Savannah State University head men’s basketball coach Horace Broadnax announced his retirement on Monday, January 6th. Assistant Coach Clevan Thompson will assume the Interim Head Coach role, effective immediately.
“We thank Coach Broadnax for his leadership of the men’s basketball program here at Savannah State,” remarked Director of Athletics, Opio Mashariki. “I have immense respect and gratitude for everything Coach Broadnax has done, we congratulate him on his retirement and wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors.”
Broadnax spent 20 seasons at Savannah State after being named the program’s 11th head coach in history on April 11, 2005 and spearheaded three championships during his tenure.
Under Broadnax’s leadership, the Tigers achieved significant success. The 2011-12 season saw the Tigers win their first-ever Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Regular Season Championship with a 14-2 conference record, earning a berth in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The Tigers repeated this achievement in 2018, securing their second MEAC Regular Season Championship. Broadnax also led SSU to appearances in the College Insider.com Tournament (CIT) in 2013 and 2016. In 2022, Savannah State claimed the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Men’s Basketball Tournament Title, which earned them an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament.
“I’m happy about my decision to retire here at Savannah State,” said Coach Broadnax. “The experience here has been very rewarding and I am extremely excited for my future as well as the future of the program.
Interim Head Coach Clevan Thompson, a 2003 graduate of Savannah State with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Information Systems, brings a wealth of experience to the role. Thompson spent nearly two decades coaching boys’ basketball at nearby Bethesda Academy, leading the Blazers to twelve Final Four appearances, eight State Championship game appearances, and two State Titles. His teams claimed the Georgia Independent School Association (GISA) state championship in 2012 and the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) Class AAA state title in 2015.
“I’m excited to take the leadership role of this program,” replied Coach Thompson. “Coach Broadnax has left a positive mark on this program and I am up for the challenge in leading the the team and building on his legacy.”
