MORTON – Bob Becker has seen plenty of great players suit up for his team before hanging their sneakers up and graduating.
Now, the legendary Morton girls basketball coach will hang up his own coaching sneakers after over 30 years with the program. Becker announced his retirement from coaching and teaching in a social media post on Friday.
“It is impossible to sum up my coaching career in a single statement; there are simply too many people and so many memories to share,” Becker said in his statement. “Serving as our varsity girls basketball coach for the past 26 years has been my passion. I have loved and embraced every single minute.”
Becker finished his career with 629 wins, which ranks 13th among all girls’ basketball head coaches in IHSA history. He made the Potters a fixture in Illinois girls’ basketball, leading them to eight state berths. Under his guidance, Morton won four state titles (2015, 2016, 2017, 2019) and advanced to state in 2007, 2013, 2020 and 2022.
Before Becker took over in the 1999-2000 season, Morton had won four regional titles in the program’s first 25 years. The longtime head coach more than quadrupled that regional title total, winning 17 regionals, along with nine sectional crowns.
The Potters have finished above .500 for 22 straight seasons and won 13 Mid-Illini titles under Becker.
“I have truly been blessed to do what I love for and with an incredible collection of players, their parents and families, our school district and the remarkable members of this Morton community,” Becker said in his statement.
“I’ve given my all to build our Potter program and culture and the future is bright. My sincere wish is that the ‘Sisterhood’ of Lady Potter basketball continues a tradition of consistent excellence on and off the court. Tradition never graduates…or retires.”
This story will be updated.
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