Gerry Matthews

Basketball Coach

1972-1980

Inducted: 1998

Gerry Matthews began his educational career in 1965 and coached at various schools throughout New Jersey until 1972 when it came to Long Branch High School as a social studies teacher and basketball coach.

Throughout his Long Branch coaching career, Mr. Matthew’s basketball teams accrued a 170-40 record. From 1976 to 1980, his teams won four Central Jersey Group III Championships; in 1977 and 1980, they won two State Group III Championships; and the 1977 team was undefeated with a 30-0 record. 1977 was also the year Coach Matthew’s and his team were named the #1 team by the Newark Star Ledger, the Daily News, and the New Jersey Network. Mr. Matthew’s was named Coach of the Year in 1977 and 1980 by the Daily News and Coach of the Year in 1980 by the Newark Star Ledger.

In 1980, he left Long Branch and joined the staff at Rumson-Fair Haven High School. In 1986, he became head coach at Richard Stockton College of New Jersey where he continued his award winning coaching career. In his twelve years at Stockton his team has a 240-90 record. They won four New Jersey Athletic Conference Championships in 1987, 1988, 1996 and 1997; made nine Division III NCAA Appearances; and went to the Final Four championships in 1987, the Final Eight in 1996, and the Final Sixteen in 1990, 1994, and 1997. As a coach, he was named New Jersey Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1987, 1988, 1992, 1994 and 1997; and New Jersey College Division Coach of the Year in 1987, 1992, and 1996.