Big 5 to enshrine coaching legends

August 18, 2009|By DICK JERARDI, jerardd@phillynews.com
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  • Chaney
  • Chaney
  • Massimino
  • Morris

The Big 5 wanted to come up with a unique way of celebrating its 55th season, so three Philadelphia coaching legends will go into the Big 5 Hall of Fame together in 2010.

John Chaney, Rollie Massimino and Speedy Morris coached for 58 seasons combined in the Big 5 and won 1,111 total games at Temple, Villanova and La Salle, respectively.

Massimino is the only Big 5 era coach to win a national championship (Villanova, 1985). Chaney, along with Chuck Daly, Jack Ramsay and Harry Litwack, represents the Big 5 era in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Morris won 100 games in his first four seasons at La Salle and finished with 238 wins, more than any coach in school history.

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After winning 516 games at Temple and 741 overall, Chaney, 77, retired after the 2006 season. Massimino, 74, retired a few years ago and then came back to coach Northwood in Florida. Morris, 67, is the coach at St. Joseph's Prep.

The date for the induction ceremony will be announced in the coming weeks. *

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