Former Penn State basketball coach John Bach dies

Former Penn State men’s basketball coach John Bach died Monday.

Bach was 91. He was the head coach at Penn State from 1968-78, part of a 56-year coaching career. Among his other stops, he served as an assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls, helping them win three NBA titles from 1991-93 as part of head coach Phil Jackson’s staff.

Bach started his coaching career at his his alma mater, Fordham, serving as the program’s head coach from 1950-68, and also serving as the school’s athletic director for 11 years, before arriving at Penn State. The Nittany Lions went 122-121 under Bach.

“John Bach was a defensive mastermind who coached and inspired so many greats over his 56-year coaching career,” Penn State coach Patrick Chambers said on the athletic department website. “His teams at Penn State in the 1970s were known for their toughness and attitude, traits that continue to define our team to this day.”

He served as the head coach of the Golden State Warriors from 1983-86 and then became an assistant for the Bulls. He worked on the Chicago coaching staff from 1986-94 before stints as an assistant with Charlotte, Detroit and Washington.

Bach finished his coaching career after working as an assistant coach in Chicago from 2003-06.

“Johnny was a true treasure in the world of basketball,” Chicago executive vice president of basketball operations John Paxson said in a statement. “He was the classic ‘old school’ coach who came to work each and every day with energy and enthusiasm for the game he loved. His zest for life and basketball were unparalleled.”

Paxson played for the Bulls from 1985-94.

Bach was a commissioned officer in the Navy and served in World War II, and also played at Fordham. He spent one season in the NBA as a player with the Boston Celtics.

He was also an assistant coach for the United States team that lost to the Soviet Union in the controversial gold medal game in the 1972 Olympic Games.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday in Chicago.

This story was originally published January 18, 2016 at 8:34 PM with the headline "Former Penn State basketball coach John Bach dies."