Jack Gray (basketball)

Jack Gray (May 12, 1911 – March 7, 1992)[1] was an American college basketball player and coach.

Jack Gray
Gray from the 1947 Cactus
Biographical details
Born(1911-05-12)May 12, 1911
Van Zandt County, Texas
DiedMarch 7, 1992(1992-03-07) (aged 80)
Austin, Texas
Playing career
1932–1935Texas
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1936–1942Texas
1945–1951Texas
Head coaching record
Overall194–97
Tournaments2–3 (NCAA)
0–1 (NIT)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
3 SWC regular season (1939, 1947, 1951)
NCAA Final Four (1947)
Awards
Consensus All-American (1935)

Gray played for the Texas Longhorns men's basketball team from 1933 to 1935. As a player, he set a Southwest Conference record with 32 points in 1933 [2] which stood for 16 years. Gray was a First-Team All-American guard in 1935[3] and was All-SWC all three years of his varsity career. He was known for his one-handed "push" shot, a precursor of the jump shot.[4]

With one year of coaching experience took over the coaching job at age 25.[5] In his first six years as coach beginning in 1937, he led the Longhorns to five winning seasons[6] and led the Longhorns to their first Elite Eight in the first NCAA Tournament in 1939. After returning from World War II, Gray led the Longhorns to their first Final Four in the 1947 NCAA Tournament. He coached Basketball Hall of Famer Slater Martin from 1944 to 1949.

Gray got his team in the National Invitation Tournament in 1948, their first AP Poll ranking (#20 in 1949).

He ranks third all-time in Longhorns basketball history in wins with 194 victories to 97 losses and had a final Southwest Conference record of 89–55. He was head coach for 12 years, which as of 2011, ranked as the second-longest basketball coaching term at University of Texas.[7]

Head coaching record
Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Texas Longhorns (Southwest Conference) (1936–1942)
1936–37 Texas 13–105–7T–5th
1937–38 Texas 11–115–75th
1938–39 Texas 19–610–21stNCAA Regional Fourth Place
1939–40 Texas 18–58–42nd
1940–41 Texas 14–107–53rd
1941–42 Texas 14–95–75th
Texas Longhorns (Southwest Conference) (1945–1951)
1945–46 Texas 16–77–53rd
1946–47 Texas 26–212–01stNCAA Third Place
1947–48 Texas 20–59–32ndNIT Quarterfinal
1948–49 Texas 17–77–54th
1949–50 Texas 13–116–6T–4th
1950–51 Texas 13–148–4T–1st
Texas: 194–97 (.667)89–55 (.618)
Total:194–97 (.667)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

See also

References
  1. Jack Gray, 81, former head coach Fort Worth Star Telegram. March 8, 1992
  2. Top 100 Moments in Texas Men's Basketball History Archived July 31, 2013, at the Wayback Machine texassports.com a CBS Sports college network]
  3. Jack Gray, 81, former head coach Fort Worth Star Telegram. March 8, 1992
  4. Top 100 Moments in Texas Men's Basketball History Archived July 31, 2013, at the Wayback Machine texassports.com a CBS Sports college network]
  5. Top 100 Moments in Texas Men's Basketball History Archived July 31, 2013, at the Wayback Machine texassports.com a CBS Sports college network]
  6. Top 100 Moments in Texas Men's Basketball History Archived July 31, 2013, at the Wayback Machine texassports.com a CBS Sports college network]
  7. Texas Basketball Timeline Archived January 1, 2007, at the Wayback Machine Texas Statesman November 15, 2005
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