Before embarking on a Hall of Fame coaching career, former Temple basketball coach John Chaney, who died this past Friday at 89 years old, was a flashy guard for Bethune-Cookman College. He and Jacky “Cy” McClairen, who died just a few weeks ago, led the 1952-53 Wildcats to a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) championship and a berth in the NAIA national tournament, with one district serving as the de facto Black College national championship. The Wildcats advanced to the title game, falling to Tennessee State.
Two years later, Chaney capped off a career that included a 57-point outburst against Knoxville College in 1952, four All SIAC selections and an NAIA All American honor with a second NAIA tournament appearance. He was enshrined in the Bethune-Cookman University Athletic Hall of Fame inaugural class of 2000.
B-CU Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Lynn W. Thompson said, “as a young kid growing up in Daytona I heard the legendary stories on John Chaney as a player, then as a young AD in 1993 I had the chance to sit for hours with him and Cy McClairen at the NCAA Final Four in New Orleans as they held court there amongst basketball royalty," Thompson said. "He spoke of his immense love of Bethune-Cookman and the foundation it laid upon his life. Sitting with those two legends was life changing.
"Last week he and I chatted for almost an hour after Coach Cy passed and he was set to participate in an upcoming event to honor Cy's legacy, but I guess God must have needed another Wildcat Hall of Famer to do something special," Thompson added.
"Last week he and I chatted for almost an hour after Coach Cy passed and he was set to participate in an upcoming event to honor Cy's legacy, but I guess God must have needed another Wildcat Hall of Famer to do something special," Thompson added.
He was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001 and the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.