McKendree’s Statham nearing Smith’s all-time victories mark

Harry Statham thought he was making a temporary stop when he took over as McKendree College’s basketball coach in 1966.

His dream was to win a state high school championship, but jobs at the premier high schools were hard to come by, especially for a young coach. Statham figured if he could put a few successful seasons together at McKendree, his alma mater, he’d be able to land a better job.

Almost 40 years later, Statham is still at the small NAIA school in Lebanon, Ill. He never did win that state championship, but he’s poised for an even greater milestone. With 878 career wins, Statham is one victory shy of Dean Smith’s total. And he could match the famed North Carolina coach, who holds the NCAA record, as early as tonight.

“If you coach long enough, those things happen,” said Statham, whose Bearcats play tonight and Saturday afternoon at the Union University Tournament in Jackson, Tenn.

“I just look at it as an event that’s going to happen because I’ve been here for 39 years and we’ve had a consistent program with success,” he said. “And we’ve had just great kids in our program.”

McKendree is a small liberal arts college with 1,500 students, about 25 minutes east of St. Louis. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is a rung below the NCAA, but Statham’s numbers speak for themselves.

He’s topped 20 wins in 29 of his 38 seasons at McKendree and probably will do it again this year, with his team already 7-1. He’s averaging 27 wins over the past 15 years. He’s made it to the postseason 33 times and took the Bearcats to the semifinals of the NAIA national tournament two seasons ago.

He was the NAIA coach of the year for 2001-02, set that level’s career wins record the next season, and is already a member of the NAIA Hall of Fame.

“When I look at our players, that’s what makes me proud,” Statham said. “It’s not one game, it’s kind of the compilation of the big events. We did it right. I’m proud to say we didn’t bend the rules. We’ve proved you can do it the right way.”

Whether players are wearing short shorts or those baggy ones that droop below their knees, cutting their hair short or growing it long, Statham has always looked for the same kind of kid. He wants players who are good people, good students and good players — in that order.

“He cares about you as a person before a player,” said Chad Storck, a co-captain this year.

“The razzmatazz and flash-and-dash, we don’t recruit those kids,” Statham said.