Connecticut Huskies head coach Dan Hurley cheers for his group as they keep a big lead throughout the 2nd half of a West Regional NCAA semifinal game versus the Arkansas Razorbacks at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday, March 23, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @ellenschmidttt
He was overwhelmed with emotion, needing almost 30 seconds to collect his thoughts prior to he resolved this question: "As a coach, how comparable are you, would you state, to your father?"
Silence filled journalism conference room in the bowels of T-Mobile Arena.
Dan Hurley pensively looked for an answer.
" Just the training part, you understand," stated Connecticut's capo, now one video game far from the Final Four. "I'm just happy that my daddy is at the games."
The terrific Bob Hurley was at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday night to view his child's Huskies dismantle Arkansas. Hopefully, he'll be there Saturday to view them play Gonzaga. He's 75 now, retired after a 45-year period at the defunct St. Anthony High School in Jersey City, New Jersey.
With 28 state championships, 4 national championships and the idle time to experience his son's success.
" To do this together is special, not simply the great moments, however needing to select each other up after terrific failures," the more youthful Hurley stated of the fulfillment he feels training.
" Just doing it completely, the roller-coaster flight. It's like it's a bond that you have with other individuals that the majority of people do not get to experience."
From one household to another
The closure of St. Anthony ended for the older Hurley a coaching career that began with the 1972-73 season, during which Dan was born - - thus permitting him to experience the entirety of the dynasty.
He bet his daddy, then for 5 years at neighboring Seton Hall, where he manned the point for the Pirates from 1991 up until 1996.
" Probably truly gritty. Played a great deal of defense," said Huskies junior wing Andre Jackson Jr., hip through YouTube to the subtleties of Hurley's game. "When he informed me, however, he said he was more of like a playmaker, had a lot of various skill sets."
Specifically the capability to connect with other people.
It's what Hurley cherishes most about his function, dating back to the 1996-97 season when he joined his father on St. Anthony's bench. To Rutgers, where he worked four years as an assistant. To St. Benedict's Prep in
Newark, New Jersey, where he eclipsed 200 wins faster than any coach in the state's storied history.
To Wagner, where he debuted in 2010 as a college head coach, then to Rhode Island in 2012 and Connecticut in 2018.
" So you genuinely are - - you're household," Hurley stated of his groups.
" We spend 11 months a year together," he said. "Every day that these guys are on campus, our program runs summertime one, summer 2, they're not optional programs. Like, every day these men are on campus, and we're together every day."
Plenty to be proud of
Now they're in
Las Vegas, and soon they'll be in other places: either home or in
Houston for the Final Four depending upon what takes place against the Bulldogs in the West Regional final.
Their drubbing of the Razorbacks serves as a signature success and a prelude to one of the most important games Hurley will ever coach.
That's specifically what he's been getting ready for since 1973.
" At this time of the year, I believe for a lot of teams everything is pretty automatic," Hurley stated.
And it would certainly seem that way for his Huskies, for whom he explained their trajectory Thursday.
" We establish our young gamers and mix in transfers to supplement," he stated. "So we're all about player development. We're everything about our culture. And simply the way that we do it, the way we set about things, I believe, I'm happy of. I'm happy of how we've gotten here."
Definitely, the fantastic Bob Hurley is, too.
Contact Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.
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