that point in 1974-75, Sachem had never reached the 15-win plateau.
He was a two-time All-League, All-County and All-Long Island selection and was named an All-American as a senior. He and Ruland are Sachem’s only boys basketball players to receive that prestige.
Graebe still owns Sachem single-game records for points scored (46 in 1974) and field goals made (16 in 1974).
“He had a passion to compete, which was an attribute that made him very special,” said Clouser. “He was so fast, so strong and so coordinated.”
He was also a natural talent on the gridiron, earning Offensive MVP honors for the football team as a junior in 1973 and was just the second player in Sachem history to ever play varsity football as a freshman (George Felber, ‘74 was the first).
He received numerous scholarship offers for football. Sachem football coaching legend Fred Fusaro believes he would have been a pro punter if he chose that route.
“People used to come to our games early just to watch him punt,” recalled Fusaro. “I loved the guy, he was a big, good looking, personable young man with unbelievable talent. I am so sad about his passing.”
Clouser pushed for Graebe, who was 6-5 and 200 pounds, to attend the famed Five Star Basketball Camp the summer before recruiting season would heat up following his junior year. They ran this option by Fusaro, who would normally require all players to attend every summer practice and camp session. Fusaro agreed that the hoops camp would better suit Graebe, who was destined to be an even bigger threat on the hardwood.
“To Mark’s credit, he wanted to go and play against some of the best players on the East Coast,” said Clouser, “and Fred said that was best for him too.”
Ruland, the only player from Sachem to play in the NBA, graduated two years after Graebe and remembers seeing him punt. He also saw him hurt his ankle once and that made Ruland think twice about ever playing football.
While they never played together, Graebe was the prototype for what Ruland could become, a strong, tall and dominating big man who controlled every game.
“I loved to watch him play,” said Ruland. “He had a beautiful shot, especially off the glass.”
Graebe loved the ocean and was advised to attend the University of New Hampshire to major in oceanography by his guidance counselor Luke Morgan, according to Clouser.
After one year with the Wildcats he transferred to Farmingdale State where he became a Junior College All-American and caught the eye of Pepperdine coach Gary Colson, who was able to provide the ocean to Graebe yet again. The campus is just a stone’s throw from the Pacific Ocean in California and Graebe had a great view while helping the Waves appear in two NCAA men’s basketball tournaments.
In 1979 he appeared in a 92-88 win over Utah in the first round and then a 76-71 loss against a John Wooden led UCLA team. Graebe saw time in 24 contests that season averaging 7.3 points and 1.7 rebounds per game.
Pepperdine coach Jim Harrick said Graebe was the team”s “fiercest defender.”
In 2016 he was inducted to the Sachem Athletic Hall of Fame. His plaque is on the wall at Sachem High School North, where he is also featured on a special poster commemorating all Sachem alumni to have played in the NCAA Tournament.
“He was one of the most gifted athletes in Sachem history,” said Tom Sabatelle, a Sachem alum, Hall of Famer and former athletic director. “If you ask many of us who were here from the beginning, Mark may well have been the greatest athlete of all.”
Information about services and funeral arrangements have not been made available yet.
-Words by Chris R. Vaccaro