Jack Gray (basketball)

Jack Stuart Gray
Sport(s) Basketball
Biographical details
Born (1911-05-12)May 12, 1911
Van Zandt County, Texas
Died March 7, 1992(1992-03-07) (aged 80)
Austin, Texas
Playing career
1932–1935 Texas
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1936–1942,
1945–1951
Texas
Head coaching record
Overall 194–97(.667)
Tournaments 2–3(.400)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
SWC championship (1939, 1947, 1951)
NCAA Final Four (1947)
Awards
Helms Foundation All-American (1935)

Jack Gray (May 12, 1911 March 7, 1992 [1]), was an American college basketball player and coach.

Gray played for the Texas Longhorns men's basketball team from 1933 to 1935. As a player he set a Southwest Conference record with 32 points in 1933 [2] which stood for sixteen years. Gray was a First-Team All-American guard in 1935[3] and was All-SWC all three years of his varsity career. He was known for his one-handed "push" shot, a precursor of the jump shot.[4]

With one year of coaching experience took over the coaching job at age 25.[5] In his first six years as coach beginning in 1937, he led the Longhorns to five winning seasons[6] and led the Longhorns to their first Elite Eight in the first NCAA Tournament in 1939. After returning from World War II, Gray led the Longhorns to their first Final Four in the 1947 NCAA Tournament. He coached Basketball Hall of Famer Slater Martin from 1944 to 1949.

Gray got his team in the National Invitation Tournament in 1948, their first AP Poll ranking (#20 in 1949).

He ranks third all-time in Longhorns basketball history in wins with 194 victories to 97 losses, and also had a final Southwest Conference record of 89-55. He was head coach for 12 years, which as of 2011, ranked as the second-longest basketball coaching term at University of Texas.[7]

Season Coach Record Conference Championships Final AP Poll (1949–) /
Coaches' Poll (1951–)
Rankings
Postseason
Overall Conference
1936–42
1936-37 Jack Gray 13-105-7 (t-5th)
1937-38 Jack Gray 11-115-7 (5th)
1938-39 Jack Gray 19-610-2 (1st)SWC Champions NCAA Elite Eight
West Regional Fourth Place
1939-40 Jack Gray 18-58-4 (2nd)
1940-41 Jack Gray 14-107-5 (3rd)
1941-42 Jack Gray 14-95-7 (5th)
1945–51
1945-46 Jack Gray 16-77-5 (3rd)
1946-47 Jack Gray 26-212-0 (1st)SWC Champions NCAA Final Four
Third Place
1947-48 Jack Gray 20-59-3 (2nd) NIT Quarterfinals
1948-49 Jack Gray 17-77-5 (4th)
1949-50 Jack Gray 13-116-6 (t-4th)
1950-51 Jack Gray 13-148-4 (t-1st)SWC Co-Champions
Jack Gray:194-97 (.667)89-55 (.618)

References

  1. Jack Gray, 81, former head coach Fort Worth Star Telegram. March 8, 1992
  2. Top 100 Moments in Texas Men's Basketball History texassports.com a CBS Sports college network]
  3. Jack Gray, 81, former head coach Fort Worth Star Telegram. March 8, 1992
  4. Top 100 Moments in Texas Men's Basketball History texassports.com a CBS Sports college network]
  5. Top 100 Moments in Texas Men's Basketball History texassports.com a CBS Sports college network]
  6. Top 100 Moments in Texas Men's Basketball History texassports.com a CBS Sports college network]
  7. Texas Basketball Timeline Texas Statesman Nov 15, 2005
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, December 18, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.