Legendary Tuscaloosa Academy Basketball Coach Scott Brenizer Dead At 70

TUSCALOOSA, AL — The Tuscaloosa Academy community is in mourning following news of the death of longtime boys basketball coach Scott Brenizer on Tuesday.

He was 70 years old.

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According to an online obituary, services will take place on Monday, Jan. 31 at 10:30 a.m. at Tuscaloosa Memorial Chapel, with family receiving visitors 30 minutes prior.

Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana the day after Christmas 1951, Brenizer attended Purdue University as a freshman before transferring to the University of Alabama. He would call Tuscaloosa home the rest of his life and it would be in 1974 that he secured a job as the junior varsity basketball coach at Tuscaloosa Academy — a newly-formed school at the time.

He would take over the varsity program in 1977 and go on to compile a career record of 664-97, forging a 87.3 career winning percentage.

Over the course of three decades, he would win 13 AISA state championships and log seven undefeated seasons. His Knights also finished runner-up on four different occasions.

To further underscore the sustained success, Brenizer's tenure included runs of 100- and 55-game win streaks from 1980-83 and 1989-91, respectively.

In 2001, his contributions to the sport in Alabama were honored with his induction into the Alabama Independent School Association Hall of Fame. He would resign in 2007, but not before leaving as the most successful basketball coach in the school's illustrious hoops history.

In lieu of flowers, Brenizer's family asks that donations be made to the National Kidney Foundation.

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