The St. Louis basketball community lost a legendary figure this week in coach Marvin Neals. The Hall of Famer passed away on Tuesday. He was 83.
Neals was a tremendous coach and a father figure to countless young men throughout a career that spanned five decades. He built a winning program at Soldan High, culminating in a state championship in 1981. More than two decades later, he came out of retirement to direct the Cardinal Ritter College Prep program to three state championships.
Coach Neals’ second act was just as successful as his first.
Coach Neals was very successful despite coaching kids from different generations. The kids may have changed over the years, but Neals never changed. He was the same coach who demanded toughness and stressed basketball fundamentals. He was a hardcore competitor on the sidelines and his teams reflected that competitive spirit. He was also the same mentor and leader who cared about his players on and off the court.
I had a unique relationship with Coach Neals that dates back to my high school playing days at McCluer North High in the early 1980’s. We played that Soldan team that won the state title back in 1981 at O’Fallon Tech. They handled us pretty good that night. I didn’t get to play in that game, but as I watched them, I marvelled at their toughness and teamwork. I was not surprised to see them win the state title a few months later.
We played them again during my senior year in 1982 at our gym. This time, we fought and battled them tooth and nail to the very end. That was when the highlight moment of my high school career happened. I hit a jumper from the left corner in the closing seconds to give us a 42-41 win.
The celebration on the court was wild that night. In the middle of it all, I remember feeling this hand tap me on the shoulder from behind. I turned around and it was Coach Neals. He shook my hand and said to me, “Congratulations, Son. That was one hell of a shot that you hit.” That gesture from a state-championship coach meant more to me than hitting a game-winning shot that night.
Four years after that game, I was covering Public High League basketball for the North Side Journal. One of the first basketball games I covered was a Soldan game. After the Tigers won the game, I approached Coach Neals for an interview. The first thing he said to me was, “You are that kid from McCluer North that hit that shot from the corner, aren’t you?”
From that point on, I just enjoyed covering his games and talking basketball with him, especially how he built such a successful program at Soldan. Before he became the head coach in 1974, the Tigers had not experienced much winning. That changed when Neals took over the program.
In his 17 years at Soldan, Neals led the Tigers to five Public High League championships and eight district titles. The Tigers advanced to the Final Four of the state tournament three times and won it all in 1981. Neals helped develop the talents of great players such as David Thirdkill, Ed Becton, Leroy Jackson, Robert and Lance Simmons, Kelby Stuckey, Troy Taylor, Ken Kaid, Dwayne Polk, Kevin Washington and many others.
After leading the Tigers to a second-place finish in the Class 3 state tournament in 1990, Neals stepped away from coaching to become a full-time administrator.
We thought we saw the last of Marvin Neals as a head coach on the sidelines, but that changed in 2001 when he was tabbed as the new coach at Cardinal Ritter, replacing Preston Thomas, who went on tour as a coach with the Harlem Globetrotters. Thomas was one of the main people who coaxed Neals to come out of retirement.
Despite being away from the game for more than a decade, Neals did not miss a step when he returned. He led the Lions to a third-place finish in the Class 2 state tournament in 2001. The Lions won the state title in 2003 with a perfect 31-0 record and another one in 2006. He followed that one up with another state title in 2014.
Coach Neals’ second act was just as successful as his first. Under his tutelage, we saw the emergence of new stars, including Kenny Burke, Terry Evans, Alex Barnett, DeAndre Gilmore, Marquis Jones, Sean Clancy, Cam Biedschied and many more.
In 2007, I decided to write a book on the history of basketball in the Public High League, “The PHL in the STL.” When I needed somebody to write the foreword to the book, I called Coach Neals without hesitation. I still remember that kind gesture after our 1982 game, and I told myself there was nobody else I wanted to write it. He was not only a PHL legend but also a great man who would be a great representative of this important historical publication.
Coach Neals was a big part of the history of the PHL, not only as a great coach, but also as a great player for Sumner High for Jim Price, another coaching legend.
My prayers and sympathies go out to the family and friends of Marvin Neals, especially his wife Dorothy, who was always at his side. She is a special lady who stood side by side with a very special man.
We will all miss Marvin Neals.
Not only was Mr. Neals a great basketball coach he was an excellent scholar as he taught us psychology in 1976 at Soldan w/o a book. He told us it would be our first lecture class that would prepare us on how to take good notes. He expected excellence from his students on and off the court. RIP our legend and our hero. Blessings to Mrs. Walker/Neals because yes you were always there for him and for us. Class of “78” will never forget how you two impacted our lives.
Mr. Neal’s was the Best!!! Mrs. Dorothy Neal’s was a very kind teacher at Soldan in the 70’s. Mr. Neal’s will be missed. I am an Alumni of Soldan’s Class of “1974”
Mr. Neals was a coach at Soldan when I attended there from 69-73. I ran into Mr Neal’s again when Mt great-grandson introduced him to me as his basketball coach in 2014. I was so shocked and happy to see him and Mrs. Neals.
And his presence at the Soldan homecoming game.
Mr. Neals was an inspiration and mentor to all the children he came in contact with. Prayers to you Mrs. Dorothy Walker Neals. He was a wonderful man.
LaRue LeSueur
Class of 73