John Bates, American college basketball coach, Died at 77

John Bates was born in Union, S.C. and died on December 16, 2015.

He was an American college basketball coach.

He attended Allen University in Columbia, S.C.

John began his coaching career in his home state before moving to the Eastern Shore, where he compiled a combined record of 135-21 in seven years at Woodson, Somerset and Washington high schools.

He also coached the Eagles in 1974, guided the program for the 1976 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics championship with a 96-91 victory over Henderson State in the title game.

The squad had set a school record for wins in a single season with 39.

John teams at UMES went 73-14 in three seasons.

The 1973-74 squad received a berth in the National Invitational Tournament, becoming the first historically black college or university to play in the NIT.

Bates team moved on to the NIT quarterfinals where they lost to Jacksonville, 85-83, and finished with a 27-2 mark.

John was elected to the UMES Athletics Hall of Fame in 1999 and was also enshrined in the MEAC Hall of Fame in 1993.

He left behind his wife, Althea, and their son John Jr.

John Bates passed away at 77 yrs old.