St. John’s coach Steve Lavin will not coach in Thursday’s game at Louisville following the death of his father, Albert “Cap” Lavin, this past weekend, the school announced.
Lavin missed the Syracuse game on Sunday when he flew home to San Francisco to be with his family.
Assistant Rico Hines coached the team in an 77-58 loss to No. 6 Syracuse.
St. John’s is 15-9 overall, 7-5 in the Big East. They have won six of eight.
“The Lavin family is grateful for the heartfelt encouragement, prayers and support that we have received since our father’s passing,” Lavin Tweeted Tuesday.
“The thoughtful sentiments and caring messages we received via text, Twitter, e-mail and voicemail from friends, former players, former teammates, colleagues and college basketball fans have helped to give our family an emotional lift during a challenging time in our lives.
“Moving forward, it will now be the inspiring memories of my father that will serve as a catalyst to pursue better ways to navigate the bittersweet miracle that is life.”
Cap Lavin (May 20, 1930 – Feb. 10, 2013) was a 1997 Hall of Fame honoree of the University of San Francisco after earning three varsity letters (1950-52) and serving as the basketball team’s captain. While at San Francisco, Cap Lavin played for two Naismith Hall of Fame coaches, Pete Newell (1949-50) and Phil Woolpert (1950-52). A collegiate guard, Newell had described Cap Lavin as a “ballhandler way ahead of his time, one of the great dribblers and passers in the game.”
Prior to his collegiate career, Cap Lavin was a three-time (1946-48) all-city performer at St. Ignatius High School, and was inducted into the San Francisco Prep Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992.
An educator in the San Francisco area for 43 years at Drake High School, Cal, San Francisco State and Dominican College, Cap Lavin helped found the Bay Area Writing Project in San Francisco and authored nearly 40 books on English and writing.
Photo: Daily News
