By DeJuan Baskin
The Scene staff
The Missouri Basketball Coaches Association inducted 11 people into its Hall of Fame last month, including St. Louis Community College’s own Kenneth Libby, assistant men’s basketball coach.
“I think it’s great,” he said.
Libby has coached 43 years at Christian Brothers University, Mehlville High School, Lindbergh High School and St. Louis Community College. His record is 548-405.
Why does Libby like about coaching?
“It’s not only about seeing (players’) improvements on the court,” he said, “but getting these kids to keep up with their academic goals as well.”
Libby has won three district championships, one with a St. Louis Community College team that finished seventh in the nation. He was named National Catholic Coach of the Year in 1987.
Libby also has served 20 years on the MBCA board.
“He has been a great figure in not just St. Louis basketball, but in Missouri basketball, “ said fellow Hall of Fame inductee Mark Nusbaum. “It’s great to be in a class with others who enjoy the game as much as I do.”
Nusbaum is former head men’s basketball coach at Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Mo. He has taken six teams to the finals and two twice, once with the 31-0 Liberty High School team he coached in 1998.
Nusbaum retired this season with a Class 5A title after defeating local De Smet Jesuit High School in the state finals with 10 seniors, including Missouri Class 5A player of the year, Gatorade player of the year and Mr. Show-Me Kyle Wolf.
“I first heard about the (Hall of Fame induction) on April 1,” Nusbaum said. “And thought it was a joke,” he said.
Other inductees include Mike Davis of Columbia College, Rod Gorman of Logan-Rogersville High School, Steve Jenkins of Evangel University, Kevin Kelley of St. Joseph Central High School, Mike Keltner of Glendale High School, Joe McCraith of Hillsboro High School, Jeff Walk of Twin Rivers High School and Three Rivers Community College, Randall White of Scott City High School and Delta High School and Kenny Wyatt of Brunswick High School, Bucklin High School, Marceline High School and Salisbury High School. Wyatt was named MBCA Coach of the Year in 2012 and 2013.
“This is a very distinguished group,” said Davis, women’s basketball coach at Columbia. “It’s a great honor to go into the MBCA Hall of Fame with this group.”
Davis has coached for 25 years and won 10 conference championships, even taking one of his teams to the final four. He led Columbia’s first women’s basketball team to a 30-5 season 12 years ago.