Ncaa Media Thrusts Dad Back In Spotlight

Don Monson took an overachieving team from the University of Idaho to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament in 1982.

Wednesday, he was back - as a spectator and sweetheart of the media covering Gonzaga University’s practice at KeyArena, where the Bulldogs face Minnesota in today’s opening round the West Regional.

“He thinks he’s back in the spotlight again,” said his son, Dan, who is in his second season as GU’s head coach. “He’s doing interviews and he’s back coaching.

“He’s back to giving advice again. He quit doing that, but now all of a sudden he’s getting excited and telling me things, like we need to rebound. Yeah, I hope we rebound, too.”

Then the younger Monson made it clear the relationship he shares with his father is special.

“Having somebody that close to you who has been here - who has sat on the bench, who’s been to the Sweet 16, who’s been the national coach of the year - it’s a great compliment.

“He’s been to every game this year with me. It means a tremendous amount to me to have him around.”

When asked about the best piece of advice he’s received from his dad about the NCAA, Monson pointed back to the moments following Gonzaga’s win over Santa Clara in the finals of the West Coast Conference tournament earlier this month.

“The first thing he said to me when gave me a hug on the court at Santa Clara was, `Enjoy it, it’s going to be the greatest basketball week of your life,”’ Monson said. “And it certainly has been.”

Clark won’t be at top speed

Minnesota point guard Kevin Clark suffered a seizure on the plane en route to Seattle on Tuesday, but should be physically capable of playing today.

Clark has taken medication to stave off seizures since childhood, but recently changed medication and, according to Golden Gophers coach Clem Haskins, has had trouble regulating it.

“He’s had three major attacks in the last month,” Haskins said. “We expect him to play, but it usually takes a while to come back after a seizure, so his energy level won’t be as high as it usually is.”

Clark also had a seizure at Haskins’ house on Thanksgiving Day.

That’s `mister’ to me

Gonzaga guard Matt Santangelo was asked to expound on his relationship with former Bulldogs great John Stockton, who often works out with current team members at Martin Centre during the summer.

“For the last two years, Mr. Stockton has taken me aside to work out with him,” Santangelo said of the Utah Jazz point guard and all-time NBA assist leader. “It consists basically of a shooting routine and maybe some one-on-one.

“The lessons I’ve learned after playing with him are competitiveness, scrap, desire and the know-how to win. Those are the things I’ve most tried to copy.”

Santangelo was asked if he always calls Stockton mister. “Not to his face,” he admitted.

KEYARENA SCHEDULE Today Minnesota (17-10) vs. Gonzaga (25-6), 11:42 a.m. (TV: CBS) Stanford (25-6) vs. Alcorn State (23-6), 30 minutes after previous game Florida (20-8) vs. Pennsylvania (21-5), 4:55 p.m. (TV: CBS) North Carolina (24-9) vs. Weber State (24-7), 30 minutes after previous game

Saturday Stanford-Alcorn State winner vs. Minnesota-Gonzaga winner, 1:30 p.m. North Carolina-Weber State winner vs. Florida-Pennsylvania winner, 30 minutes after first game