Danny Broussard Hits 1,185 Wins, Ties Legend Bob Hurley

EDITOR'S NOTE: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Coach Broussard had passed Peabody coach Charles Smith. The article has been updated to reflect the correct rankings and fixing the original claim.

LAFAYETTE, La. (103.3 The GOAT) — St. Thomas More crushed David Thibodaux 57-29 on Friday night, and the win did something remarkable for head coach Danny Broussard. It placed him alongside one of the most legendary names in American high school basketball history.

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43 Years of Winning

With Friday’s convincing win, Broussard now stands tied with Bob Hurley of St. Anthony High School in Jersey City, New Jersey, one of the most celebrated coaches in basketball history. Hurley, a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, compiled his 1,185-125 record over 45 years before St. Anthony closed in 2017.

“How crazy does that sound?” Broussard asked rhetorically after the game when interviewed by The Advocate's Eric Narcisse. “I was telling people ‘Can you believe this? I’m going to tie Bob Hurley, one of the greatest all-time to do it.’ It really kind of just hit home.”

Hurley himself reached out to Broussard before the milestone game.

“I talked to Bob, and he was genuinely excited for me,” Broussard said. “He said ‘I’ll be pulling for you.’ To be mentioned with those names, it is truly remarkable. I never would have imagined this. It’s just been a blessing.”

Where Broussard Ranks Nationally

Broussard’s 1,185 career wins put him in elite company. Here's where he stands among America’s winningest high school basketball coaches:

Robert Hughes (Texas) - 1,333 wins
Gary McKnight (California) - 1,294 wins
Morgan Wootten (Maryland) - 1,274 wins
Richard Duease (Mississippi) - 1,257 wins
Charles Smith (Louisiana) - 1,208+ wins
Bob Hurley (New Jersey) - 1,185 wins
Danny Broussard (Louisiana) - 1,185 wins

Broussard's tie with Hurley for sixth place marks a historic achievement in Louisiana basketball. Among active coaches still on the sidelines, Broussard ranks behind Gary McKnight, Richard Duease, and fellow Louisianan Charles Smith of Alexandria's Peabody Magnet.

Smith, who was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024, continues to add to his total and ranks as Louisiana's all-time winningest high school basketball coach.

A Career Built on Consistency and Championships

Broussard’s journey to 1,185 wins began in 1983 when he took over the St. Thomas More program from his older brother Rickey at just 23 years old. What followed was more than four decades of sustained excellence that have defined Acadiana basketball.

The numbers:

Six state championships (1986, 2013, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)
Five state runner-up finishes (1987, 1999, 2003, 2024, 2025)
27 district championships
34 consecutive playoff appearances
32 state quarterfinal appearances
20 Final Four berths
Career record of 1,185-354 (.770 winning percentage)
Averaging 27.6 wins per season over 43 seasons

“I’m just so proud of this team,” Broussard said after Friday’s victory. “A month ago, this team wasn’t anywhere where we are now. They have really bought in.”

How the Cougars Turned Their Season Around

Friday’s 28-point rout of David Thibodaux was pure Danny Broussard basketball. The Cougars held the Bulldogs to just nine first-half points and went on stretches of at least five minutes without allowing a single point—twice in the first half alone.

“Our offense is OK, but our defense was unbelievable,” Broussard said. “You always want to stop a team from doing what they do. We took away what they liked to do.”

The victory marked the Cougars’ 10th straight win and their 13th victory in the last 14 games. More impressively, St. Thomas More has won eight consecutive games since defeating Dunham 52-37 in late January.

“That Dunham game has turned us around,” Broussard explained. “It gave us so much confidence. Our guys and our coaches believe we could beat anybody now. I wouldn’t have said that a month ago.”

The turnaround caught the eye of state pollsters. The Cougars have climbed from No. 16 in the Louisiana power rankings to No. 4.

“To think that we have climbed from No. 16 in the power rankings to No. 4, it really is amazing,” Broussard said. “This team has proven a lot of doubters wrong.”

Robertson Leads the Way with Double-Double

While the milestone belonged to Broussard, the on-court star Friday night was Ryan Robertson. The versatile forward recorded a game-high 19 points to go along with 12 rebounds, a block, and a steal.

“He’s been doing everything for us,” Broussard said of Robertson. “That kid is scoring the basketball, but he also doesn’t get enough credit for changing a lot of shots on defense. He’s our only big guy and he changes a lot of shots and rebounds the ball. He’s doing a lot for us. I’m glad he’s on our team.”

The only other Cougar to reach double figures was Mack Tasman, who hit three fourth-quarter three-pointers en route to finishing with 12 points.

“Tasman is a pretty good shooter,” Broussard said. “He did a great job of making those corner threes for us.”

A Banner Year for Broussard

Friday’s historic win completes an extraordinary year of recognition for the Abbeville native. In June 2025, Broussard was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame alongside a star-studded class that included NFL standout Andrew Whitworth, pro basketball All-Stars Danny Granger and Vickie Johnson, and former LSU gymnastics champion April Burkholder.

“It’s a testament to his longevity and consistency and success,” said former player Lyle Mouton at Broussard’s Hall of Fame induction. “The way he tells it, he became a coach by default. I guess sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. He has proven it was a great decision and it wasn’t luck.”

Earlier in 2025, Broussard also coached the West team to victory in the McDonald’s All-American Game, representing Louisiana on the national stage with the country’s top high school basketball talent.

Two Legends, Similar Stories

The connection between Broussard and Hurley goes beyond statistics. Both coaches built legendary programs at small Catholic schools, transforming talented kids into championship teams and college prospects.

Hurley’s St. Anthony had just 240 students and was constantly on the edge of financial collapse, yet won 28 New Jersey state championships and four USA Today national titles. His teams produced over 150 Division I scholarship players, including six first-round NBA draft picks.

Similarly, Broussard has made St. Thomas More a consistent powerhouse despite the challenges of running a small private school program. Under his leadership, 57 former players have become coaches at various levels, including three who reached the college ranks.

Both coaches earned Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame recognition—Hurley as an inductee in 2010, and Broussard as a finalist for induction through his Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame credentials and national coaching achievements.

What’s Next for Broussard

With win No. 1,185 in the books, Broussard stands just one victory away from claiming sole possession of fifth place all-time. That historic moment could come as soon as the Cougars’ next game.

But after spending 43 years building one of America’s most successful high school basketball programs, Broussard knows the milestones are secondary to the mission.

“I mean, I owe everything to them,” Broussard said at his Hall of Fame induction in June. “I owe everything to the community, everything to the St. Thomas More administration. I think that’s the biggest thing that they take away from me is that Danny Broussard cared about his kids.”

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As the Cougars continue their late-season surge, climbing the state rankings and building momentum toward another playoff run, their 66-year-old coach keeps grinding. He’s already thinking about the next game, the next practice, the next opportunity to develop young men through basketball.

And with each win, Danny Broussard adds to his own legacy while honoring the game itself and the legendary coaches whose company he now keeps.