Morehouse College basketball coach of over 20 years dies at 63
An Instagram post paid tribute to Grady L. Brewer, an Atlanta native and graduate of Morehouse after playing there.
Longtime Morehouse College basketball coach Grady L. Brewer died Saturday, He was 63.
An Atlanta, Georgia native and graduate of Morehouse, Brewer served as the Maroon Tigers’ head coach for 21 years. Under his leadership, the Tigers racked up seven 20-win seasons, seven Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular-season championships, a SIAC tournament championship and three National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament appearances.
In a statement, Morehouse College President David A. Thomas said, “The only thing that surpassed his presence on the basketball court was his transformative influence on Morehouse Men as a fellow student, player, alumnus, coach, teacher, mentor, colleague and friend.”
“Not only will his spirit continue to live on in the hearts of the Morehouse family,” Thomas continued, “but his legacy will impact the sport for years to come.”
An Instagram post from Morehouse paid tribute to Coach Brewer in a photo spread.
Brewer played basketball at Frederick Douglass High School and at Morehouse, where he graduated in 1980. He went on to coach at Booker T. Washington High School and led them to a state championship in 1987. He served as an assistant coach at Morehouse for 13 years before assuming the head coaching position.
“This is a very sad day for Morehouse athletics,” wrote Curtis Campbell, the college’s director of athletics. “I have known Grady for many years. He was a great coach and an even better human being. He cared deeply about the young men that played for him and made a lasting impact on their lives — both on and off the court. He will truly be missed and remembered by many.”
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Brewer is survived by his wife, Loletta, and three sons: Ryan, a 2010 Morehouse graduate; Xavier, a junior on the Morehouse basketball team, and Jordan.
Morehouse College is a private, liberal arts institution and the only historically Black college dedicated to educating men. It is the nation’s top producer of Black men who go on to receive doctorates and the top producer of Rhodes scholars among HBCUs.
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