| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 31, 1906 Bronx, New York, U.S. |
| Died | January 22, 1968 (aged 61) |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| c. 1927 | Manhattan |
| Basketball | |
| 1924–1928 | Manhattan |
| Position | Quarterback (football) |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Basketball | |
| 1929–1942 | Manhattan |
| 1946–1947 | New York Knicks |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 165–82 (college) 33–27 (BAA) |
Cornelius Joseph "Neil" Cohalan (July 31, 1906 – January 22, 1968) was an American basketball coach. He was the interim coach of the New York Knicks in their first season. Joe Lapchick had been tapped as coach, but opted to stay at St. John's for one more season.
Cohalan was the winning coach of the first game played in the Basketball Association of America (BAA), the forerunner to the National Basketball Association (NBA). The game, a November 1, 1946 contest between the Knicks and the Toronto Huskies played in the Maple Leaf Gardens, was won 68–66 by the Knickerbockers.
Prior to his pro career, Cohalan was the head basketball coach at Manhattan College from 1924 through 1942, where as a student he played basketball and football.
| Regular season | G | Games coached | W | Games won | L | Games lost | W–L % | Win–loss % |
| Playoffs | PG | Playoff games | PW | Playoff wins | PL | Playoff losses | PW–L % | Playoff win–loss % |
| Team | Year | G | W | L | W–L% | Finish | PG | PW | PL | PW–L% | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 1946–47 | 60 | 33 | 27 | .550 | 3rd in Eastern | 5 | 2 | 3 | .400 | Lost in Semifinals |