After a two year delay due to COVID-19, the Three Rivers men's basketball program and its fans get to congratulate a legend on a well-deserved retirement as the college will host the Gene Bess Retirement Celebration on Saturday, May 21 at the Libla Family Sports Complex.

Bess retired after the 2019-20 season with the most wins as a junior college basketball coach at 1,300-416 and two national championships in 1979 and 1992.

"When my Dad retired in 2020, it was right at the start of the pandemic," said Brian Bess, Gene's son and current Three Rivers men's basketball coach and athletic director. "We could't do a get together then and we had one in the fall, but a lot of the former players couldn't come because they were coaching or had other prior engagements. So we wanted to have one in the spring."

The event will feature several former players including members of the national championship teams, coach Bess' first team in 1971 and a few fan favorites.

"Gene has coached over 400 players throughout his career," Brian Bess said. "I don't know how many of them will come, but it'll be an afternoon of reminiscing and roasting a little bit. The plan is to have the former players down on the floor and we'll have the bleachers extended for any fans that want to come."

Throughout the 2021-22 basketball season, the Three Rivers booster club has been raising funds to erect a statue of Gene Bess in front of the Libla Family Sports Complex.

"It's an $80,000 venture and the booster club is about $9,500 away from their goal," Brian Bess said. "They'll have a table set up for people to donate towards the statue."

The event will start at 2 p.m. with Gene Bess having a photo shoot and a meet and greet with fans in the main lobby of the Libla Family Sports Complex before moving to the main arena at 3 p.m.

Since his retirement, Gene Bess has made appearances at Three Rivers athletics banquets, the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame banquet and select men's and women's basketball games.

Robert Augsdorfer - Daily American Republic