“font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; font-weight: normal;”>Congratulations
go out to Cardinal Ritter College Prep basketball coach Marvin
Neals on achieving victory No. 600 in his Hall of Fame career last
week.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>The magical moment came last Wednesday when Neals’ Lions defeated Archdiocesan Athletic Association rival St. Mary’s 84-47 last Wednesday night.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>The milestone victory for Neals was part of a spectaculary week for the Ritter program. Victory No. 599 for Neals came on Jan. 23 when the Lions upended a very good CBC team 75-62. The night following his 600th win, Neals and Lions knocked off nationally-ranked Vianney 69-66 in the Coaches vs. Cancer Shootout at the Scottrade Center.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>In a game where the coaches are getting younger and younger, Neals continues to endure and excel throughout a career that has spanned four decades. He is currently working on his second generation of players, yet than hasn’t changed his highly-competitive nature and strong work ethic.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Neals began his head coaching career at Soldan High, where he took over a lackluster program in 1974. In just a short time, Neals had the Tigers among the elite programs in the state of Missouri. Two of the stars of Neals’ early teams were shooting guard Leroy “Action” Jackson (Class of ’76) and point guard Ken Kaid (Class of ’78), who are both on the bench with Neals as assistant coaches at Ritter.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Neals reached the pinnacle of Show-Me State basketball in 1981 when Soldan won the Class 4A state championship. He stayed at Soldan for nine more years before taking a 10-year hiatus from coaching to go into administration.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Neals was talked into coaching again in 2000 by his friend Preston Thomas, who was leaving Cardinal Ritter as its head coach to lead the Harlem Globetrotters. Thomas paid a call to Neals and talked him into becoming his replacement.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Since becoming the coach at Ritter, Neals has led the Lions to three state championships and four Final Four berths in the state tournament. His teams at Ritter in the 21st century are carbon copies of his Soldan teams of the 70’s and 80’s.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Regardless of the talent level, they play hard and compete with a relentless passion. That all begins with Marvin Neals, who competes with the best of them.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>It has been a wonderful privilege to be associated with Marvin Neals during my career in the St. Louis sports media. In my 25 years of covering high school sports in town, I count him among the best coaches and best people that I’ve ever been around.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>It has truly been a treat and a special honor to know this man and be a part of everything that he has accomplished. He is a great man and a class act.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Congratulations, Marvin and continued success to you.
