CHAMPS!
University Daily Kansan/April 8.1988
7B
Old coaches see new champs
By Dayana Yochim
Kansan staff writer
When the final buzzer sounded in Kemper Arena on Monday night, it signaled the end of an era for Ted Juneau.
"For the past five years I've watched part of the fruits of my labor playing on that court in Allen Field House," said Juneau, basketball coach at Lawrence High School. "To see both Danny and Chris on the same championship team, what greater reward for a high school coach?"
Juneau coached Kansas forward Chris Piper when the Lawrence team won the state championship in 1983. The following year, Juneau coached Kansas forward Danny Manning.
Ironically, the Jayhawks' season outcome was remarkably similar to Piper's senior season in high school. Juneau said.
"When we won the state championship, we beat a team that had beaten us twice during the season," Juneau said. "We were also not that well regarded as a team."
"Although winning the state championship is nothing compared to winning the national championship, it was really special for me to watch them."
Juneau was not the only proud coach at Kemper Arena Monday night.
Cliff Hunter, basketball coach at Santa Monica High School in California, watched his former pupil Keith Harris with Harris' father and grand-father.
"Being a coach, I don't like to get too emotional." Hunter said, "but I was totally drained after the games. I was even chanting the Rock Chalk Jawhawk."
Hunter has coached 16 future Division I players
in his seven years as coach at Santa Monica High School, but Harris was the first to play on a national championship team.
"It was very special," Hunter said. "The script turned out perfectly."
On his bulletin board in the Santa Monica locker room, Hunter posted a newspaper article about Harris' two free throw shots that helped KU beat St. John's on Feb. 21, 1987.
"I use a phrase that I borrowed from Keith to describe him as a player," Hunter said. "I call him a 724. He works seven days a week, 24 hours a day. He loves the game, and he's a worker."
Steve Simons, high school coach for Kansas forward Jeff Gueldner, said that the hallways at Charleston High School in Charleston, III., were buzzing with excitement after the KU victory.
buling was like a miniature KU campus," Simons said. "Some students were even wearing KU sweatshirts."
Simons was scheduled to attend the games in Kemper Arena but could not because of an illness in his family. He said that he watched his former player on television.
player on television.
"It was fun seeing a former player have the opportunity to play in such a great situation," Simons said.
"Jeff's made tremendous progress since he's been at KU. I can't take any credit for that, but I did help get him there."
or they get him else.
"The situation he's in speaks for itself. I don't have to use him as an example. The kids can see what hard work and determination will get them."
But Steve Coccimiglia said he would speak about Scooter Barry's success to all of his players at St. Mary's College in Moraga, Calif., where Barry played for two years.
played for two years.
"It was really a thrill to see Scooter play and to
have things unfold the way they did," he said
Coccimiglia said that he remembered one time when he coached Barry at DeL萨ile High School in Concord, Calif., and Barry had 13 turnovers in one game.
"This tournament was great." Coccimiglia said. "I saw his confidence grow with each game. But I don't think he could get 13 turnovers in a game for Coach Brown and stay on the floor."
Although most Oklahoma coaches left Kemper disappointed, one basketball coach from Oklahoma left the arena with a smile on his face
John Phillips, basketball coach at Edison High School in Tulsa, Okla., saw two of his former players become national champions.
"One of the most proud moments of my coaching career was to see Kevin play so well," Phillips said of Kansas guard Kevin Pritchard. "I can't remember a time when I became so emotional."
Philips said that he even enjoyed watching injured forward Archie Marshall, another former Philadelphia player.
"Archie has never indicated that he has regretted going to KU," he said. "Coach Brown has really made him feel like a part of the team, and Archie has accepted his injury, which makes those around him accept it, too."
Marshall injured his knee while playing against St. John's in December.
St. John's in December.
"I can't thank Coach Brown enough for what
But Kansas forward Milt Newton's high school coach didn't get a chance to thank Brown.
Frank R. Williams, former basketball coach at Collidge High School, Washington D.C., died last year at the age of 43.
Newton dedicated the 1987-88 basketball season to him.
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