Five of Jones players are currently playing in the NBA, including Markelle Fultz, who was the top overall first round 2017 draft pick. List of famous alumni from DeMatha Catholic High School, with photos when available. I think its about being consistent with kids. He coached his predecessor, Jones, in high school, then recruited and coached Jones again at Old Dominion University. Justin Moore Whether youre a lifelong resident of D.C. or you just moved here, weve got you covered. During the school day, he told the DeMatha administration and his players. Whitmore played at Notre Dame, where he still ranks 12th all-time in scoring. Then in the WCAC boys basketball semifinal games, St. Johns edged Gonzaga, 54-53; and Paul VI edged DeMatha, 72-70. Black football agents face another hurdle: Convincing White players to sign with them, Everything for us is One DeMatha, and all of a sudden it felt like two, said one alumnus and parent of a current basketball player. DeMatha alum Jerami Grant was in town Monday for the Detroit Pistons' loss to the Washington Wizards. Cook is a professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the NBA. In the third quarter, St. Johns took their next double digit lead at 34-24 when Tatum Greene, a freshman, converted a bucket off of the glass. Villanova University Laney High School in North Carolina can attest to that its only NBA player is Michael Jordan. In the WCAC boys basketball quarterfinal games, St. Johns defeated Good Counsel, 68-63; Paul VI defeated Bishop Ireton, 77-52; DeMatha topped Bishop OConnell, 66-63; and Gonzaga defeated McNamara, 72-47. The same can be said for Springs Valley High School in Indiana, which was one and done with Larry Bird. And she doesnt owe it to anyone to keep trying not her sponsors, not her fans and not the game. Read Candace Buckner on Naomi Osaka. Cover StoryA culture of winningRick Snider For Wootten, it's a wonderful viewFalcons challenge Stags, againTop 10 notable DeMatha alumni. [texts-excerpt] multiplying imaginary numbers with square roots calculatorFREE EstimateFREE Estimate Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's basketball, "Morgan Wootten, winningest high school basketball coach, dies at 88", "Morgan Wootten, Acclaimed High School Basketball Coach, Dies at 88", "Letter to the editor: A legacy connecting UNC and Duke", "Morgan Wootten, Hall of Fame high school hoops coach, dies at 88", "Winningest prep basketball coach Wootten retires", "DeMatha Catholic basketball coach Morgan Wootten placed in home hospice care, school says", "Teacher FIrst, Seldom Second, Wootten Has Built Monument to Excellence at Maryland's DeMatha High", "The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame:: Morgan Wootten", "Morgan Wootten, legendary DeMatha basketball coach, dies at 88", "Faith came in first place for DeMatha's Hall of Fame Coach Morgan Wootten", "The Son Also Rises: The Story of the Woottens and Basketball", "Another memorable visit for the Woottens", "Morgan Wootten Film | The Godfather of Basketball", "A County in Maryland Produces a Wild Number of Basketball Stars. Joshua Wilson (born March 11, 1985) is a former American football cornerback. Adrian Francis Branch (born November 17, 1963) is a retired American professional basketball player. For so many fans, who dont even know me, to reach out and say they wanted me to join this community? Student-athletes play and work to their potential. Now with the San Antonio Spurs. [1][2][3], Wootten enrolled at Montgomery College and in 1951 began coaching baseball, football, and basketball at St. Joseph's Home and School for Boys, an orphanage in Washington, D.C. [1][5], When he retired in 2002, Wootten's career coaching record stood at 1,274-192. Steve Settles Had a four-year NBA career. Heres my naive wish as an administrator, Oh, they know what theyre doing. Thats a wish that we dont always get, Day said. Pete knows that he means a lot to me. We already had an interim., Aaron Proia, a video coordinator, is one of two assistants to leave the program since Strickland was hired. Minnesota Timberwolves, Jarius Lyles 13 The basketball program and DeMatha's proud athletic reputation owe a lot to the late Morgan Wootten, who was the varsity head coach for 46 seasons and won 1,274 games. One fact, in particular, overwhelmed the conversation: that none of Joness assistants were even considered, let alone consulted about the schools plans. According to GovSalaries, which keeps a database of public salary figures, Virginia Techs previous associate head coach, Chester Frazier, earned $320,000 annually. The Cadets put the offensive pedal to the metal throughout the entire third quarter and led 50-44 after 24 minutes were in the books. San Antonio Spurs, Joseph Forte 99 Site by Glass Canvas. Milwaukee Bucks, Danny Ferry 85 [14], Joe became a basketball coach at Bishop O'Connell High School in Arlington, Virginia. Morgan State University Head Coach The Apprentice School, Sidney Lowe 79 Wootten never had a losing record, with his worst performance coming in the 195758 season, when DeMatha went 1711, the only year his team did not have at least 20 wins. Mustaf played under Strickland when he was Woottens assistant, and Strickland, who taught English, was Mustafs favorite teacher. Bryson Hill Conference regular season and conference tournament champion Assistant Coach West Virginia, Evan Kee 08 This is a national program. Each coach emphasizes preparation, respect, fair play and teamwork on the playing field and the importance of academic success and growth in the classroom. Before high school, Moore, who earned first-team All-Met honors last season, would have envisioned October as a chance to enjoy himself