Greenwood (Arkansas) girls basketball coach Clay Reeves notches 800th win

Reeves has coached 36 years and won a combined 10 state titles at Greenland and Greenwood

When Clay Reeves started coaching girls basketball, he didn’t dream about hundreds of wins or state championships. He had just one goal. 

“I was just trying to win one game a time and learn as much as I could,” said the Eudora native and University of Arkansas at Monticello graduate. “I didn’t even think of winning that many games.”

Thursday night, Reeves notched the 800th win of his illustrious career when his Lady Bulldogs, who are ranked No. 3 in the latest SBLive Arkansas Top 25, ran past Siloam Springs, 65-39.

“We are just in the middle of the conference season trying to be the best team we can be and improve. Our kids are just trying to win the next one,” Reeves said. “It’s special, and I have just been very blessed to have been at such great schools in great communities with awesome assistant coaches and players. I am just a small part of this. All of those people deserve a lot of credit.”

Greenwood coach Clay Reeves earned his 800th win Thursday night. (Photo by Tommy Land)

Reeves’ coaching career started thanks to another legend. Late longtime UAM athletic director and women’s basketball and softball coach Alvy Early took a young Reeves under his wing. Reeves came to UAM from Eudora, a tiny southeast Arkansas town, to play on the men’s basketball team but after that didn’t work out, Early offered him a manager’s position and showed him the ropes of coaching.

“I watched [Early] and learned as much as I could from him,” Reeves said. “All of those coaches he brought in to work camps in the summer, I learned from them, too, and became friends with them.”

Upon graduation from UAM after the fall semester, Reeves landed at now-defunct Montrose Academy, a small private school in southeast Arkansas, where he subbed for the head coach for the second half of the season. He said he’s never counted those games and said his coaching career officially started in northeast Arkansas at Bay.

Reeves estimates he finished around .500 at his first job before Early gave him the biggest break of his career and helped him get the head-coaching job at Greenland in Northwest Arkansas.

“Alvy went to school with the principal there, and he asked if Alvy knew of anyone who would be good for that job” Reeves said. “He recommended me.”

Reeves helped put the then-Class 2A school on the girls basketball map and won three state titles in 12 years there.

Then, 21 years ago, Reeves moved an hour or so south in the River Valley to Greenwood, which was a 5A school then. He took over a Bulldogs program which had experienced a measure of success and made it to the state final in the late 1990s but had never won a title. His teams have won seven, and he notched his 400th win at the school last winter.

“I was coaching grades 7-12 [at Greenland] and track, and I just felt like it was time to make a change,” he said. “I had great players and community support there, but I wanted a new challenge and to start over again. I have been blessed to be at Greenwood and again coach some outstanding players and teams.”

Reeves, who hit the 700 career wins mark in 2020, said he has no plans of retiring any time soon. Greenwood is gunning for its third consecutive Class 6A state championship and is 14-3.

“I don’t have any hobbies,” said Reeves, who has been married for 32 years with two grown children. “Basketball is my hobby. Basketball and my family are the most important things. I am still learning about basketball every day. I am still learning from great players and assistant coaches. If I do [retire], I’m going to have to find something to replace basketball.”

For now, Reeves will savor his latest win and milestone and keep doing what he has done since he began his coaching career – prepare to win the next game.

“It’s a great feeling,” Reeves said. “I am just so very fortunate to share it with so many people. I am really blessed.”