Clarence Iba
Encyclopedia
Clarence Iba is the former head basketball coach at the University of Tulsa
. Iba coached the Tulsa Golden Hurricane men's basketball
team for eleven seasons, from 1949 to 1960. He is the brother of former Oklahoma State coach Henry Iba
.
When Iba was hired in 1949, he became Tulsa's first full-time basketball coach. Iba led the team to a NIT
appearance in 1953, the first postseason appearance for Tulsa in the modern era. Tulsa also made the Associated Press
college basketball rankings for the first time in the 1952-53 season, reaching as high as #8 in the poll. The 1954-55 season was Iba's best at the school. Tulsa won the Missouri Valley Conference
with a 21-7 record, including 8-2 in conference. This was the first twenty-win season in school history. Tulsa advanced to the 1955 NCAA Tournament
, its first appearance in that tourney. After being eliminated in the first round, Tulsa won the consolation bracket. Additionally, Tulsa's first all-American, Bob Patterson, was from that same 1954-55 campaign.
Iba's last few years at Tulsa were not as successful as the 1954-55 campaign. He does, however, have the most career wins and longest coaching tenure in school history. Following his career as a coach, he worked as a marketing executive in Fort Worth, Texas. Iba was inducted into the University of Tulsa Hall of Fame in 1994.
Iba died on April 21, 1997 of a brain aneurysm
.
University of Tulsa
The University of Tulsa is a private university awarding bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. It is currently ranked 75th among doctoral degree granting universities in the nation by US News and World Report and is listed as one of the "Best 366 Colleges" by...
. Iba coached the Tulsa Golden Hurricane men's basketball
Tulsa Golden Hurricane men's basketball
The University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane basketball team represents the University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The team participates in Conference USA. The men’s team is currently coached by Doug Wojcik....
team for eleven seasons, from 1949 to 1960. He is the brother of former Oklahoma State coach Henry Iba
Henry Iba
Henry Payne "Hank" Iba was an American basketball and baseball coach.-Early life:Iba was born and raised in Easton, Missouri...
.
When Iba was hired in 1949, he became Tulsa's first full-time basketball coach. Iba led the team to a NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
appearance in 1953, the first postseason appearance for Tulsa in the modern era. Tulsa also made the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
college basketball rankings for the first time in the 1952-53 season, reaching as high as #8 in the poll. The 1954-55 season was Iba's best at the school. Tulsa won the Missouri Valley Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
with a 21-7 record, including 8-2 in conference. This was the first twenty-win season in school history. Tulsa advanced to the 1955 NCAA Tournament
1955 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
-West region:-National Championship:-External links:* on Shrp Sports * , source for much of the information on this page....
, its first appearance in that tourney. After being eliminated in the first round, Tulsa won the consolation bracket. Additionally, Tulsa's first all-American, Bob Patterson, was from that same 1954-55 campaign.
Iba's last few years at Tulsa were not as successful as the 1954-55 campaign. He does, however, have the most career wins and longest coaching tenure in school history. Following his career as a coach, he worked as a marketing executive in Fort Worth, Texas. Iba was inducted into the University of Tulsa Hall of Fame in 1994.
Iba died on April 21, 1997 of a brain aneurysm
Aneurysm
An aneurysm or aneurism is a localized, blood-filled balloon-like bulge in the wall of a blood vessel. Aneurysms can commonly occur in arteries at the base of the brain and an aortic aneurysm occurs in the main artery carrying blood from the left ventricle of the heart...
.