Men's Basketball | 7/30/2025 1:12:00 PM

Saint Francis University is deeply saddened by the passing of Saint Francis Athletics Hall of Famer Larry Lewis, who passed away on Friday, July 25 at the age of 78.

There will be a public viewing for Lewis on August 8 from 4:00–6:00 pm (CT) at Calahan Funeral Home (7046 S. Halsted) in Chicago, Ill. The funeral service will also be at the Calahan Funeral Home on August 9 from 10–11 am (CT) before he is laid to rest at the Lincoln Cemetery in Blue Island, Ill. 

Lewis, a 1969 graduate of Saint Francis, played three seasons in Loretto from 1966-69 for the men's basketball team. He finished his career with 1,293 points and 1,324 rebounds. He is one of three players in program history to finish his career with 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds (Maurice Stokes and Keith Braxton) and ranks second only to Naismith Hall of Famer Stokes in program history for rebounds. Lewis' career rebound total was the 33rd most in NCAA Division I history when he graduated and still ranks 66th in the nation. When Lewis' career ended in 1969, he ranked seventh in career points at Saint Francis; now, he sits in 20th place. 

Lewis set a single-game program record with 46 points in a 111-88 win against Saint Vincent at the Jaffa Mosque in Altoona on February 10, 1969, his penultimate collegiate home game of his career. He is one of nine players in team history to register a 40-point game. Lewis posted at least 386 rebounds in all three seasons in Loretto, and the only player to grab more boards in a campaign was Stokes. Lewis had 386 boards in his first season (sixth most in single-season history), 443 rebounds in 1967-68 (fourth most in team history), and 495 caroms in 1968-69 (third most in program history). He averaged a double-double all three seasons and ranked second in NCAA Division I in his senior campaign with 20.6 rebounds per game. Spencer Haywood (Detroit), who would have a 13-year ABA/NBA career, won the rebounding title that season with 21.5 rebounds per game.

Lewis was Saint Francis' version of Wes Unseld and matched perfectly with Norm Van Lier to give the Frankies a fine inside/outside combination. His play was labor-intensive, and what he gave up in comparative height, he made up for in his strength and timely jumping ability. Once he had the ball in his hands, there was no taking it from him. 

The Frankies were 52-23 overall with Lewis on the team and 28-3 in home games. During his first year with the Loretto program, the squad was undefeated at home (11-0), swept Duquesne in a two-game season series for only the third time in the series, and defeated Marshall for the last Red Flash win against the Thundering Herd. Marshall finished 20-8 in 1966-67 and advanced to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) semifinals. All three seasons, Saint Francis defeated Saint Peter's in the regular season. The Peacocks played in the NIT all three years, including posting a program-defining win against Duke in the semifinals in 1968, which was the best season for the Jersey City team until its Elite 8 run in 2022.

Lewis was drafted in the ninth round (pick 126) by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1969 NBA draft and by the Miami Floridians in the ABA. He was the sixth Red Flash player drafted in school history, and that draft marked the only time Saint Francis had two players taken in the same draft, following his teammate Norm Van Lier (third round, pick 34 by the Chicago Bulls). Lewis is one of seven Red Flash players drafted who did not appear in an NBA contest.

Lewis was inducted into the Saint Francis Athletics Hall of Fame on June 23, 2012. 

Lewis, born on March 10, 1947, in Chicago, Ill., was a history teacher at Dyett Middle School until his retirement in 2009. Lewis served as the head coach of Kennedy-King College in Chicago from 1973 to 1989. He returned to his high school alma mater, DuSable High School, as head coach in 1991. He worked tirelessly to rebuild the school's basketball program, leading the team to the ISHSA Tournament for the first time since his senior season at DuSable, but suffered a heartbreaking loss to Whitney Young in the semifinals. In addition, after his retirement, Lewis served as a driver's education instructor. 

DuSable High School was a significant pipeline to Saint Francis men's basketball, which also produced Lenny Murray, Kevin Porter, Sam Sloane, and Ron Smith.