NFA GRAD R.J. EVANS AND MOM DEBORAH

Before every basketball game, R.J. Evans receives a text from his mom, Deborah. "It's time to perform," Deborah says. "The lights are on," Evans responds. The exchange started years ago after Evans watched a documentary about the basketball life of Sebastian Telfair. Evans, who played basketball at Norwich Free Academy, Holy Cross and UConn, is a Holy Cross assistant coach. He previously served as an assistant at North Carolina-Asheville and Louisville as well as being a graduate assistant at Texas. He started out his coaching career at Nichols College in Massachusetts. He has a tight and loving relationship with his mom. "We're really close," Evans said. "I blow her a kiss every game she's at. She's the best." Deborah has always kept things in perspective, emphasizing academics over athletics to her children. After receiving his undergraduate degree from Holy Cross in 2012, Evans went on to earn a master's degree in educational psychology from UConn in 2013 and a master's degree in kinesiology from Texas in 2017. "One thing she taught me and my sister (Kastine) is the value of education and hard work," Evans said. "She's a very intelligent woman. She worked for Pfizer for over 30 years. "She's a hard worker. She worked her way through college and found a way to get a master's degree. She's always there for us. She was the toughest parent in the family, nobody knows that. She always pushed us to be great in athletics and academics. "Me and my sister got our motivation academically from her. We were both really good students. She set the foundation." Deborah is retired now and still living in Salem with her husband, Ray. When Evans played at Holy Cross, his parents would watch games from the upper section at the Hart Center in Worcester and visit with their son on the court afterward. "She's still the only voice I can hear at games, when I was a player and now as a coach," Evans said. Both mother and son have birthdays on the 20th day of a month — Deborah's in September and R.J.'s in May.

— Gavin Keefe

PHOTO COURTESY OF EVANS FAMILY R.J. Evans, the ex-NFA great who went on to play at Holy Cross and UConn, poses with his mother Deborah, right, sister Kastine, left, and father Ray.