Buddy System Works Well For Eastern Coach Giacoletti Lands Ewu Job, Thanks In Part To Familiarity With Boss, Few, UW

The expectations for the new Eastern Washington University men’s basketball coach are simple.

“We want to beat Gonzaga and make it to the NCAAs,” Eastern president Stephen Jordan said good-naturedly while introducing Ray Giacoletti at Wednesday’s news conference in Cheney. “Achieving the latter may be easier than the first.”

Giacoletti (pronounced jack-oh-LET-ee) was announced as the replacement for Steve Aggers, who was being named new head coach at Loyola-Marymount about the same time Giacoletti was addressing the jam-packed Red Reese Room at Reese Court.

Athletic director Scott Barnes said Giacoletti will earn in the high $80,000 range and up to $90,000 with incentives, upon approval from the board of trustees. The agreement is a four-year rollover contract.

Giacoletti, who will turn 38 next week, has never been a head coach on the Division I level. However, he comes with winning credentials. The Peoria, Ill., native spent eight seasons on the staff of current Washington head coach and former Illinois State coach Bob Bender. He also was an assistant at Oral Roberts.

The last three years, Giacoletti was head coach at Division II North Dakota State in Fargo, N.D., where his teams combined to go 48-33.

Last month, Giacoletti accepted an assistant coaching job at Wichita State, but Barnes lured his old friend to the Northwest.

The two have known one another for 12 years from their World Basketball League days when Barnes was the general manager of the Fresno Flames and Giacoletti an assistant coach and the director of player personnel.

Giacoletti also will be closer to someone he considers one of his best friends, Gonzaga University coach Mark Few. The two met seven years ago during the summer evaluation and recruiting period. Giacoletti was an assistant at UW and Few at Gonzaga.

“I came from central Illinois and had never been to the West Coast. He and (former GU coach) Dan Monson were the first ones to come up and introduce themselves and help give me some direction,” Giacoletti said.

Giacoletti and Few’s wives also have become close friends. The families have taken vacations together and a few days ago at the Final Four in Indianapolis, the two coaches roomed together.

“We had an opportunity to take the entire weekend and discuss some things,” Giacoletti said.

While Few was coming off GU’s second straight tournament run, Giacoletti inherits a squad that has never gone to the NCAA Tournament. However, the Eagles appear headed in the right direction. This past season, EWU went 15-12 and 12-4 in league to share the Big Sky Conference regular-season title.

A solid mix returns, although the team loses leading scorer Ryan Hansen and two-time All-Big Sky point guard Deon Williams, along with key reserves Will Levy and Dennis Fitzgerald.

“Everybody loves change, I especially love change,” said junior starting forward Kareem Hunter, who averaged 6.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. “A lot of players get a new chance they didn’t think they were going to have next year. “We had a great year. The guys on the team really put out for Coach Aggers.”

Giacoletti is hoping to get more of the same.

“I’m not going to make a lot of promises,”he said. “Play hard and do the right thing. Sustain the success and take it one more step.”