Beglane

Georgetown Coach Follows in His Father’s Footsteps

BY BERNIE BEGLANE

Did you always listen to your father while growing up?

Neither did John Thompson III, and that is why he is a basketball coach.
And a good one.

Following in the footsteps of his dad, John Thompson, Jr., who coached the Hoyas to national prominence from 1973-99, John III has made his own mark.

And by the Jesuit Fathers’ school advancing to the NCAA Tournament currently underway.

The Hoyas were eliminated in the second round by Davidson, 74-70.

Why did John, Jr., try to steer his son away from coaching?

“I paid a great deal of money for his education at Princeton University,” was the way the reply began, “and I felt that he would accomplish much outside of basketball.

“Not that there is anything wrong in following his dad.”

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON: John Thompson III, coach of the Georgetown Hoyas, gets a few words of encouragement from his father, John Thompson Jr. The Georgetown basketball team was eliminated from the NCAA Tourney in the second round after a loss to Davidson.

While the elder Thompson may be viewed as the major ‘guiding light’ there is another contributor, Pete Carril, legendary coach at Princeton.

As an undergraduate at the Ivy League school, young Thompson co-captained the Tigers in the 1987-88 season.

The politics major ranks third on Princeton’s all-time assist list with 358.

In his senior season when he was co-captain, John had 103 while only being charged with 34 turnovers.

No doubt about it that was a big reason why Thompson shared the B.F. Bunn Trophy as one of the team’s most valuable players.

It was Pete who hired the young graduate as one of his assistants. That move – his tenure was 1995-2000 – eventually led to the No. 1 position.

“It was Pete who offered me the chance to coach as his assistant,” explained Thompson, “and I jumped at it.”

As assistant, John III helped the Tigers to a Top 10 national ranking and to five straight post-season tournaments.

All of which meant a promotion to the No. 1 position when Carril stepped down. The results were equally as good – eight out of nine post-season classics; recruitment of three All America players; the same number of Ivy League Players of the Year.

Also, two Ivy League Rookies of the Year and 12 all-Ivy League selections.

The Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) High School graduate was Georgetown’s 17th coach when he took over in 2004.

At the time he stated, “We need to take small steps to move ahead by gradual increments in order to reach our goal.

“We can always improve, no matter how much we accomplish, so that is the method we pursue – to always find and take the next step.”

It only took his second season to get the Jesuit Fathers’ school into the NCAA Sweet 16.

Last season was a memorable one as G-Town went 30-7 and reached the NCAA Final Four after capturing both the regular season and tournament championships of the Big East.

There have been 23 father-and-son collegiate coaching combinations as best as the NCAA records show. The Thompsons have to rank right up there.

And to think that Big John was trying to steer his son away from the profession.
Good thing John III did not listen!