Former faculty basketball star Mike Babul has handed away, UMass introduced on Tuesday. He was 47 years previous.

The college broke the information simply minutes in the past … saying in a heartfelt assertion the Minutemen fanbase is grieving the lack of an iconic member of the neighborhood.

“Babul was a real Massachusetts basketball legend on the courtroom, serving as a optimistic pressure in his neighborhood and on many sidelines as a coach,” the varsity mentioned.

Babul, a local of Massachusetts, gained recognition as a standout highschool basketball participant … particularly throughout his senior 12 months at North Attleboro, the place he averaged 20.1 factors and eight.4 rebounds per recreation.

He earned all-conference, Gatorade Participant of the 12 months and Massachusetts Excessive Faculty Coaches Affiliation Participant of the 12 months honors.

Babul went on to go well with up for UMass on the faculty stage … and was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Defensive Workforce in three consecutive seasons (1997-2000).

Babul pursued a training profession after his enjoying days, starting at Seekonk Excessive Faculty in 2002.

He went on to function an assistant coach for a number of groups, together with the Memphis Tigers below John Calipari and the G-League’s Lengthy Island Nets.

On the time of his passing, Babul was the top coach at Thayer Academy and the proprietor of Hoop Work, which specialised in basketball camps for the youth. He was additionally a coach.

His twin brother, Jon, works for the Atlanta Hawks because the Vice President of Basketball Growth.

Babul is survived by his fiancée, Maria.