Bill was the winningest coach in California High School history when he passed away in 2003 at the age of 85. He was known as ‘the John Wooden of High School Basketball.’ He coached Compton HS from 1958-1972, winning 12 league titles, with 14 straight CIF playoff appearances. He won five CIF titles in 1958, 1961, ‘63, ‘68, and ‘69. He won back-to-back National Championships in 1968 and 1969 when his Compton teams went 62-0, becoming the only CIF teams to ever go unbeaten in winning two straight titles (winning streak reached 66).

His overall coaching record was 908-298, .752 winning percentage, including 25 league titles, plus he won his sixth CIF title at Palm Springs HS where he coached from 1972-1986. In 1978, Coach Armstrong was selected as the ‘Top Coach’ in the Western states, which included California, Hawaii, Arizona, Oregon, Nevada and New Mexico. The CIF HOF recognized his accomplishments in 2007. He graduated from Marshall College in West Virginia in 1943, followed by a Master’s in 1947 before heading West. He started his HS coaching career in 1948 at Lone Pine. The Compton basketball court was dedicated to him in 2016.