Bill Sheridan (basketball)
{{Short description|American basketball player and coach (1942–2020)}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| embed =
| name = Bill Sheridan Jr.
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| height_ft =
| height_in =
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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1942|1|11}}
| birth_place = Brooklyn, New York
| death_date = {{death date and age|2020|12|26|1942|1|11}}
| death_place = Lynchburg, Virginia
| nationality = American
| high_school = St. Peter's
(Staten Island, New York)
| college = Fordham (1960–1963)
| draft_year = 1963
| career_start =
| career_end =
| career_position =
| career_number =
| coach_start =
| coach_end = 1987
| cyears1 = {{0}}
| cteam1 = Virginia Tech (assistant)
| cyears2 = 1973–1976
| cteam2 = Punch
| cyears3 = 1974–1976
| cteam3 = {{bklink|Netherlands}}
| cyears4 = 1976–1977
| cteam4 = EBBC Den Bosch
| cyears5 = 1980–1982
| cteam5 = EBBC Den Bosch
| cyears6 = 1982–1983
| cteam6 = Donar
| cyears7 = 1983–1987
| cteam7 = Brighton Bears
| highlights =
As coach:
- 2× Eredivisie champion (1975, 1981)
- Dutch Cup champion (1974)
- 2× Eredivisie Coach of the Year (1975, 1977)
| medal_templates =
}}
William E. Sheridan Jr. (January 11, 1942 – December 26, 2020) was an American basketball coach. He made a name for himself coaching for several clubs in the Netherlands, as well as for the Dutch national team.
Early life
Sheridan grew up in West Brighton, Staten Island and played for St. Peter's Boys High School, where he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001. He also played baseball, being a pitcher for the Uncle Bill Canlon's Travelers. He served in the United States Marine Corps where he rose to the rank of captain.
Coaching career
Sheridan started his coaching career as an assistant coach with Virginia Technical Institute. In December 1973, Sheridan signed as head coach of Punch Delft of the Dutch Eredivisie. Punch went on a 16-game win streak in the season and also won the NBB Cup. In his second season with Punch, the club won its second ever Eredivisie title.
In 1976, Sheridan transferred to become head coach of EBBC Den Bosch where he coached for one season. EBBC was defeated early in the playoffs and Sheridan was replaced by Ton Boot. However, the following summer, Sheridan returned and won a second Eredivisie title. In the 1981–82 FIBA European Champions Cup, he coached Den Bosch to the semifinal group stage.
In the 1982 offseason, Sheridan signed with Donar where he replaced Maarten van Gent. After one season, he signed with the Brighton Bears in the United Kingdom. The Bears withdrew from the National Basketball League in 1987.
In September 1974, Sheridan was hired as the head coach of the Netherlands national basketball team. On October 25, he won his first international game against {{bklink|Denmark}} 97–60. He coached the team as well at the EuroBasket 1975, finishing 10th with the Netherlands.{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball.nl/basketball/nieuws/actueel/bill-sheridan-overleden-passie-en-onbegrip/|title=Bill Sheridan overleden, passie en onbegrip|work=Basketball.nl|language=nl|trans-title=Bill Sheridan passed away, passion and incomprehension|date=December 29, 2020|accessdate=January 5, 2021}}
Personal life
Sheridan met his wife while living in Delft. They had three children together. On December 26, 2020, he died at age 78.{{Cite web|url=https://www.silive.com/sports/2020/12/bill-sheridan-a-former-st-peters-hs-standout-athlete-and-european-hoops-coach-dies-at-age-78.html|title=Bill Sheridan, a former St. Peter's HS standout athlete and European pro hoops coach, dies at age 78|work=SI Live|date=December 26, 2020|accessdate=January 5, 2021}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Donar (basketball club) coaches}}
{{Den Bosch Basketball coaches}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheridan, Bill}}
Category:American expatriate basketball people in the Netherlands
Category:American expatriate sportspeople in England
Category:American men's basketball coaches
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Basketball coaches from New York (state)
Category:Donar (basketball club) coaches
Category:Fordham Rams men's basketball players
Category:Heroes Den Bosch coaches