Sixers Assistant to Hold Free Coaching Clinic at Lenape

One person who has never forgotten his roots is 76ers assistant coach Billy Lange. He grew up in Haddon Heights and attended Bishop Eustace and South Jersey has always been a special place for Lange.

In something that has become a yearly tradition, Lange will hold a free coached clinic June 14 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Lenape High School’s South gym.

This clinic is open to coaches of all levels. For more information, contact Lenape boys’ basketball coach Chuck Guittar at cguittar@lrhsd.org.

Lange, 46, has continued his rise in the coaching ranks.

He was hired by the 76ers as an assistant coach during Brett Brown’s first season and just completed his fifth year with the Sixers.

Lange is known for helping develop especially the young players.

Now 46, Lange got his first coaching job as his high school alma mater. He played point guard at Bishop Eustace for his father Bill Lange Sr. among the best coaches in South Jersey history.

Billy Lange played at Rowan University. In 1995 when his father suffered several injuries after falling off a roof, 1995, Billy Lange, who was an assistant, became the interim head coach at Bishop Eustace.

In his lone season, he guided the Crusaders to a 20-6 record and the South Jersey Parochial B title. The Crusaders lost to an unbeaten St. Anthony team in the state Parochial B championship.

The next year Billy Lange moved to the college ranks. He was an assistant for two years at Philadelphia Textile, (now known as Jefferson U) and spent one season in 1999 as an assistant at La Salle University.

He then earned his first college head coaching job at Division III U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Lange coached there two seasons and in his second year, guided his team to the NCAA Division III Sweet 16.

Lange then left for the first of two stints at Villanova. He spent three seasons as an assistant coach before being named the head coach at the Naval Academy, a job he held for seven years.

Then it was back to Villanova where he served as associate head coach for two seasons before being hired by the Sixers.

Imagine what it means for a high school or grammar school coach to be able to attend a free clinic conducted by an NBA coach.

Lange’s free clinic is one that is anticipated by the South Jersey coaching fraternity, which no doubt is rooting for somebody who gives back in a big way, always remembering the place where he got his start.

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Author: Marc Narducci; Photo by Marc Narducci