New coach aims to renew title run
Humberto “Tico” Govea, the new boys’ basketball coach at Miami High, has inherited a dynasty — as well as the pressure that comes with his new title.
The Stingarees have won 18 state titles, the most in Florida history, and the next-best program is Malone with 14. The closest South Florida program is 10 titles behind (Dillard with eight).
Miami High won its first championship in 1925 and has had at least one title in all but three complete decades since (the 1960s, ‘70s and 2010s).
The Stings’ most recent title was in 2005, and the 16-year dry spell since brings us to Govea, a 40year-old native of Miami who was raised a Yankees fan in New Jersey.
Even though Govea didn’t attend Miami High — he was in Jersey at the time — he knows his history. He is, after all, a history teacher.
“Miami High is the mecca of Florida basketball,” Govea said. “It’s sort of like the Yankees in baseball.”
It’s an apt comparison. The Yankees have won a record 27 World Series, and their first title was in 1923 — two years before Miami High’s first championship.
Govea — unprompted — used the word “controversial” when talking about his hiring.
Govea was the head coach the past five years at Miami High’s biggest rival, Coral Gables, leading the Cavaliers to one district title, one GMAC championship, four trips to the regional quarterfinals and two berths in the regional semifinals. He was 83-35 at Gables, and, prior to that, won a state title as a Coral Reef assistant, and he served as North Miami’s head coach for five years.
But the fact that he’s not a former Miami High player has apparently bothered some Stings alumni. This is the first time since Vince Schaeffer retired in 1981 that Miami High’s boys’ basketball coach is not a graduate of the school.
“It was controversial — I’m not an alumni, and I respect it and agree with that in some way,” Govea said. “But I feel like I’m ready for this. I love the game, and I’m a worker.”
Govea got his work ethic from his stepfather, Mario Lopez, a truck driver.
“He would go to work at 2 a.m. and come home at 4 p.m.,” Govea said. “He never missed one day of work for 20 years.”
Govea will need that work ethic and more to live up to the Stings’ history. The list of great Stings coaches begins with Schaeffer, who won 704 games in 38 years. He was replaced by Shakey Rodriguez, who led the Stings to five state titles and national prominence with a dominant 428-62 record before becoming FIU’s coach in 1995.
Rodriguez, who died last year at age 67, was replaced by Frank Martin, who led the Stings to three state titles and is now the coach at the University of South Carolina.
Marcus Carreno was the next championship Stings coach, leading the program to its 2005 title.
He was replaced by Javorie Wilson, who was unable to add a title, and now comes Govea, just the eighth Stings coach since 1943.
Govea does have at least a family tie with his new school: His wife, Melissa Govea, is a Miami High alumnus.
Meanwhile, Jose Ramos, one of the great guards in Miami High history, would have made an obvious candidate to coach the Stings, but he had just committed to become head coach at Mater Academy when he was contacted by the administration of his alma mater.
Ramos said he has no problems with the hiring of Govea, who lives just nine blocks from Miami High’s campus.
“If you are a true Stings alumni, you want the best person possible,” Ramos said. “Yes, I would love it to be an alumni, but, at this moment, ‘Tico’ is the best person for the job.”