WEST PLAINS, Mo. — Grizzly Basketball fans will want to make sure they attend the January 18 game against Three Rivers College at the West Plains Civic Center.
At halftime, officials with the Grizzly Booster Club and the Missouri State University-West Plains Athletics Department will induct Tom Barr into the Grizzly Athletics Hall of Fame.
Barr, the first head coach of the Grizzly Basketball program, was tasked with building the program from scratch in 1993. Using the skills and knowledge he had developed for nine seasons as an assistant to Gene Bess at Three Rivers, Barr crafted a complete program that was competitive in their very first season.
Over his 11 seasons, Barr used a philosophy of discipline, hard work and team play to guide the Grizzlies to an overall 256-98 record and two NJCAA Region 16 Championships.
On an individual level, Barr developed nine NJCAA All-Americans, two NJCAA Distinguished Academic All-Americans, 17 All-Region 16 honorees and 31 players who transferred to NCAA Division I programs.
Following the induction ceremony, a reception will be held in the civic center’s Dogwood Rooms. University officials are extending a special invitation to Barr’s former players to attend the evening’s festivities.
