Guy Lewis facts for kids
Lewis, c. 1972
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| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 19, 1922 Arp, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | November 26, 2015 (aged 93) Kyle, Texas, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1945–1947 | Houston |
| Position(s) | Center, forward |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1953–1956 | Houston (assistant) |
| 1956–1986 | Houston |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 592–279 (.680) |
| Tournaments | 26–18 (NCAA Division I) 3–3 (NIT) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 5 NCAA Regional—Final Four (1967, 1968, 1982–1984) 2 SWC regular season (1983, 1984) 4 SWC tournament (1978, 1981, 1983, 1984) |
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| Awards | |
| 2× AP College Coach of the Year (1968, 1983) Henry Iba Award (1968) NABC Coach of the Year (1968) Sporting News Coach of the Year Award (1968) UPI Coach of the Year (1968) Texas Sports Hall of Fame Houston Sports Hall of Fame |
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| Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2013 (profile) |
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| College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2007 |
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Guy Vernon Lewis II (born March 19, 1922 – died November 26, 2015) was an American basketball player and coach. He is famous for leading the University of Houston Cougars basketball team. He was their head coach from 1956 to 1986.
Coach Lewis led his teams to the NCAA tournament's Final Four five times. These were in 1967, 1968, 1982, 1983, and 1984. His teams in the 1980s were called Phi Slama Jama. They were known for their exciting slam dunks. They even played in the national championship game two years in a row, in 1983 and 1984. Guy Lewis was honored by being added to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007. He also joined the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.
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Guy Lewis's Coaching Journey
Guy Lewis was born in Arp, Texas. He played basketball and football in high school. After serving in World War II, he went to the University of Houston. He used the GI Bill, which helped pay for his education. He played as a center and forward on Houston's first ever basketball team. He graduated in 1947.
In 1953, Lewis came back to the University of Houston as an assistant coach. He became the head coach in 1956. As a coach, he was known for loving the slam dunk. He called it a "high percentage shot." He also always held a bright red-and-white polka dot towel during games.
Lewis was very important in helping to end racial segregation in college sports in the South. In the 1960s, he was one of the first big college coaches to recruit African American players. In 1964, he brought Elvin Hayes and Don Chaney to the team. This started a time of great success for the Cougars. Hayes' amazing playing showed other Southern colleges that they needed to recruit Black players to compete.
Houston Cougars' Success
Coach Lewis led the Houston Cougars to 27 winning seasons in a row. They had 14 seasons with 20 or more wins. They also made 14 trips to the NCAA tournament. His Houston teams reached the Final Four five times (1967, 1968, 1982, 1983, 1984). They played in the national championship game twice (1983, 1984).
Many famous players were coached by Guy Lewis. These include Elvin Hayes, Don Chaney, Akeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Otis Birdsong, Dwight Jones, Louis Dunbar, and Ken Spain.
Historic Games and "Phi Slama Jama"
Lewis's Houston teams were part of two major events that made college basketball very popular. In January 1968, his Cougars, led by Hayes, played against John Wooden's undefeated UCLA Bruins. Houston was the underdog but won 71–69. This game was played in front of 52,693 fans at the Houston Astrodome. It was the first college basketball game shown on national TV during the regular season. It became known as the "Game of the Century." This game was a big moment for college basketball's growing popularity.
In the early 1980s, Lewis's Phi Slama Jama teams became famous. They played a fast, exciting style of basketball with lots of dunks. They reached the national championship game in 1983 and 1984. They had two seasons in a row with 30 or more wins. In 1983, the Cougars lost a very close game to North Carolina State. This loss became a famous moment in sports history. It helped make the NCAA basketball tournament, known as March Madness, even more popular. Lewis's teams played an acrobatic, fast-paced game that focused on dunking. This helped make this style of play popular with younger players.
The Cougars also lost in the 1984 NCAA Final to the Georgetown Hoyas, led by Patrick Ewing. Guy Lewis retired from coaching in 1986. He had 592 wins and 279 losses, which is a .680 winning percentage. In 1995, the University of Houston named their basketball court "Guy V. Lewis Court" in his honor. The court is at the Fertitta Center.
Later Life and Special Awards
Guy Lewis had a stroke on February 27, 2002. He got better, but the stroke had some lasting effects. From 1959 until he passed away, Lewis lived near the University of Houston. In 2012, he was honored at a special event for the Houston Aphasia Recovery Center.
Guy Lewis passed away on November 26, 2015. He was 93 years old and was at a retirement home in Kyle, Texas.
See also
In Spanish: Guy Lewis para niños
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Final Four appearances by coach
