When the NCAA tournament ends in April the song ‘One Shining Moment’ will play set to highlights from the tournament. Philadelphia University will not be one of the teams ‘dancing’ in the tournament, but on Saturday they had their one shining moment.
Head Coach Herb Magee won his 1,000 career game Saturday as Phila U defeated Post University 80-60. After the game a banner was unfurled above the scoreboard honoring Magee.
‘One thousand wins is a lot – even 999,’ said Magee. ‘But 1,000 is a lot different than 999.’
The game was won on Saturday with a second half attack by Phila U led by Peter Alexis. His three point play with 11 minutes left capped a 14-0 run for the Rams and extended the lead to 25.
‘He told us he hated that banner,’ Alexis said. ‘He was trying to take attention away from that and keep it focused on the season.’
Magee joins Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski who won his 1,000 game just 13 days ago, and retired Tennessee coach Pat Summit who won 1,000 games with the Lady Vols.
Magee has coached at Phila U for 48 seasons. As Magee passed coaches on the career victories list he would joke with his brother Chaz, ‘I’m whizzing past the dead guys.’
During his time with the Rams he has eleven 25 win seasons and has won 20 or more in a season 31 times. He was inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.
‘Those are good names there — Pat Summitt and Mike,’ Magee said after the game. ‘Three years ago, any part of my ego that wasn’t satisfied was satisfied when I was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Nothing can touch that as far as you are concerned as an individual. But this is a tremendous team goal. Not that I set out trying to make the Hall of Fame and win 1,000 games but those are two things I’m very proud of.’
Before joining the coaching ranks Magee was a player on the basketball team, back then the school was known as Philadelphia Textile. When he finished his playing career in the 1960’s he was the school leader in scoring with 2,235 points.
Magee is a basketball legend in this city and he hopes that this is not the high point of the season for this team as they prepare for their next game.
‘It means a lot. I think I’ll really reflect on this when the season’s over. We tell our players all the time it’s not about them as an individual, it’s about the team,’ said Magee when talking about the rest of the season. ‘So when this season’s over, and I’m talking to some of the guys at the coaches’ convention, I’m sure I’ll bust on Temple coach Fran Dunphy and St. Joe’s coach Phil Martelli about having more wins than they do. But right now, it’s a matter of relief. And we’ve got practice tomorrow morning.’
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
