John Chaney, legendary Temple University hoops coach, dies at 89

PHILADELPHIA — John Chaney, the legendary Temple University basketball coach, the very face of the school on North Broad Street for a generation and an icon of his sport, died Friday at age 89.

Chaney had led Temple to five appearances in the NCAA Elite Eight, the last trip in 2001, the year he was inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In addition to 17 trips to the NCAA Tournament with the Owls, Chaney won a Division II national title at Cheyney University. Funeral services were pending.

Known for his sometimes fiery temperament, his early morning practices, his unique matchup zone defense, his aversion to turnovers, and his fierce devotion to offering a hand to lift those who most needed a lift, Chaney retired in 2006 after winning 741 games between Cheyney and Temple.

“A man who lived his life the way he wanted, and will be remembered for his service,” said Philadelphia Simon Gratz High coach Lynard Stewart, who played for Chaney at Temple.

“He’s one of a kind,” said Bruiser Flint, now a Kentucky assistant coach. Flint first met Chaney as a 10-year-old at his basketball camp, and later went up against him coaching Massachusetts and Drexel. “There’s never going to be another John Chaney.”

A flat-out funny man. His news conferences always were can’t-miss affairs — not just the time Chaney stormed into a John Calipari news conference after a Temple-Massachusetts game, famously yelling at Calipari, “I’ll kill you.”