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Broadnax resigns as Bethune-Cookman basketball coach
February 1, 2002
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Horace
Broadnax
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Clifford
Reed
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The 37-year-old Broadnax, who played on Georgetown University's 1984 national championship team, holds a juris doctorate from Florida State University.
Clifford Reed, Broadnax's top assistant for five years, has been named interim head coach. Reed, a 1991 graduate of B-CC and former head coach at Atlantic High School in Port Orange, Fla., will coach his first Division I game at 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb 2 when the Wildcats take on Maryland-Eastern Shore in a MEAC match up.
"It's a bittersweet feeling," said the 36-year-old Reed. "I've worked with coach Broadnax for five years. It's sad to see him go, but it's a wonderful opportunity for me. I hope to make the most of my opportunity. I appreciate the confidence the administration has in me to lead the program."
Broadnax compiled a 42-88 record in five seasons. He was named MEAC Coach of the Year in 1998-99 and 1999-2000, his best seasons at B-CC in which he compiled a combined 25-31 (22-15 MEAC) record. The 14-15, (12-6) mark in 1999-2000 season was the school's best record in Division I.
Entering Saturday's game, the Wildcats are 6-12 overall and 3-7 in the MEAC, and riding on a three-game conference losing streak, the first time since late February and early March 2000. B-CC, which finished 10-19 and 5-13 in the MEAC last year, was at the same point in the conference last season at 3-7 by Jan. 29, 2001. Broadnax said he had contemplated resigning during the summer, but decided to remain for what he had determined would be his final season as head coach.
"I have journal entries that I make to myself, and they have the same tone," Broadnax said. "The question is can I do this? Or should I be doing this? My leaving might be a surprise to a lot of people on the outside. The thing I did wrong was not making the decision to resign at the beginning of the season. The love of basketball kept me giving it the old college try."
Broadnax, a native of Plant City and former Florida's Player of the Year (1982), submitted his resignation to Athletic Director Lynn Thompson on Friday. Both Thompson and College President Dr. Oswald P. Bronson tried to convince Broadnax to remain until the end of the season, but Broadnax said it was a difficult decision and he had made up his mind.
Thompson said Broadnax will be sorely missed.
"Horace Broadnax will always be a part of the B-CC family," Thompson said. "He took our program to a much higher level in Division I. While we wanted him to continue as long as he chose, we must respect the decisions in his life and we wish him God's speed in his new career."
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