Lowery to be inducted into basketball hall of fame

For some 20 years, Mike Lowery led the basketball program at Marysville-Pilchuck.

By Danielle Szulczewski • July 14, 2009 1:53 pm
Then-Tomahawk basketball coach Mike Lowery is surrounded by his team as they huddle on the sideline. The Tomahawk’s former coach will be inducted into the state basketball coaches’ hall of fame this month.
Then-Tomahawk basketball coach Mike Lowery is surrounded by his team as they huddle on the sideline. The Tomahawk’s former coach will be inducted into the state basketball coaches’ hall of fame this month.

MARYSVILLE — For some 20 years, Mike Lowery led the basketball program at Marysville-Pilchuck.

This summer, he’ll be inducted into the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Basketball Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame.

“His going in the hall of fame is very well deserved,” said longtime assistant coach and friend Jeff Thomas. “The time and effort he put into Marysville basketball over the years was second to none around.”

Lowery will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the end of the month with his brother Norm Jr. The coach retired from the Tomahawk basketball program after the 2004-05 season, wrapping up a 218-212 career record.

While Lowery led the program to five state tournaments, the coach’s biggest legacy may be the generation of coaches he led on the court. Three of his former players coach varsity programs in Wesco North: Zach Ward at Stanwood, Aaron Nations at Everett and Bary Gould, who succeeded Lowery at M-P. Others include Darrell Walker at Everett Community College, Wayne Rumbaugh at Auburn Mountainview and Brent Montague at the University of Montana-Billings.

One year, he took a team that finished 0-20 to the state tournament the following year. Gould played on both teams.

“That’s how I judge the quality of coaching. When you work with kids and they want to do the job that they saw Mike do, that’s quite a legacy to leave,” Thomas said.

Coaching runs in the Lowery family. Both Mike and Norm Jr. grew up around Everett basketball, where their father coached for 18 years. The family business influenced Lowery as he coached, according to Thomas.

“Mike was just a great guy to work with. Just straightforward, very passionate about what went on. A lot of his time and effort was put into Marysville basketball,” he added. “It’s well deserved that he goes into the state hall of fame.”