By Doug Huff
ESPN
January 22, 2010
http://sports.espn.go.com/highschool/rise/basketball/boys/news/story?id=4848565
It may have gone unnoticed in some circles, but the location at which the new California career boys basketball coaching record was set may have been all too appropriate.
The setting: the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass., a showcase event sponsored by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The record: a 79-71 victory by Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) over DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) that gave 28-year Monarchs coach Gary McKnight a California-best 844 wins.
DeMatha's nationally known program was built by 46-year coach Morgan Wootten, who retired in 2002 with a national-record 1,274 wins. Two years before he retired, Wootten became the only high school coach inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame.
McKnight may one day join Wootten in the shrine, which is filled with college and professional athletes and coaches.
"I think there are deserving coaches on all levels who should be considered," McKnight said. "Among the active coaches, I would think Bob Hurley and Jack Curran would be excellent candidates, among others."
Both are candidates, according to Hall of Fame staffer Matt Zeysing. Hurley, who has more than 950 wins at St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.), has been a finalist the last three years. Curran, the coach at Archbishop Molloy (Jamaica, N.Y.), is New York's all-time winningest coach with more than 900 victories to his name.
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| Former DeMatha coach Morgan Wootten is the only high school coach in the Naismith Hall of Fame. Photo by Nick Wass |
Former DeMatha coach Morgan Wootten is the only high school coach in the Naismith Hall of Fame.
And, of course, there's McKnight, who has only 77 losses on his record. His 91.6 winning percentage tops even the 86.8-percent recorded by Wootten.
"Having a class guy, and great coach, like Morgan Wootten in the Hall of Fame opens the door for others," McKnight said. "His influence in high school basketball is far reaching.
"I heard him speak at coaching clinics and first talked with him in 1983. A year later, we arranged for our team to travel to Washington, D.C., and play games against DeMatha and St. John's ... We played the game and DeMatha won. But we managed to even the score, 1-1, vs. DeMatha with our win this season in Springfield."
During his career, Wootten declined offers to coach at major colleges, and McKnight appears to be following in his footsteps. He says he's content at the high school level and has no intention of retiring.
"I love what I do and there's no timetable (to retire)," said McKnight, 57. "Mater Dei is a great school and everything has come together here for me and the program.
"I had some local college feelers, but this is where I want to coach."
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