He is the son of college basketball coach Clarence Iba and nephew of college basketball coach Hank Iba. Born in Joplin, Missouri, Clarence Eugene Iba attended the University of Tulsa, where he played basketball from 1958 to 1961 under his father, head coach Clarence Victor Iba.
Iba then attended Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical (now Oklahoma State University) and served as a graduate assistant for the basketball team under his uncle Henry Iba while completing his master"s degree in business education.
He was previously the Pittsburg State Gorillas men"s basketball coach until 2010. He was head coach at Houston Baptist from 1977 to 1985, Baylor from 1985 to 1992, and Pittsburg State from 1995 to 2010. After graduating in 1963, Gene Iba went to the Navy Supply Corps School and coached its basketball team
In 1968, Iba became athletic director at Cleveland High School in Saint Louis.
He then became head varsity basketball coach at Roosevelt High School in Saint Louis in 1969 and led Roosevelt to the city championship in 1972. Iba moved up to the college rankings in 1972 as an assistant coach at UTEP under Don Haskins and remained for five seasons, during which UTEP made the 1975 National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament.
After UTEP, Iba became head coach at Houston Baptist in 1977. Iba turned around a program that went 11–44 in the past two years to a 14–13 record in 1979-1980 and 18–10 record in 1980-1981.
Houston Baptist improved further, making the 1984 National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament.
Iba moved to Baylor as head coach in 1985 and led Baylor to post-season appearances in the 1987 National Institute of Technology and 1988 National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament. However, Baylor fell to 5–22 in the 1988-1989 season and never made another postseason tournament. After the 1991-1992 season, Baylor decided not to renew Iba"s contract.
Iba became head coach at Division II Pittsburg State in 1995.
By Iba"s second season, Pittsburg State earned its first national ranking in five years and first-ever National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament victory. On February 15, 1999, Pittsburg State was ranked #1 in Division II men"s basketball.
In 15 seasons as head coach, Iba had a 261–172 record with five National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament appearances.
