Gene Iba obit

Hall of Fame College Basketball Coach Gene Iba Passes Away at 84

 

He was not on the list.

PITTSBURG, KS — As of Monday, September 22nd, former Hall of Fame Pitt State men’s basketball coach Gene Iba has passed away.

According to Pitt State Athletics, Coach Iba led the men’s basketball program during a decorated 15-year tenure as the Gorillas head coach from 1996 to 2010. He led Pitt State to the school’s first NCAA National Tournament appearance in 1997, along with reaching the NCAA Sweet 16, and five overall berths in the national tournament.

Coach Iba guided the Gorillas to their first MIAA regular season title and a No. 1 national ranking in 1999, earning him the MIAA Coach of the Year that season.

Coach Iba compiled a 261-172 record at Pitt State and he amassed a 487-374 overall record including coaching stints at Houston Baptist (1978-85) and Baylor (1986-92).

Born in Joplin, Missouri, Clarence Eugene Iba attended the University of Tulsa, where he played basketball from 1958 to 1961 under his father, head coach Clarence Victor Iba. After graduating in 1963, Gene Iba went to the Navy Supply Corps School and coached its basketball team. Iba then attended Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University) and served as a graduate assistant for the basketball team under his uncle Henry Iba while completing his master's degree in business education.

In 1968, Iba became athletic director at Cleveland High School in St. Louis. He then became head varsity basketball coach at Roosevelt High School in St. Louis in 1969 and led Roosevelt to the city championship in 1972.

Iba moved up to the college rankings in 1972 as an assistant coach at UTEP under Don Haskins and remained for five seasons, during which UTEP made the 1975 NCAA Tournament.

After UTEP, Iba became head coach at Houston Baptist in 1977. Iba turned around a program that went 11–44 in the past two years to a 14–13 record in 1979–80 and 18–10 record in 1980–81. The Trans American Athletic Conference (now Atlantic Sun Conference) named Iba the Coach of the Year in 1981. Houston Baptist improved further, making the 1984 NCAA Tournament.

Iba moved to Baylor as head coach in 1985 and led Baylor to post-season appearances in the 1987 NIT and 1988 NCAA Tournament. However, Baylor fell to 5–22 in the 1988–89 season and never made another postseason tournament. After the 1991–92 season, Baylor decided not to renew Iba's contract.

Iba became head coach at Division II Pittsburg State in 1995. By Iba's second season, Pittsburg State earned its first national ranking in five years and first-ever NCAA Tournament victory. On February 15, 1999, Pittsburg State was ranked #1 in Division II men's basketball. and Iba was named MIAA Coach of the Year 1999. In 15 seasons as head coach, Iba had a 261–172 record with five NCAA Tournament appearances.

Playing career

1958–1961      Tulsa

Coaching career (HC unless noted)

1966–1968      Oklahoma A&M (GA)

1969–1972      Roosevelt HS (MO)

1972–1977      UTEP (assistant)

1977–1985      Houston Baptist

1985–1992      Baylor

1995–2010      Pittsburg State

Administrative career (AD unless noted)

1968–1969      Cleveland HS

Head coaching record

Overall            487–374

Tournaments    0–2 (NCAA Division I)

4–5 (NCAA Division II)

0–1 (NIT)

Accomplishments and honors

Championships

TAAC tournament (1984)

2 TAAC regular season (1981, 1984)

MIAA regular season (1999)

Awards

TAAC Coach of the Year (1981)

MIAA Coach of the Year (1999)