James Quitman Allen was one of the most respected coaches and “roundball mentors” in Clinton, Mississippi and the Mid-South. His coaching career began while a student at Mississippi College where he coached women’s basketball at Hillman Institute** (the female division of Mississippi College until 1930).

After graduating from M.C. in 1933, Coach Allen was hired immediately by J.M. Lassetter, father of Mary Beth Lassetter Beck Pearson, to coach varsity high school basketball for the Clinton Public Schools (1933-53).

In 1953, because of Clinton’s esteem for Coach Allen and as a tribute to his profound influence in Mississippi basketball, the Clinton High School Student Body voted, unanimously, in favor of naming the Clinton Junior High Gym (formerly the Clinton High School Gym) the “JAMES Q. ALLEN GYMNASIUM.”

In 1953 “Stute” moved to college level coaching at his Alma Mater-- Mississippi College in Clinton, Ms. During his 20 years at M.C. (1953 until retirement in 1973) “Stute” coached the Choctaws to 214 wins and established nine (9) National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) scoring records—five of which still stand.

Coach Allen brought to college coaching a distinctive “run ‘n gun” style that inspired his players, thrilled his fans and caught the attention of sports writers far and wide.
He was named to the Mississippi College Sports Hall of Fame in 1975 and to the Mississippi Association Coaches Hall of Fame in 1985.

Stute’s most notable record was set in 1960 when his squad averaged 114.2 points a game. That feat is still an NCAA record after all these years. His team teams also hold the NCAA records for widest margin in a single game (118 points in a 168—50 win over Dallas Bible in 1971 and most field goals (79) in a single game, also versus Dallas Bible.

Shaping the course of basketball in the state of Mississippi, Coach Allen helped some two hundred coaches learn the fundamentals of the game.

Records come and go, but the impact of James Q. Allen’s brilliant career and superlative mentoring will live on forever in the hearts and minds of countless Mississippi athletes and their families.

**Overtime footnote:
How did Coach Allen get the nickname STUTE? While he was teaching and coaching at Hillman College (known as “the institute”), his girl’s basketball team nicknamed him STUTE!