while prepping for the start of basketball season in November. St. Johns then outscored Paul VI 12-10 in the second quarter to take a 30-29 lead into intermission. Jones said he made the final decision with his wife Monday morning. Copyright 2023 Catholic Standard Century and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000. For years, they had to play more, and win bigger, to be paid anything close to their male counterparts. On top of being one of the best basketball teams in the Washington, DC area, the school has won six national championships. DeMatha players surround Mike Jones after the Stags won the 2020 WCAC championship game, the coach's 500th victory. John Auston 62 At least they hired a coach. But they brought him in, and he was an interim. Orlando Magic, John Jones 62 Grambling University, Hunter Dickinson He had two perfect seasons, the first coming in 1977-78 (28-0) and the other in 1990-91 (30-0). Theyre just waiting for it blow over. From Ernie Cage 58 and Adrian Dantley 73 to Victor Oladipo 10, Markelle Fultz 16 and Justin Moore 19, there have been many All-Americans who have played at DeMatha. In Spring of 2020, Jones accepted a job as the assistant head coach for Virginia Tech Hokies. Before he took on the head coaching position at DeMatha, Jones served as an assistant to the legendary Morgan Wootten for four seasons. Sign up now to get the Washington Examiners breaking news and timely commentary delivered right to your inbox. [2][6][7] Wootten has the second most wins as a head coach in the history of boys high school basketball, behind Robert Hughes.[8]. That success has attracted plenty of outside interest. They know people are mad, but theyre not touching it, said Smith, who has friends on the coaching staff. Day said inclusion will factor in the decision, pointing to the recent hiring of Shaka Dickerson, who is Black, as dean of students. Famous DeMatha Catholic High School Alumni. Were going to do what were going do, and yall just go play basketball and shut up.. DeMatha replaced Mike Jones, pictured here, with a White interim coach . St. Johns players converted six treys, 22 other baskets and three free throws for their teams 65 points. We did not want the student-athletes to feel as if theyre being abandoned. Office Hours: 7:45am-3:30pm, Copyright 2021 DeMatha Catholic High School, LT ( SEAL ) Brendan Looney ' 99 Convocation Center. I could not be more excited and ready to pour everything I have into that basketball program.. Rarely do people yawn when they talk about DeMatha, Day said. The DeMatha athletic department has garnered over 200 league championships in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) since the school won its first championshipin 1957.DeMatha is home to 13 varsity sports, as well as junior varsity andfreshman teams. Everybody who is hired here has to be connected with the mission because were hiring an educator who happens to be a coach. One Black former DeMatha player suggested that hiring Strickland, on the heels of McGregor, signals the desire of the administration to reset the culture and return to the days when Wootten would leave victories and head over to Ledo in College Park and draw up Xs and Os over some pizza and Miller Lite. Paul VI dropped to 28-3 and were paced by Harris-Smith (24 points), Darren Harris (14 points), Ngongba (11 points), Hammond (seven points), Isaiah Abraham (four points) and Jaquan Womack (three points). Stricklands hiring comes two years after DeMatha brought back football coach Bill McGregor, another White man in his 60s, to replace Elijah Brooks, who is Black, after he took an assistant coaching job at the University of Maryland. Paul VI, led by veteran coach by veteran Scott Allen, was paced by Louis Volker (11 points), Anna Kunzwiler (nine points), Brooke Batchelor (six points), Laura Williams (four points/eight rebounds/three blocks), Riley Hamburger (four points) and Sadie Shores (two points/six rebounds). But to Smith and others, it should have been taken into account immediately, whether Strickland ends up staying on the bench or not. Day said between 25 to 30 people contacted the school to express interest in the position the morning after Jones moved on. What the hell have I been out here doing, and what am I a part of? He is a DeMatha alumnus who played for Wootten before starring at the University of Pittsburgh. It really hurts my heart because I never thought DeMatha would get to this point and to not even think enough about us. We were hoping that the administration wasnt that tone-deaf. With 16 seconds left in the game and the Stags down 62-70, starting PG Jaden Winston grabbed an offensive rebound and put up a tough layup, was fouled, and got the and-one. And I dont think that they would ever come out and say that, but they didnt like that.. We have worked so hard for this moment we wanted this so bad for coach B who has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), said St. Johns player Timothy Barton afterwards, acknowledging the teams respect for its coach, Patrick Behan. When Jones left, we were caught off guard completely, Day said, adding that he and principal Dan McMahon needed to act swiftly to provide some stability. It was clear from the start that DeMatha had an agenda, Smith said. Instead, Joe Wootten left to become the coach at Bishop OConnell, and Jones became the choice. He can be reached in the Basketball office at (240) 764-2225 or by email at mgjones@dematha.org. In October 2012, Jones was named a Distinguished Alumnus at ODU and in 2017 was inducted into the DeMatha Hall of Fame. He learned more from the losses than the wins. Utah Jazz, Jerrod Mustaf 88 In the nightcap, St. Johns boys