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Temple's John Chaney will not coach in the Atlantic 10 tournament, part of a self-imposed punishment for ordering rough play by one of his players in a recent game that resulted in an opponent's injury.
The Hall of Fame coach was already suspended by the school for the final three games of the regular season. Chaney sent in a player he described as a "goon" against Saint Joseph's last week, and Hawks' senior John Bryant wound up with a broken arm.
Chaney had sent Nehemiah Ingram in to "send a message" over what he said was Saint Joseph's use of illegal screens.
The Hawks and Owls could have met in the A-10 tournament.
"I believe the fair thing is for me not to coach during the Atlantic 10 championship tournament in Cincinnati," the 73-year-old Chaney said in a statement Monday. "John Bryant is unable to play in the tournament because of the injury he sustained last week against Temple. Neither should I be able to coach."
Saint Joseph's athletic director Don DiJulia declined to comment to The Associated Press on Monday.
Chaney had apologized to Bryant and his family and offered to pay his medical bills. Chaney originally suspended himself for one game before the extent of Bryant's injury was known.
When an MRI on Friday showed Bryant had a broken arm, Temple suspended Chaney for the final two games of the regular season.
"I never intended - nor did any of my players intend - for anyone to be injured, regardless of what may have been said emotionally before, during and after the game," Chaney said. "But the unfortunate fact is that John Bryant was injured. I have taken full responsibility for my words and actions, and have apologized from my heart."
Chaney apologized again in his statement Monday to Bryant, both schools and the conference.
"Last week, my words and actions were wrong, wrong, wrong," he said.
Chaney is still coaching the Owls at practice, though he won't attend any of their games. Assistant Dan Leibovitz is coaching the team.
The Owls (14-11, 10-6) clinched a tie for second place in the Atlantic 10 East Division. A Temple win or a Fordham loss will earn the Owls a first-round bye in the conference tournament.
A Temple spokesman did not know if Chaney would be allowed to coach in the postseason. Even if the Owls lost their last three games, they would be at .500 and eligible for the NIT.
No disciplinary action has been taken against Ingram, who broke Bryant's arm. Ingram fouled out in 4 minutes against the Hawks and returned to play Saturday in a win over Massachusetts.
Hawks coach Phil Martelli declined to participate in Monday's Atlantic 10 coaches' teleconference - the same one on which Chaney last week threatened to take action if the Hawks continued using what he thought were illegal screens.
Chaney, who won a Division II title in 10 seasons at Cheyney State, took the Owls to 17 NCAA Tournaments from 1984 to 2001. He has a 721-294 record in his 33-year coaching career.
Chaney's only other suspension came in 1994, when Temple had him miss one game after he threatened then-Massachusetts coach John Calipari during a postgame news conference.
Source: AP
The Hall of Fame coach was already suspended by the school for the final three games of the regular season. Chaney sent in a player he described as a "goon" against Saint Joseph's last week, and Hawks' senior John Bryant wound up with a broken arm.
Chaney had sent Nehemiah Ingram in to "send a message" over what he said was Saint Joseph's use of illegal screens.
The Hawks and Owls could have met in the A-10 tournament.
"I believe the fair thing is for me not to coach during the Atlantic 10 championship tournament in Cincinnati," the 73-year-old Chaney said in a statement Monday. "John Bryant is unable to play in the tournament because of the injury he sustained last week against Temple. Neither should I be able to coach."
Saint Joseph's athletic director Don DiJulia declined to comment to The Associated Press on Monday.
Chaney had apologized to Bryant and his family and offered to pay his medical bills. Chaney originally suspended himself for one game before the extent of Bryant's injury was known.
When an MRI on Friday showed Bryant had a broken arm, Temple suspended Chaney for the final two games of the regular season.
"I never intended - nor did any of my players intend - for anyone to be injured, regardless of what may have been said emotionally before, during and after the game," Chaney said. "But the unfortunate fact is that John Bryant was injured. I have taken full responsibility for my words and actions, and have apologized from my heart."
Chaney apologized again in his statement Monday to Bryant, both schools and the conference.
"Last week, my words and actions were wrong, wrong, wrong," he said.
Chaney is still coaching the Owls at practice, though he won't attend any of their games. Assistant Dan Leibovitz is coaching the team.
The Owls (14-11, 10-6) clinched a tie for second place in the Atlantic 10 East Division. A Temple win or a Fordham loss will earn the Owls a first-round bye in the conference tournament.
A Temple spokesman did not know if Chaney would be allowed to coach in the postseason. Even if the Owls lost their last three games, they would be at .500 and eligible for the NIT.
No disciplinary action has been taken against Ingram, who broke Bryant's arm. Ingram fouled out in 4 minutes against the Hawks and returned to play Saturday in a win over Massachusetts.
Hawks coach Phil Martelli declined to participate in Monday's Atlantic 10 coaches' teleconference - the same one on which Chaney last week threatened to take action if the Hawks continued using what he thought were illegal screens.
Chaney, who won a Division II title in 10 seasons at Cheyney State, took the Owls to 17 NCAA Tournaments from 1984 to 2001. He has a 721-294 record in his 33-year coaching career.
Chaney's only other suspension came in 1994, when Temple had him miss one game after he threatened then-Massachusetts coach John Calipari during a postgame news conference.
Source: AP
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