最新杏吧原创

But only two weeks later, Romar signed on as an assistant coach at Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine鈥檚 West Coast Conference archrival just about 20 miles down the Pacific Coast Highway.

鈥淚 could have (retired),鈥� Romar said this week, while getting an early start on Los Angeles traffic and driving to work, 鈥渋f the relationship with the kids and being able to be a part of their life is still something that I really enjoy. Being able to do it, with this game combined, is something I get great gratification from. And even though I鈥檓 not the head coach, I鈥檓 enjoying being around the guys.鈥�

It鈥檚 in that role that Romar will return to 最新杏吧原创 on Saturday when SLU faces Loyola Marymount at 7 p.m. at Chaifetz Arena. When Romar coached SLU, from the 1999-2000 season to 2001-02, it was still playing in what was then known as Savvis Center, but he has coached in Chaifetz before, when his Washington team came to SLU in 2012. (SLU won 66-61.)

The Loyola job was a natural for Romar, since it meant he wouldn鈥檛 even have to move from his home in Calabasas, just over the hills from Los Angeles in the San Fernando Valley. His commute is now a bit longer and puts him on freeways rather than a twisty canyon road to get to work, but the end result is the same: a chance to work with young men on and off the basketball court.

It all happened quickly. He said he got a phone call from LMU coach Stan Johnson at 6 a.m. the day after his final game at Pepperdine, and while Romar said they didn鈥檛 connect then, they soon started talking.

鈥淚 was familiar with LMU as one of the schools that recruited me when I was getting recruited a long time ago,鈥� said Romar, who grew up in Southern California. 鈥淚 was familiar just with (Johnson) and it allowed me a chance to stay around the kids.鈥�

Romar started his head coaching career at Pepperdine in 1996-97 and the Waves went from six wins his first season to 17 to 19 as he rebuilt a program that was, prior to the ascent of Gonzaga, the best one in the WCC. When Charlie Spoonhour retired as SLU鈥檚 coach, Romar was hired.

Though he was at SLU only three seasons, Romar will be forever linked with one of the more amazing moments in program history, one that celebrates its 25th anniversary in March: the Miracle of Memphis. That鈥檚 where SLU, the No. 9 seed in the Conference USA tournament, won four games in four days to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Part of the miracle was how they did it. In the second round, SLU faced the nation鈥檚 No. 1 team, Cincinnati, which it had lost to by 43 points just five days before in the final game of the regular season. But three minutes into the game, with SLU up 7-5, Cincinnati star Kenyon Martin broke his leg and SLU went on to win by 10 points.

鈥淔or lack of being more creative, that was a magical week,鈥� Romar said. 鈥淭here were so many subplots and stories behind the scenes that went on that week. It was like a movie. I鈥檒l never forget that.鈥�

One of those subplots involved SLU guard Justin Love. Love鈥檚 parents lived in San Francisco, and the only way for them to get to the championship game required them to leave before the semifinal game had been played. If SLU lost that game, they鈥檇 arrive to find everyone from SLU gone. 鈥淲hen we beat Cincinnati,鈥� Romar recalled, 鈥淛ustin got a hold of his parents and said, 鈥榊ou鈥檝e got to come. We鈥檙e going to be in the championship and we鈥檙e going to win this.鈥� They said, 鈥楴o, we can鈥檛.鈥� They wouldn鈥檛 get in until our (semi) was over and his dad said 鈥榃e just don鈥檛 want to take that risk.鈥� Justin said, 鈥榊ou鈥檝e got to come, trust me, we鈥檙e going to be in the championship.鈥� The rest is history.鈥�

In the first half of the semifinal game against Tulane, Love went 7 of 7 from the field, including five 3-pointers. 鈥淗e was so locked in he just wouldn鈥檛 let us lose,鈥� Romar said. 鈥淲hen I found out (what he鈥檇 told his parents), that was extremely special.鈥�

Romar was a hot up-and-coming coach when SLU hired him, so his moving on was inevitable, especially when the job at Washington, where he played, came open. He spent 15 seasons at Washington, taking the Huskies to the NCAA Tournament six times, three times reaching the Sweet 16. When he was let go there after six seasons without an NCAA berth, he spent a season as an assistant coach at Arizona before going back to Pepperdine. But in six seasons there, the only postseason trip for the Waves was to the CBI.

Jevon Porter, a 6-11 center and the brother of former Mizzou players Michael and Jontay Porter, followed Romar from Pepperdine to LMU. The Lions are 1-1, beating Life Pacific, an NAIA school, and losing to Cal-Irvine 66-51, with Porter scoring 19 points. 鈥淚 think we have some good pieces,鈥� Romar said. 鈥淲e have a couple of guys hurt, like SLU does, We have some good pieces; just have to put it all together.鈥�

Is LMU the last stop for Romar?

鈥淚鈥檓 not out seeking head coaching responsibilities,鈥� Romar said. 鈥淚鈥檓 really enjoying where I鈥檓 at. My mindset isn鈥檛, 鈥業鈥檓 staying in it so I can become a head coach one more time.鈥� I鈥檓 enjoying where I鈥檓 at and I鈥檓 still in the game. Even though I鈥檓 not a head coach, I鈥檓 still in the game and I鈥檓 still enjoying what I鈥檓 doing.鈥�

SLU signs another recruit

SLU picked up its third recruit in the early period, signing Jax Kerr, a 6-11 forward from Muskogee, Oklahoma.

Kerr helped his school, Owasso High outside Tulsa, win its first-ever state championship last season. He鈥檚 another big man with a good outside shot, hitting more than 40 percent on 3s on the summer circuit.

鈥淛ax is someone who we identified early on as a great fit for us and will meld perfectly into our system on both ends,鈥� SLU coach Josh Schertz said in a statement. 鈥淗is ability at 6-11 to protect the paint with his elite shot blocking and on the other end to open it up with his shooting gravity is invaluable.

鈥淛ax鈥檚 potential is enormous, but the most attractive part for us he is a young man who embraces the work and is fully committed to reaching his vast ceiling as a player.鈥