basketball team held off nationally ranked Paul VI, 65-63, to claim the 2022-23 WCAC basketball title. He was 29 and had no head coaching experience. DeMatha Hoops | DeMatha Basketball Alumni History powered by SportsMarkit. According to a person in attendance, Strickland responded that he couldnt change the color of my skin and said his job was to meet them where they are.. June 10, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. EDT. 4. With 2:40 remaining, Harris-Smith knocked down a trey and Paul VI led, 58-56. Most of the teams play in the WCAC and play other private schools in the Archdiocese of Washington and Virginia area, such as Gonzaga, Good Counsel, O'Connell, McNamara, and Ireton. Another Thomas basket, as well as a bucket by Carolae Barton, gave the Cadets a 6-0 lead on the way to a 12-8 advantage as the first quarter concluded. I didnt say, Get over it, Strickland said. Assistant Coach George Mason, Pete Strickland 75 Brown is currently host of the NFL on Fox pregame show. Head Coach Lake Oswego HS (OR), Perry Clark 70 He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz, and a slew of successful coaches at every level. Director of Player Development Portland Trailblazer, Rod Balanis 88 DeMatha was on the national map. Virginia Tech Basketball player, Coach Age: 68 Birthplace: Washington, D.C. Adrian Delano Dantley (born February 28, 1956) is an American retired basketball player who played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). You have multiple coaches not only coaches but alums thats been a part of DeMatha the majority of their adult lives. Private, college-prep school in Hyattsville, Maryland, United States, Single-gender schools in the Washington, DC area, Washington Metropolitan Area Catholic High Schools, Archdiocese of Washington Catholic Schools, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, 1976 gold medal winning United States Olympics team, Schools Recognized 1982-1983 Through 1999-2002, "DeMatha is much more than an 'athletic powerhouse' Streetcar Suburbs News", "DeMatha High Continues its Long Tradition", "Winningest prep basketball coach Wootten retires", "How outsider Justin Fairfax broke through the Democratic Party in bid for lieutenant governor", "Senate Tribute to David Schiappa, S.Res. DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) I DO want people to understand that representation absolutely matters, he wrote. Assistant Coach UNC Greensboro, Mike Pegues 96 Three of the lady Panthers 10 losses this season came via St. Johns. DeMatha 70 Paul VI 72 Final Box Score Feb 26, 2023 @ 11:29pm I love them so much, and I love DeMatha so much. On the other hand, a number of schools have sent multiple players to the NBA and are considered basketball powerhouses. Jones said he has not given any thought to who will replace him as coach of the Stags or whether he will play any part in that hiring process. From Coaching Legends Morgan Wootten, Bill McGregor and Richard Messier to professional stars Adrian Dantley '73, Paul Rabil '04 and Chase Young '17, make your mark as the next big name in DeMatha Athletics. DeMatha was led by four seniors: All-Met Darin Campbell, who became a consensus all-America each of his three years at North Carolina and played professionally in the Gulf Coast League; pitcher. Two Black coaches at the two most visible programs? The Cadets, coached by veteran Behan (a former Bucknell player), outscored the Panthers 16-9 to trail 19-18 as the first quarter concluded. In 46 seasons as the head coach of DeMatha basketball, he won five high school national championships, 22 Washington, DC titles, and 33 WCAC championships. Part of the 4x400m relay team that captured gold in Atlanta in 1996. The basketball culture in this area is second to none, Jones said. Reporters Notebook: What did Blinken tell his Russian counterpart? Thats not happening in America.. [1][2][4][5], In 1956, Wootten was hired as a history teacher and the coach of the football and basketball teams at DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland. Dantley and legendary coach Morgan Wootten have even been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. St. Johns head coach Patrick Behan elected to not call a timeout with approximately 10 seconds remaining, and shouted to his junior guard, Go!. More than a dozen of Wootten's players went on to play in the NBA, including Adrian Dantley and Danny Ferry. Our conditioning helped us. Most of the assistants played at DeMatha, either for Wootten or Jones. But Smiths plan for them has been shaken, he said, after his alma maters recent decision to replace Woottens Black successor, Mike Jones, with a White interim coach, Pete Strickland bypassing, without even interviewing, several Black assistants in the process. 1 after a dramatic win over Paul VI in the WCAC Championship. Probably, to some degree, both sides. Ive reached out to every last one of those guys to express how proud I was of them and their commitment and their success. Given that history, Day said, the school should get some benefit of the doubt. WCAC boys Player of the Year: Paul VIs DeShawn Harris-Smith. But for others, the pain of the process lingers. [Strickland] is an . [21][22], Wootten appeared in the 2020 documentary Basketball County along DeMatha alums Victor Oladipo and Adrian Dantley. Over a seven season period, Peterson rose from intern to General Manager with the Atlanta Hawks before taking on his current role as Assistant GM with the Brooklyn Nets. Former NBA as a sideline reporter for Turner Sports (TNT). Nate Darling (2016) is a professional basketball player who plays for the Charlotte Hornets and played collegiately at the University of Delaware.