 During that time the "Maroons" captured fourth place in 1940 and 1944 before starting three years of amazing runs to the championship game where they finished second in 1945, first in 1946, and second in 1947.In 2007, the Illinois High School Association named Combes one of the 100 Legends of the IHSA Boys Basketball Tournament.Once at Illinois he won three Big Ten titles in his first five seasons (1949, 1951, and 1952).