Thayer Academy basketball head coach Mike Babul dies at 47 [Video]

MURDER AND ARMED ROBBERY. THE MASSACHUSETTS BASKETBALL COMMUNITY TONIGHT MOURNING THE SUDDEN DEATH OF A LOCAL HERO. FORMER UMASS MEN’S BASKETBALL STAR MIKE BABEL DIED SUDDENLY YESTERDAY. ANGEL SALCEDO IN THE NEWSROOM WITH HOW THEY AND OTHERS ARE REMEMBERING HIM. ANGEL. WELL, BEN. HE WAS JUST 47 YEARS OLD. A BASKETBALL LEGEND HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS, SUCCEEDING IN THE GAME AS A COACH AND AS A PLAYER. BUT HE WAS BEST REMEMBERED FOR HIS PERSONALITY, DESCRIBED AS MAGNETIC AND PASSIONATE. HE GREW UP IN NORTH ATTLEBORO, WHERE HE PLAYED FOUR YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL ALONGSIDE HIS TWIN BROTHER JOHN. HE WON THE MASSACHUSETTS GATORADE PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD AS A SENIOR, BEFORE HE TOOK HIS TALENTS TO UMASS AMHERST, WHERE HE PLAYED COLLEGE BALL FOR FOUR YEARS, STARTING 100 GAMES FOR THE MINUTEMEN AND MAKING THE A-10 ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM FOR THREE OF THOSE SEASONS. AFTER HE GRADUATED, HE CONTINUED …