Maryland

Legendary DeMatha Coach Morgan Wootten Dies at 88

Wootten, the first high school coach inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, led the Catholic school team from Prince George's County, Maryland, to more than 30 conference championships

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DeMatha Catholic High School coach Morgan Wootten, considered the most successful high school basketball coach in the sport's history, died Tuesday. He was 88.

DeMatha High School shared the Wootten family's announcement on Twitter, saying the coach was surrounded by friends and family at the end.

DeMatha says funeral arrangements are forthcoming.

Wootten was the first high school coach inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000, after more than four decades coaching his team.

Wootten coached at DeMatha from 1956 to 2002, pushing his team to more than 1,200 victories and sending a dozen players on to the NBA, according to the Basketball Hall of Fame.

DeMatha won more than 30 conference championships under Wootten's leadership.

Wootten coached at DeMatha from 1956 to 2002, pushing his team to more than 1,200 victories and sending a dozen players on to the NBA, according to the Basketball Hall of Fame.

The week of Wootten's death, his family announced he was in hospice care and asked for those he impacted to send him a message.

A high school basketball icon in our area is now in hospice care, DeMatha Catholic High School says. His family shared info on how you can send him a message. News4’s Justin Finch reports.

After his death, remembrances poured in online.

"He will forever be 'Coach' to all of us," current DeMatha basketball coach Mike Jones said.

A funeral mass will be held on Monday, Jan. 27 at 10 a.m. All services are at DeMatha Catholic High School Brendan Looney Convocation Center at 4313 Madison Street in Hyattsville. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to the Morgan Wootten Scholarship Fund at DeMatha High School.

Stay with News4 for more on this story.

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