Instead of getting ready for a big game against rival North Allegheny, the Shaler Area basketball players gathered together after school yesterday to talk about their coach.

Howard H. Ruppert, in his 12th season at Shaler, died of an apparent heart attack Thursday night at his home in McCandless. He was 65.

Shaler postponed its game last night against North Allegheny and another today against Summit Academy. Paul Holzshu, Shaler's athletic director, said the team might play Tuesday at Butler. Holzshu and Jason Pirring were Ruppert's assistants, and one of them will take over the team.

"It might be hard to go out and play again. On the other hand, we might be more inspired to go out and play for him," said Dan Taylor, a junior guard. "I think he probably would want us to go play."

Howie.

In WPIAL basketball coaching circles, just mention the first name and everyone knew who was being talked about.

Ruppert's death sent shock waves through the WPIAL. The guy with the round belly and heavy New York accent -- he grew up in Staten Island -- won 581 games in more than three decades of coaching at Shaler, Northgate and St. Peters, N.Y. His record at Shaler was 166-113, and his teams were regular participants in the WPIAL Class AAAA playoffs.

Ruppert also coached on the college level. He was an assistant at Duquesne University under John Carroll in the early 1990s. In 1989, he was an assistant at Seton Hall under P.J. Carlesimo when the Pirates lost in the NCAA championship game to Michigan.

Ruppert was highly respected by his coaching peers for his knowledge of the game, his humorous side and his toughness -- as a coach and in life. Two seasons ago, Ruppert coached while undergoing treatments for leukemia. A few times, he had a treatment on a Friday and coached that night.

The disease was in remission last basketball season, but Ruppert had started treatments again this summer when it returned.

Yet he still wanted to coach. He also taught social studies at Shaler.

"The guy was selfless," Holzshu said. "He always put the kids first. He would tell you straight-up what he thought, but he also had this lighter side to him that accentuated who he was and what he was about."

Ruppert had the uncanny ability to be able to yell at a player one minute and get him to laugh the next. He also had become very involved in Amateur Athletic Union basketball coaching.

"He would let you know if you were doing something wrong, but outside of the game, he was a pretty funny guy," said Taylor, who was coached by Ruppert in high school or AAU since third grade.

Upper St. Clair coach Danny Holzer and Ruppert were assistants together at Duquesne, and their high school teams scrimmaged each other every year.

When Shaler scrimmaged Upper St. Clair two weeks ago, Holzer had his players show Ruppert their new Nike "LeBron James" sneakers.

"When Howie saw the shoes, he started yelling right on the court, 'Hey, call off the scrimmage. We're not good enough to play these guys. They have LeBron's shoes.' Of course, he was kidding, but that shows you his humor," Holzer said.

Ruppert also was an avid golfer, and he coached the sport at Seton Hall.

When he was at Duquesne, he once was golfing with then-Duquesne athletic director Brian Colleary and football coach Greg Gattuso. Ruppert made a small wager with another foursome, but after Colleary and Gattuso hit horrible shots on the first tee, he threw his wallet onto the tee box and yelled to the other foursome, "Just take what you guys need."

Dr. Patrick DeMeo, the Pittsburgh Pirates' orthopedic doctor, also grew up in Staten Island and was good friends with Ruppert. DeMeo talked to Ruppert only hours before he died.

"Everyone has a Howie story," DeMeo said. "I think the man affected a lot of lives, both as a coach and a teacher. He was so competitive, but yet didn't have a malicious bone in his body.

"Someone once asked me, 'You see patients all day. Who do you talk to when you have problems?' I told them, 'Howie Ruppert.' "

Ruppert is survived by his wife, Kris, a successful girls' volleyball coach at Shaler; two teenage sons, Ryan and Scott; and a daughter, Trish Franzen, of Staten Island.

Visitation will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. today and 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. tomorrow at Simons Funeral Home, 7720 Perry Highway, Ross. A Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Monday in St. Alphonsus Church, 201 Church Road, Wexford. Burial will be in North Side Catholic Cemetery in Ross.