Muff to Return to His Job as Coach of Crespi Boys’ Basketball Team

Paul Muff, the Crespi High boys’ basketball coach from 1976-89, will return in that role next season, replacing Paul Radenberg.

Muff, who will remain as Crespi’s athletic director, said the change was made because Radenberg had stepped down from his teaching position at the semester break in January. “We’ve always had a commitment to filling our major (coaching jobs) with full-time staff people,” Muff said.

Radenberg, who Muff said is in the process of moving, could not be reached for comment. Muff said Radenberg did not return as a teacher for the second semester because he felt uncomfortable with the courses he would have had to teach.

Muff, who led the Celts to a 197-115 record, said he had been considering a return to coaching after a four-year hiatus.

“I worked with the freshman team on Saturdays off and on (this season) and I guess that’s what made me realize how much I missed it,” Muff said. “The opportunity to get back with kids on that level is what interested me the most. We had one of the premier programs in the ‘80s and I’d like to bring that back.”

Radenberg, the third coach at Crespi since Muff resigned, led the Celts to a 12-13 record and a berth in the Southern Section playoffs in his only season.

Muff said he believed the program suffered from having walk-on coaches. Neither Ed Marek, who took the job the season after Muff’s resignation and will return as an assistant to Muff, nor Chris Nikchevich, who coached the next two seasons, had full-time teaching positions.

“I think that the basketball program lost a little of its identity in not having full-time guys, but that’s not a reflection of the guys,” Muff said. “They did good jobs, but it’s tough when you have another job.”