Friends of Basketball

Stephen J. Hough

Year Inducted: 2002

Category: Friends of Basketball

Schools / Organizations: (Olney) East Richland High School
Olney Central College
WLVN-WSEI Radio
Olney Junior League Basketball/Olney Lady Tigers Summer Hoops Inc.

Biography:

Stephen J. Hough, an Olney attorney, is a lifelong supporter of (Olney) East Richland High School, Olney Central College and the University of Illinois. In the late 1970’s, Hough officiated in the East Richland School District Basketball League, junior high school girls’ basketball, intramural basketball at The University of Illinois and the Urbana Park District.

Since 1984, Hough was a director of Olney Junior League basketball and was one of its founders. This league is designed to promote youth basketball in Richland County. He also began coaching girls’ junior pro basketball in Olney. He was a co-founder and director of Olney Lady Tigers Summer Hoops, Inc., a non-profit corporation for the purpose of raising funds and promoting basketball from sixth grade to high school, beginning in 1987.

In 1991, Hough became the public address announcer for Olney Central College and three years later assumed the same task, along with operating the scoreboard, for East Richland High School.

Hough started coaching the Olney Lady Tigers varsity in a summer American Youth Basketball Tour in 1996. The girls reached the national final four on four occasions, won the championship in 1997 and finished second twice. In 2000, Hough also coached a junior varsity team to a runner-up finish.

Hough started as a sponsor of the Olney Lady Tigers in the Charleston Holiday Tournament in 1997. He began to broadcast Olney High School boys’ and girls’ games and Olney Central College games on WVLN-WSEI in 2000. He has also been involved with the Blue Knight Boosters, the Olney Central College men’s and women’s fundraisers.