PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Most of Temple’s best men’s basketball teams were guided by head coach John Chaney, who ran the program from 1982-2006.
The school announced Friday that Chaney has died at age 89 following a brief illness.
Chaney led the Owls to 17 NCAA Tournament appearances and six Atlanta 10 conference titles over 24 seasons, including five NCAA regional finals. He had 741 wins as a college coach, including 516 with Temple.
He became a de facto father to dozens of his players, many coming to Temple from broken homes, violent upbringings and bad schools. He often said his biggest goal was simply to give poor kids a chance to get an education.
A fashionable dresser, Chaney was also known for being in shambles by the end of a game. His fiery temper put him in situations he later regretted. In 1994, he had a heated exchange following a game against UMass, where he threatened to kill coach John Calipari. Chaney apologized and was suspended for a game. The two later became friends.
