'Giver To The Voiceless': Temple Basketball Community Mourns Legendary Coach John Chaney
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- John Chaney, the greatest basketball coach in Temple University history and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer, died on Friday. He was 89.
Chaney spent 24 seasons coaching Temple, compiling a 516-253 record during his Hall of Fame career. He took the Owls to the NCAA Tournament 17 times, including going into the 1988 tournament as the No. 1 ranked team in the nation. His teams reached the Elite Eight five teams. He retired in 2006.
"John Chaney was more than just a Hall of Fame Basketball coach. He was a Hall of Fame in life," said Fran Dunphy, Temple's interim athletic director and former head coach. "He touched countless lives, including my own. I will miss him dearly and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family during this difficult time."
Chaney was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001.
"Coach Chaney was like a father to me," said Aaron McKie, Temple's current head coach and who played under Chaney from 1991-94. "He taught not just me, but all of his players more than just how to succeed in basketball. He taught us life lessons to make us better individuals off the court. I owe so much to him. He made me the man I am today."
Chaney was Temple basketball and his death hit the Philadelphia hoops community hard.
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