Homeward beacon
Sophomore guard Derek Scott Jr. returns to Gary to play for father at Lighthouse and quickly emerges as standout
It has been a happy homecoming for Lighthouse sophomore Derek Scott Jr.
The 5-foot-11 guard attended school in Gary for most of his life. He spent hours upon hours at practices and games in gyms around the Region. His father, Derek Scott Sr., is a longtime local coach who has taken over the program at Lighthouse.
So even though Scott Jr. went to Indianapolis Tindley as a freshman, the history and tradition of this area are part of his DNA.
“Over the summer, I was talking to my dad a lot,” Scott Jr. said. “I was thinking about the possibilities. I grew up watching basketball around here, him coaching.
“It’s just a dream come true to play for him.”
Scott Sr. feels the same way. The moment he learned his son was returning to Gary has been ingrained in his mind ever since as Scott Jr. has averaged team highs of 16.2 points, 4.2 assists and 5.1 steals along with 3.8 rebounds for the Lions (3-7).
“In July, I remember waking up and getting a call — they were out of town too — and his mom was like, ‘He’s coming home with you,’ ” Scott Sr. said. “I was like, ‘What? OK.’ I was super ecstatic.
“The father-son thing, oh, my God, beyond ecstatic. I’m cheesin’ every morning when I wake up. I’m cheesin’ even when I’m mad at him after a practice. I’ve been coaching 18 years, and this is by far my favorite year because I get to do it with my son. It keeps me cheesin’.”
Scott Sr. graduated in 2006 from Lew Wallace, where he played for Renaldo Thomas, Scott Jr.’s late godfather. Scott Sr. also coached under Thomas, including when the Hornets finished as the Class 3A state runner-up in 2010, with Scott Jr. along for the ride as a baby.
“That was my man,” Scott Sr. said of Thomas. “He taught me everything.”
After Wallace, Scott Sr. was part of the staff at several other successful programs, joining Hammond with Larry Moore Jr., Roosevelt, Bowman with Tyrone Robinson and 21st Century with Larry Upshaw.
Last season, Scott Sr. became the coach at Lighthouse, where he is also the dean of students. At the time, Scott Jr., who went to elementary school at Bowman and middle school at 21st Century, was playing limited minutes at Tindley.
“It was a learning experience,” Scott Jr. said. “It was great, though. I loved the coach. I loved the team.”
After honing his skills and competing at a high level in AAU over the summer, Scott Jr. has emerged as a standout at Lighthouse, taking advantage of his expanded opportunity. He’s also the team’s captain.
“We can all relate to each other,” Scott Jr. said. “The chemistry off the court was immediate when I came. They welcomed me in immediately. It’s a lot of good times here. I like playing with these guys. We play fast, and I like playing fast. I just like being around them.”
Scott Sr. wasn’t sure how his son would mesh with the group, but his concerns were allayed.
“He leads by example with the boys,” Scott Sr. said. “They love him. They all get along. It wasn’t a hard thing. I thought it might be tough with him coming back home with me being the coach. But the players were like, ‘Come on in.’ They welcomed him with open arms. I was happy about that.
“I was hoping he was just going to fit in. But he came in, and they gravitated toward him.”
Freshman guard Isaac Browder is among those players drawn to him.
“He tells me where to go on offense,” Browder said. “He’s a great facilitator. When I’m open, he gets me the ball so I can get my shot.
“Off the court, he’s a funny person, very cool. He’s just good to be around.”
Scott Jr.’s father isn’t the only family member he gets to be around at Lighthouse. They drive to school each day with Scott Sr.’s mother, Bonesa, who is Lighthouse’s head of maintenance.
“She’s cheesin’ too — probably even more than me,” Scott Sr. said. “It’s a blessing.”
Scott Sr. doesn’t take the situation for granted.
“It did take us a couple of months when basketball season got here because he would be mad at me,” Scott Sr. said. “I would be like, ‘You know what, son, I’m going to prepare you for the next level. But I’m going to do a lot of work on myself to how I express and how I get things across to you.’
“When you’re at home, you’re the parent. When you’re at school, you’re the dean and have to deal with me. You have to be able to take a step back to coach and relay messages another way. This last month and a half, it’s been great at the house and in the gym.”
Scott Jr., who also runs cross country and track, excels in the classroom too.
“He’s an honor roll student,” Scott Sr. said. “I’m just very proud of him and the work he puts in. You have no idea. He’s a student-athlete, and I don’t have to get on him about that stuff. I always tell him basketball is secondary . ... I’ve put a lot into everybody else’s kids, so when it’s my kid’s turn, I’m definitely not going to let him down. I’m living the dream right now.”
Scott Jr. has been savoring the experience as well.
“You can never stop me from smiling,” he said.