USD’s Scholl returns to coach against his boyhood favorite school
Sam Scholl’s childhood was formed along Puget Sound in Gig Harbor, Wash., about an hour’s drive southwest of Seattle. By 7, Scholl was basketball mad and his father regularly took him to University of Washington games.
“Three or four a year,” recalls Scholl, the rookie USD coach whose dream of becoming a college coach took root in high school.
“He was insatiable,” recalls Scholl’s 72-year-old father, Dennis. “I could have taken him to every single game, every single practice. You could not fill him up with basketball.”
Tonight, Scholl will walk into the same building where he grew up cheering for the Huskies, longing to pull off an upset that would draw national attention to the 2-0 Toreros. USD’s two victories have been routs of Weber State and UC Davis, teams that combined for 42 wins last season, returned multiple starters and in Davis’ case, advanced to the 2018 NIT.
The Huskies, though, are a step up in pedigree. Washington opened the season ranked 24th in one national poll, 25th in another. An 88-66 thumping at No. 12 Auburn dropped Washington to 1-1. But with all five starters and 95 percent of the scoring back on a 21-13 team that advanced to the second round of the NIT, the Huskies qualify as USD’s most challenging nonconference test.
Dennis Scholl was speaking by phone Sunday before stepping into the Huskies’ practice facility to watch the Toreros work out. When he talked about the prospect of his son leading USD to an upset tonight, he began to cry.
“His family comes first,” said Dennis. “But it’s clear he gives his heart and soul to this basketball program. (Scholl was a backup at USD for two seasons in the late ’90s and was a Toreros assistant for 10 years before becoming head coach.) There’s nothing I’d like to see more than him pull off this upset. I think they’ll shock people.”
Upset victory or not, the trip has been an emotional homecoming for Scholl.
After beating Davis on Friday night, the Toreros arrived in Seattle on Saturday afternoon, had a light practice at the Huskies’ Alaska Airlines Arena then enjoyed a team dinner at a restaurant owned by one of Scholl’s friends.
At the practice, Scholl scanned the arena, thought of all the U-Dub games he attended with his father and said to himself, “I’ve sat there. … I’ve sat there.”
On Sunday, one of his high school coaches and his Tacoma Community College head coach sat in on practice.
“Those guys, outside of my father, were two of my biggest mentors,” said Scholl.
Scholl, who looks young enough to pass for a college student, celebrated his 41st birthday Sunday. His wife, Heather, rented a room at a restaurant for a party that was originally going to host about a dozen.
But as word spread throughout Gig Harbor that Scholl was returning home, the guest list grew, swelling to more than 30, including elementary-school friends.
Said Heather, “He’s a popular guy.”
The family and friends ticket count is up to 60 with Dennis writing a $1,600 check for the ducats before being reimbursed.
“I just started picking names (for people who might attend the game) and then it kind of just snowballed,” said Dennis.
Outwardly around the team, Scholl has maintained a businesslike approach and stuck to routine. Practice, film study, study hall for the players, team dinner, more film.
“If you know anything about Sam, he’s extremely even keeled,” said assistant coach Chris Gerlufsen. “Not a lot of highs, not a lot of lows. He’s as selfless as anybody you’ll find in the business. At the end of the day he wants this to be about the team and the opportunity at hand, not so much about him and being at home.”
Scholl said he hasn’t allowed himself to dream what it would like be to upset Washington in front of family and friends.
Keeping with his childlike nature, he did marvel at walking into Alaska Airlines Arena at a back entrance for practice Saturday rather than those days as a child when he needed a ticket get inside.
“That made it a little more real,” Scholl said.
But Gerlufsen senses Scholl is keeping some emotions in check.
“Deep down,” said Gerlufsen, “this is a special opportunity for him and our team. We’re going to give them hell and be ready to play.”
don.norcross@sduniontribune.com
Toreros at No. 25 Washington
Today: 8 p.m. at Alaska Airlines Arena
On the air: Pac-12; 1700-AM
Records: USD 2-0; Washington 1-1
Toreros update: Second-year Washington coach Mike Hopkins was an assistant under Jim Boeheim for 22 seasons and like the Orange, the Huskies sit in a 2-3 zone. For USD to pull off an upset, the Toreros will need excellent ball movement and knock down 3s. … Isaiah Pineiro is averaging 26.5 points and 10 rebounds. … USD is plus-9 in rebounding (39.5-30.5). … The Toreros are shooting just 64.5 percent on free throws (20 of 31). … USD is plus-18 in turnovers/assists while Weber State and Davis combined to be minus-10.
Huskies update: One danger of playing a 2-3? You’re susceptible to giving up offensive rebounds. Washington was dominated on the glass in its 88-66 loss at Auburn, getting outrebounded 41-24. Offensive rebounds: Auburn 19, Huskies 3. As a result, Auburn hoisted 70 shots to the Huskies’ 45.
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