Gavin Root got his first head coaching win last week when an injury kept Centre College head coach Greg Mason from making a road trip. (Jacob Eads Photo)
It has been a memorable last two weeks for the Centre College men’s basketball team.
First, head coach Greg Mason got his 450th career Dec. 30 when the Colonels overcame a 17-point deficit to win 68-65 over Methodist in Lexington, Va. Not only did Mason almost not make the trip because of a knee/leg injury, but assistant coach Gavin Root got sick on the team and bus driver/Centre offensive line coach Robert Couch had to assume assistant coaching duties for the weekend.
Last weekend Mason did not make the two-game road trip to open Southern Athletic Association play because of his injury and Root assumed the head coaching role. The Colonels won 93-89 in overtime at Oglethorpe to give Root his first coaching win. Centre (9-5) was without three injured players at Berry in the next game and lost 91-68 after trailing only 38-34 at halftime.
Root found out early last week the Colonels would not have Mason on the road trip.
“There were nerves, of course, but not necessarily within the game or X’s and O’s. More so just what all has made up getting to this moment,” Root said. “There was a recent quote I heard by (NFL quarterback great) Tom Brady where he talked about opportunities.
“He said: ‘There will come opportunities in life. It’s just a matter of whether you are prepared for the moment or not.’”
Root, a graduate assistant at Western Kentucky and Alabama-Birmingham before joining Mason’s staff last year, wants Mason to “get healthy” as soon as possible but also knew he was prepared for his head coaching debut.
“I have had the opportunities to work for great programs, coaches and players. I currently have all that within our great program. During my current experiences at Centre, UAB, or Western Kentucky, I’ve had opportunities to be a part of all roles within a team,” Root said. “The moments that truly prepare you as a coach are the moments of wiping sweat up off the floor, doing scouts, preparing travel plans, preparing food plans, preparing hotel plans and mentoring players.
“Unfortunately, many believe in today’s world you just wake up and success happens. That isn’t how it works in sports and certainly how it works in the rest of society. These moments for me in my young coaching career got me to where I am today, and I couldn’t be more blessed to have gone through those struggles to prepare and ease me for moments like on Thursday night (in his head coaching debut).
“That ultimately is what gave me ease knowing I am prepared for this moment and have the support from coach Mason, my current administration at Centre, and most importantly my players to have the opportunity to succeed like we did Thursday night.”
He knew playing at defending SAA champion Berry College would be a difficult assignment even though Berry has a new coach with a lot of new players this season. The Colonels were without sophomore guard Kalib Thomas (15 points per game), sophomore guard Izayiah Villafuerte (10 points per game) and freshman forward Ryan Shene (8 points per game).
“It was a moment in my career I will never forget,” Root said about the win. “I told the boys pregame that the backbone of our program is being tested with the adversity we have hit as of late. I told them, ‘The way our program unites as a team through these times of crisis will show what kind of men we have in
this locker room,’
“Our boys left no doubt on the court what kind of men we have in this program when everyone gave it all they had for the full 45 minutes of play. All the credit goes to the players for rallying and having each other’s back.”
Root had Colby Raymer, a junior guard also out with an injury, assisting him on the bench and trainer T.Y. Fisher also monitoring game action.
“Both helped me with organizational things during the game and I certainly couldn’t have done it without them,” Root said. “Thursday night was the best moment I’ve had in sports whether it was a coach or player.
“Most of all, I have to give all the thanks to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, without him none of this would be possible.”
Root was part of successful teams at UAB and Western Kentucky but says his time at Centre has been “fantastic” learning under a Hall of Fame coach (Mason).
“I have had fantastic support from my administration here at Centre, and most importantly, I have had great young men in our locker room. The way this school and community rally behind their students to put them in the best situation to succeed has been beautiful to be a part of and see,” he said.
“Certainly, one day I would love to be a head coach. That has been a goal of mine for years and one day if an opportunity were to come about it would get my attention. But as a legendary coach told me years ago, ‘Be where your feet are. Be in the moment and be a superstar in whatever role you are in.’ That’s why all I am worried about now is helping this team win.”
Centre returns to action on Friday when it hosts Hendrix.
