Tom Young, who led Rutgers to Final Four, dead at 89

Tom Younger, who coached Rutgers to the Last 4 in 1976, has died on the age of 89.
AP

Tom Younger, essentially the most profitable coach in Rutgers males’s basketball historical past, died Sunday, the college confirmed. He was 89.

Younger went 239-116 with 4 NCAA Match appearances and 5 convention titles from 1973-85. The crowning achievement was this system’s first and solely journey to the Last 4 in 1976. Rutgers misplaced within the nationwide semifinals to Michigan after which within the now-defunct third-place recreation to UCLA, whereas Indiana completed off what stays the final undefeated season within the sport.

Tom Younger talks to his Rutgers group at observe earlier than the 1976 Last 4 in Philadelphia.

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Younger coached 10 of Rutgers’ prime 11 all-time main scorers, together with Last 4 teammates Eddie Jordan, Phil Sellers, James Bailey and Hollis Copeland, and later Roy Hinson and John Battle. All six performed important time within the NBA.

“Tom was a pioneer for our program and set the usual for me and our gamers, previous and current,” present Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell mentioned in an announcement. “Rutgers followers will keep in mind him because the chief of the most effective season in Scarlet Knights basketball historical past. My group will proceed to work on and off the court docket to honor his legacy and contributions to Rutgers basketball.”

Younger battled coronary heart and lung illnesses, based on the Asbury Park Press’ first report of the information, however the reason for loss of life was unknown. He got here to Rutgers after serving as head coach at American College and later coached at Previous Dominion College till 1991. Younger’s loss of life hit dwelling for Jordan, a longtime NBA coach who employed Younger to be his assistant with the Washington Wizards and is a former Rutgers head coach himself.

Tom Younger in January of 1975.

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“In 1976 he mentored me as typically an undisciplined barely reckless scholar on campus,” Jordan mentioned in an announcement. “He was a father determine to me all through my whole life.”

Rutgers’ win within the first spherical of the 1983 NCAA Match was its most up-to-date till the Scarlet Knights beat Clemson within the first spherical of the 2021 bracket. Rutgers misplaced to Notre Dame within the First 4 final week, marking its first time receiving bids to the Large Dance in back-to-back seasons since Younger’s second and third years on the job. Younger recorded profitable information in all 12 seasons at Rutgers.