John Valone is a legend in South Jersey. The basketball coach, who spent 35 years at Cherry Hill East, added another notch to his impressive resume Wednesday when he picked up career victory No. 700.
Holy Cross Prep rolled to a 76-37 road victory over Cinnaminson as Valore reached the milestone. Valore is currently in his second year at the Delran-based school, is now 700-433 after winning 548 games at Cherry Hill East (where the court is named after him), one season at Cumberland and five seasons at Camden, where he captured four South Jersey, Group 2 titles (2013-14 to 2017-18).
Valore becomes the 12th boys basketball head coach to win 700 games in the state, which includes former St. Anthony coach Bob Hurley, Sr. and Clarence Turner of Camden.
“Any time you go into a contest and you win, you have a great feeling. So winning always puts me in a good mood,” Valore told NJ.com. “Winning my 700th puts me in a great mood and I have to tell you, without the support of my wife, Joyce, and my two children, J.C. (the lacrosse coach at St. Augustine) and Jennifer (the lacrosse coach at Our Lady of Mercy Academy) over the years, none of this would have been possible. It is unbelievable what they have done for me in order for me to do what I do.”
