Francises share special father-son bond
Twitter and Facebook were bombarded with "likes" on photos taken of Pickerington Central sophomore Jeremiah Francis and his father, Jerry, sharing a poignant, tear-filled embrace during the postgame celebration of the Tigers’ win over Pickerington North for a Division I regional title Saturday night.
The two are as close as a father and son can be, and they aren’t afraid to share that.
“I’ve always taught Jeremiah that being goofy is cool and he should never be afraid to show his passion for anything he loves,” said the elder Francis, who starred for the former Wehrle High School and Ohio State and went on to coach at the college, high school and AAU levels before stepping down as Pickerington Central coach during the 2013-14 season because of health concerns.
Jerry Francis taught Jeremiah — whom he frequently refers to as “my baby” — not long after he was out of diapers. Since Jeremiah’s days in elementary school and Berwick Middle School, he has been nationally ranked among players his age.
“Dad has always been tough on me, but I know it’s been for my own good,” said Jeremiah, who at 6 feet 2 stands 3 inches shorter than his father but has the same outgoing personality. “At times, it can be a love-hate relationship, but much more on the love side. It’s no secret to people that we’re very, very close. I’m not ashamed of that.”
As a first- and secondgrader, Jeremiah played against older boys at the Marion-Franklin Rec Center and was exposed to competitive environments and packed crowds as a player for the nationally renowned All-Ohio Red AAU program.
In 2012, Francis served as a ballboy and sat on the end of the bench when his father’s Pickerington Central team won the Division I state title.
On Friday, he’ll be in the spotlight when the second-ranked Tigers (26-2) face top-ranked Cincinnati Moeller (27-0) in a state semifinal at Value City Arena. Francis, who averages 15.3 points, 5.1 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game, is the undeniable driving force for the Tigers. He possesses talent and poise beyond his years.
“I was like the little brother to all the guys on that (2012) team,” Jeremiah said. “I was always on the side at practices shooting. I remember trying to copy Caris Levert’s jump shot. I’m not sure how much I really soaked up. I just remember traveling with the team and having fun, giggly times.”
While his father was a bruising, undersized power forward, Jeremiah was groomed as a true point guard.
“I not only wanted Jeremiah to develop the proper skill set, but the intangibles, work ethic, sacrifices and passion it takes to be the best," Jerry Francis said. “When he was in third grade, I made him shoot left-handed layups off his right leg. Jeremiah kept saying, ‘Daddy, I can’t do this. It’s hard.’ We stayed in the gym five hours until he got it right. I’m not the most patient man in the world and Jeremiah can show his frustration to me sometimes, but that’s just our relationship.”
Francis was expecting to coach his son in high school before health issues forced him to step away, but in the long run both agree it might have been beneficial to both.
As a former assistant under Francis, Tigers coach Eric Krueger has known Jeremiah since he was 9 or 10.
“This year, he has really elevated his game offensively and become a vocal leader for us," Krueger said. "He’s a focal point of our offense. I think the things that set him apart are his IQ, which is off the charts, and his professional approach off the floor. And, of course, he really comes to play in the big games.”
Jeremiah already holds nine Division I scholarship offers, including ones from NCAA Sweet 16 qualifiers West Virginia and Purdue, but he and his father implied that Ohio State, which has also offered him, tops his list. Team Francis hopes to sort through the process and commit by next fall.