Pictured above: Princeville HS Principal Rich Thole, senior Lady Prince Paisley Schock, AD Jeff Kratzer, Pam and John Gross, IBCA rep Steve Allen.
On Friday morning, December 27, at the Princeville Lee Westerman Holiday Tournament, Coach John Gross won career basketball victory #900. Coach Gross is only the 4th Illinois High School Girls Coach to reach 900 wins –and is currently #1 on the active coaching list.
On Friday, February 7, Princeville High School, along with the IBCA, honored John before a packed house between games of a triple-header – girls and boys - basketball night. The IBCA presented Coach Gross with an engraved “Golden Whistle”. Senior player, Paisley Schock, representing the Lady Princes basketball team and Princeville High School, presented the 900th win game ball autographed by the team.
Coach Gross’s 900 career wins include 544 wins and a Class 2A State Tournament Runners-up finish in 1992 at Bartonville Limestone High School; 147 victories and a Class 2A State Championship in 2005 and Class 3A State title in 2009 at Peoria Richwoods; and 209 victories, and counting, for the Princeville Lady Princes. That includes back-to-back 30-win seasons in 2017 and 2018. Principal Rich Thole stated: “John has a very unique ability to read his players’ abilities and help them and their teams reach their full potential”.
He is a member of the Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame, the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame – Class of 1994, and the National High School Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame.
Congratulations to Coach John Gross, his wife Pam and family, Princeville High School, and all past and current players, coaches, and teams who have had the privilege of playing or working with Coach Gross.
