The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Calhoun, basketball addict, back on top
WEST HARTFORD — He left the bench with 15 minutes remaining in the second half. His team seemingly comfortable with a double-digit lead, Jim Calhoun made his way down the end line for the O’Connell Center locker room. “Stomach cramps,” he said. This has not been an uncommon challenge for Calhoun since taking over at St. Joseph two years ago, building a new Division III program from nothing, building it into a GNAC champion and Division III NCAA Tournament team. The 77-year-old Hall of Fame coach underwent surgery for Stage 4 stomach cancer in 2018 — his fourth battle with the disease — and leaving the bench during games is the frustrating price he is willing to pay.
“Why do you think he still does it?” UConn coach Dan Hurley asked as he watched St. Joe’s wild 88-84 victory over Albertus Magnus for the GNAC title.
“Addicted to basketball, addicted to competition,” was my answer. “Most of all addicted to the gym. They’re literally going to have to carry him out the ring after the 15th round.” Hurley smiled.
Well, it isn’t the 15th round yet for the great fighter. With 4:20 left and St. Joe’s lead down to two, here was Calhoun making his way back to the bench.
“Yeah, it’s (frustrating) to have to leave during games,” Calhoun said. “You take the 27 games we had played, that’s 54 hours. We practiced 100 times and all those hours. I’m 100 percent sure that’s more important, if I’m there or not there, it is to so great to have Glen (Miller). He really, really understands basketball. He has a great mind.”
Calhoun followed the game on his iPhone while he was in the locker room. As soon as he returned, Delshawn Jackson hit in
the lane for two of his remarkable 46 points. From there, it was back and forth, the pace frantic thanks to Albertus’ breakneck pressure. A 21-point St. Joe’s lead late in the first half became a tie game with 1:34 left, and it wasn’t decided until two Falcons turnovers and four St. Joe’s free throws in the final seconds.
To call it frantic almost seems like an understatement.
“Felt like we were playing at the park,” Jackson said.
“With the high-octane offense we have and the way we press, we know we’re always in the game,” Albertus coach Mitch Oliver said. “We wanted to keep the ball out of the hands of ( Jaecee) Martin and Jackson as much as possible and force the other guys to make plays.”
Stopping Jackson on this Sunday afternoon proved to be impossible. The sophomore guard out of Prince Tech in Hartford had 20 points in the first half on 7-of-10 shooting. He had 26 points in the second half on nine of 13 shooting. Terry Dawkins had 21 of his 27 points in the second half for the Falcons and Tyreek Perkins had 16 of his 20. Still, nothing could stop Jackson.
“He’s one of those guys who can make something out of nothing,” Oliver said. “I tell my team some of the shots he takes are considered bad shots for other players. He’s so good it’s a good shot. Those step-back threes are unbelievable.”
“He’s a great player,” Perkins said. “Show him respect.”
Jackson’s coach certainly did after he was named tournament MVP.
“DJ is a special player,” Calhoun said. “He knows the moment. He captures the moment. I even see things in games you don’t see in practice. He kind of invents them as he goes along. He wants to win. I had a guy like that named Kemba Walker.
“That performance ranks up there. We can go back to Kemba and three days in Maui (in 2010). DJ is the best player in the league and it’s not even close in my opinion.”
Dick Vitale once called Calhoun the Frank Lloyd Wright of program building. After Northeastern, after three national titles and all the success at UConn, after building mighty college basketball skyscrapers, he retired in 2012. It wasn’t enough. He had to return to build one more thing. So he has at this small Catholic school.
“The kids took a chance coming here,” Calhoun said. “They’ve rewarded me, the coaches, the university every single day. They believed in us.
“I’ve been fortunate to have a couple of championships before. This ranks with any championship I’ve had for postseason play just because of the circumstances under which we came.”
Calhoun added Jordan Powell this season. He added Jaecee and Taelon Martin. After starting the season 1-2, Calhoun was able to incorporate Jaecee, who played at Division I Sacred Heart, into the lineup and the Blue Jays have won 25 in a row.
“As we’ve gotten better,” Calhoun said, “I almost get the feeling we’ll never lose because of the way they’re playing and practicing.”
St. Joe’s was ranked 17th in the nation last week, figures to be higher this week and, with the NCAA brackets to be announced Monday, we’ll find out if anyone can beat the Blue Jays. Oliver, whose team was ranked as high as 19th this season, is hoping for an at-large bid. That will depend on how the various upsets in conference tournaments this weekend figure into the equation.
There is no denying how the fierce competition between these two schools has reshaped the GNAC landscape. The rosters are filled with Connecticut players. With a substantial amount of media covering when they meet, a new platform to highlight state talent has emerged.
“This is my 10th time coaching in this game,” said Oliver, who has won eight GNAC titles. “Is it a rivalry? I’ve gotten this question about St. Joe’s. I’ve gotten this question about Johnson & Wales. I’ve gotten this question about Anna Maria. I guess this is the next-up rival. We’re used to it. We’re playing this game all the time. I don’t think it matters that much.
“The only thing that makes this a little bit different is there are so many Connecticut guys on both rosters. Some of them are friends with my guys. They play together in the summer. They’re pretty tight. It’s more that way. We’re going to be a rival with anyone trying to beat us.”
Oh, it’s a rivalry and you knew it would be 10 minutes after Calhoun walked through the door in West Hartford. He finds the big dog in the neighborhood and goes after him. Last year, the first year of the program, Oliver beat him in the championship. Sunday, he beat Oliver.
“To us it’s more of a rivalry of New Haven vs. Hartford,” Martin said. “Growing up it always has been that type of animosity. I played for Weaver. Kids on their team played for Hillhouse. Played in the state championship against them. It’s war. They’re a great team. They’re hungry for a championship just like us.”
“Losing hurts,” Perkins said. “I want to win just as much as my coach does. That’s the one thing I picked up from him as a freshman.”
Examine the Albertus roster: Hillhouse, Brien McMahon, Career, Bassick, Hamden, Hamden Hall, Stratford. Examine the St. Joe’s roster: Prince Tech, Weaver, Windsor, Woodstock Academy, Litchfield. Not totally, but there’s a lot of upstate-downstate stuff there.
“These guys grew up together,” Calhoun said. “They take it personal. We’re playing for Hartford. We’re obviously playing for St. Joe’s. That has become a great marriage I didn’t start out saying if we get Hartford kids we’re going to be good. I’m going to get a few more though.”
And so those kids and a loyal guy who has worked alongside for him for many years celebrated St. Joe’s first NCAA men’s basketball bid. Calhoun left with stomach cramps. He returned a conquering coach. He compared Delshawn Jackson to Kemba. He took great care to praise Miller, a man who stands to be his successor if another Division I job doesn’t come along.
“Glen has been great,” Calhoun said. “He does all the stuff for us. He treats me like a coach. I keep saying I don’t want to hear it. He and George Blaney are two of greatest X’s and O’s guys I’ve ever seen in my life.
“And for the kids, this is a moment they’ll remember this the rest of their lives.” Why does he still do it? There’s a ball. There’s a gym. There’s a practice. There’s a game.