Southeastern Oklahoma State University Athletics

Basketball (1960-62)

Marvin Adams was an outstanding basketball player for Coach Bloomer Sullivan’s Savages in the early 1960’s.

Adams was born September 16, 1940 in St. Clair, Missouri and graduated from Salem High School in 1958. He attended Cowley County Community College in Arkansas City, Kansas from 1958 to 1960 and starred on the Tigers basketball team.

Adams was recruited to Southeastern by Coach Sullivan and had a great two-year career for the Savages, establishing himself as one of the best point guards who ever played for the university. Adams was named to the Oklahoma Collegiate Conference All-Conference team twice. In 1962, he had his finest year and was a key player on one of Southeastern’s all-time great teams. The Savages reached the semi-finals in the 32 team NAIA National Tournament at Kansas City. Adams was named an Honorable Mention All-American by the Associated Press.

Following graduation, Adams coached nineteen years which included five years as head coach at Murray State College and Southeastern Iowa Community College and eight years as head coach at Arkansas State University. He retired from coaching in 1984.

Marvin Adams was an outstanding basketball player for Southeastern and had a very successful college coaching career. He was inducted into the Southeastern Athletic Hall of Fame on January 27, 1996.