Bobby Roberts (basketball)

Bobby Roberts
Roberts from the 1963 Taps
Biographical details
Born(1927-12-19)December 19, 1927
Laurens, South Carolina, U.S.
DiedJune 22, 2002(2002-06-22) (aged 74)
Aiken, South Carolina, U.S.
Playing career
1949–1951Mars Hill JC
1951–1953Furman
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1954–1958Palmetto HS
1958–1962Clemson (assistant)
1962–1970Clemson
Head coaching record
Overall82–116

Bobby Roberts (December 19, 1927 – June 22, 2002) was an American college basketball coach for Clemson University from 1962 to 1970.

Roberts played for Mars Hill Junior College (now Mars Hill University) and Furman. He joined Clemson in 1958 as an assistant and coach of the freshman team. He was promoted to head coach when Press Maravich left the Tigers to take an assistant coaching position under Everett Case at NC State.[1]

Roberts coached the Tigers for eight seasons. He was the first coach in school history to lead the ram to consecutive winning seasons in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), in 1965–66 and 1966–67.[2] Roberts resigned his post with six regular-season games to go the 1969–70 season, to be effective at the end of the year. The team finished 7–19 in his last year.[3] He was replaced by Tates Locke on March 18, 1970.[4]

Roberts died on June 22, 2002, at age 74 at his home in Aiken, South Carolina.[2]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Clemson Tigers (Atlantic Coast Conference) (1962–1970)
1962–63 Clemson 12–13 5–9 T–4th
1963–64 Clemson 13–12 8–6 3rd
1964–65 Clemson 8–15 4–10 6th
1965–66 Clemson 15–10 8–6 T–3rd
1966–67 Clemson 17–8 9–5 4th
1967–68 Clemson 4–20 3–11 T–7th
1968–69 Clemson 6–19 2–12 T–7th
1969–70 Clemson 7–19 2–12 8th
Clemson: 82–116 (.414) 41–71 (.366)
Total: 82–116 (.414)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

  1. ^ "Gathering moss". Greenwood Index-News. August 22, 1962. p. 6. Retrieved December 29, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. ^ a b "Former Clemson basketball coach Bobby Roberts passes". Clemson Tigers. June 22, 2002. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
  3. ^ "Basketball coach resigns at Clemson". The Greenville News. February 12, 1970. p. 1. Retrieved December 29, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ "Locke to Coach Clemson Quintet," United Press International (UPI), Wednesday, March 18, 1970. Retrieved March 15, 2023.