PROVIDENCE — Succinctly and with her generally appropriate perspective, Doris Burke set the stage for Thursday night at Alumni Hall.
“I don’t need to introduce captions,” Burke said. “And that’s who we have here today.”
ESPN’s senior NBA analyst was back at Providence College and flanked by a company exclusive. Billy Donovan, Rick Pitino, Ed Cooley, Tim Welsh and Pete Gillen joined her on a black stage in midfield. Rick Barnes completed the group via monitor from his home in Tennessee after a recent positive COVID-19 test.
This collection of former and current male basketball coaches at Burke’s alma mater was featured in a multi-day fundraising event on and off campus. The Friar Legacy Coaches Roundtable attracted 115 registered former players, 20 assistant coaches, 44 student managers and season ticket holders who paid over $500 for the hour-long reception and 90-minute conference program.
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“Friar basketball is truly a Cinderella story,” said school president Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard. “It started with humble beginnings – a relative unknown – and grew into a national brand with the help of many of you here today.”
Rick Pitino
Pitino led the program to its second Final Four in 1987, and Donovan was its star player in the backcourt. Gillen reached the Elite Eight in 1997 and came within two wins of an eventual meeting with Pitino and Kentucky in the national championship game. The brothers finally returned to the Sweet 16 in March, with Cooley delivering a long-awaited breakthrough.
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“It’s not just about you,” Cooley said. “It’s not just about winning the game. It’s about that brotherhood and brotherhood – it goes very, very far.
Burke and Donovan were classmates and fellow student-athletes as the men’s program underwent a historic transition. Pitino was hired away from an assistant position with the New York Knicks and tasked with bringing an 11-20 club to life. Providence began to frown midway through its sophomore season thanks to a home upset against Georgetown and former Providence John Thompson.
“[Thompson said] “I’m so proud of what you guys are doing at my alma mater,” Pitino said. ” ‘It’s amazing. But when you come to Georgetown on Senior Night, we’re gonna kick you [backsides].’ ”
The Brothers lost to the Hoyas in that second game and again in the Big East tournament before spanking them, 88-73, to reach the national semi-finals. It was the first of what are now seven trips to the final weekend of college basketball for Pitino, and he still remembers it with special fondness.
“I always get misty eyes thinking about 1987,” Pitino said. “It just didn’t make sense. It was magical.
Billy Donovan
Donovan was threatening to transfer and unhappy with his role before eventually buying under Pitino. He lost 30 pounds and suddenly became the perfect driver for an open attack that used the 3-pointer as the ultimate equalizer. Burke recalled late nights leaving the gym after women’s basketball practice and still hearing a ball bouncing inside — it was Donovan taking extra shots and working on his game.
“Every one of those guys I played with, it was just an amazing bond,” Donovan said. “I don’t think you have that connection unless you have a trainer who has you in the gym as much as [Pitino] did.”
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Pitino left to become head coach of the Knicks and Gordie Chiesa spent just one season at the helm before Providence looked to make a switch. Barnes first got a call from Pitino recruiting for his alma mater — Massachusetts was set to part ways with Ron Gerlufsen after five seasons. Barnes had just finished his freshman year at George Mason and didn’t have much interest in the Minutemen, who eventually signed John Calipari.
“There’s another job that’s going to open up,” Pitino told Barnes. “You should really have an interest in this job.”
“And I wasn’t sure what he was talking about,” Barnes said.
Rick Barnes
Barnes was eventually contacted by the late sporting director John Marinatto, hired by the Brothers and won his first 13 games in charge. He eventually won a first conference tournament title for the program in 1994, upsetting No. 2 Connecticut and beating Georgetown in the Finals. Barnes left for Clemson and left a strong footing for Pete Gillen when he was hired away from Xavier.
“I had no idea what New England basketball was like,” Barnes said. “I grew up in the heart of the ACC. That was all I knew.
Pete Gillen
Gillen reached the NIT in his first two seasons before making a signature run, upsetting Duke in the Round of 16 and surviving UT-Chattanooga to secure a regional final date with Arizona. Providence had a late shot to win in regulation before losing in overtime to the eventual national champions.
“We had the ball out of bounds with 3.9 seconds left,” Gillen said in his Brooklyn staccato. “I think about it every night and every day.”
Tim Welsh
Welsh was an assistant under Jim Boeheim at Syracuse and was approached by Providence after Gillen eventually left for Virginia. His side at Iona had shocked the Friars the previous season at Dunkin’ Donuts Center – Welsh was really conflicted about leaving the Gaels. Boeheim implored him to take the job if offered, and Welsh reached a pair of NCAA Tournaments in his 10 seasons.
“We played in Florida for three years,” Welsh said, casting a wary eye at Donovan. “In two of them [2005-06 and 2006-07]they won the national championship.
Ed Cooley
Cooley was next to be named head coach, a town native and former Central High star who grew up watching Pitino and Donovan achieve greatness. He joked Pitino and graduate assistant Jeff Van Gundy gave him “about two minutes” during an unofficial visit as a junior – Cooley’s future here was on the line. He won the program’s second league tournament title in 2014 and his first regular season championship in March.
“It’s something I never considered,” Cooley said. “We are all here as role models.”
On Twitter: @BillKoch25
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