Rollins coach Klusman earns 700th career win
“One of the brightest minds that’s ever been in coaching. He’s always been very gracious, and has taught me so much over the years. Congrats Tom.”
Tom Klusman won his first game as the Rollins College men’s basketball coach on Dec. 4, 1980.
Nearly 38 years to the day, he earned win No. 700 and added another chapter to his storied coaching career.
Connor Mckim scored 18 points and came up big at the free-throw line to lead four players in double figures as Rollins held off Palm Beach Atlantic for an 80-79 Sunshine State Conference victory Friday night that pushed Klusman to the milestone.
Orlando Timber Creek alum Trevor Recio finished with 14 points and Master’s Academy alum Jakobi Bonner added 11 for Rollins (7-2). Chu Enchionyia totaled 10 points and five rebounds for Tars, who gave Klusman his 700th win on his first attempt at the milestone.
Klusman, in his 39th season with Rollins, becomes the 43rd coach in men’s college basketball to record 700 wins and is just the 16th to reach the mark with one school. He ranks fifth among active NCAA Division II coaches in wins and is ninth all-time.
Klusman joined Rollins women’s basketball coach Glenn Wilkes Jr. in the 700-win club. Wilkes earned his 700th victory when the Tars beat Embry-Riddle 71-63 on Nov. 28.
In a tweet Friday night, Wilkes congratulated his “coworker of 33 years” on getting No. 700.
“One of the brightest minds that’s ever been in coaching. He’s always been very gracious, and has taught me so much over the years. Congrats Tom,” he wrote in the tweet.
The victory also makes Klusman the winningest coach in SSC history, passing Tampa coach Richard Schmidt for the top spot.
To add some context, notable Division I men’s coaches with fewer than 700 career victories include Denny Crum (675), Gary Williams (668), Rick Barnes (667), John Wooden (664) and Bill Self (661). As active coaches with career winning percentages well above .500, Barnes and Self likely will reach the mark in two seasons.
As far as this season goes, Rollins picked up its first conference win after losing its first two league games. With eight of the 11 teams in the SSC sporting a winning record, every win is crucial, especially on the road.
It certainly wasn’t easy against a Palm Beach Atlantic team that has played better than its record indicates. The Tars built double-digit leads only to see the Sailfish (1-7, 0-3) come back. Rollins also had to overcome 21 turnovers, and did so by hitting 20 of 26 free-throw attempts. Mckim did his part, going 8-for-8 from the line.
It looked Rollins finally had the game in hand when Enechionyia hit a 3-pointer for a 71-62 lead with 1:43 to play.
But after two Mckim two free throws made it 78-70, Palm Beach Atlantic sliced into the eightpoint lead as Casey Carpinello drained a 3 and Jules Jasmin completed a three-point play around a Rollins turnover.
Bonner hit a driving layup to give Rollins some breathing room, then Windermere Prep alum Parker Davis was fouled after Palm Beach Atlantic missed a 3-point attempt.
Davis missed both free throws, the second intentionally, with 1 second left and the Sailfish got a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to make it a one-point final.
The Tars will now head west for the Sports Tours Holiday Hoops Classic Dec.18 and 19 in Las Vegas. They’re set to play Angelo State and Tarleton State.