A Look at Bill Ellerbee's 20-Year Coaching Career at Simon Gratz High (1983-2002)
Bill Ellerbee coached basketball at Simon Gratz for 20 seasons (1983-2002), winning 450 games and six Public League championships. His .818 winning percentage (450-100) ranks among the best in Philadelphia basketball history.
Ellerbee's teams featured some of the most decorated players in city history. Rasheed Wallace, who finished with 1,690 career points, led Gratz to multiple titles. With Wallace, Gratz went 110-9 in four seasons.
One of Ellerbee's greatest achievements was the pursuit of perfection -- his teams contended not only for Public League championships but for national rankings. His 450 career victories and six Public League championships in 20 seasons at Simon Gratz cemented his place as one of the most successful coaches in the history of the Public League.
Ellerbee had the credibility that comes from being among the leaders in career victories in Public League history. As he once reflected on team-building: "Maybe we could get a championship out of it."
Championship Legacy
Ellerbee won his first Public League championship and went on to claim five more over his two decades at Gratz, building the Bulldogs into a feared program throughout the Philadelphia area.