JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Back in the spring, rumors were flying that Bob Hurley Sr. might be in the mix to take over the unsteady Rutgers situation following Mike Rice’s scandal-ridden departure, at least on a temporary basis.
The Associated Press even ran a story stoking the flames, with a headline indicating that Hurley would “consider taking Rutgers head coach as a caretaker.”
Hurley quickly corrected the record, and Rutgers flirted with hiring Dan Hurley, Bob’s son, before eventually hiring Eddie Jordan, who was in the St. Anthony gym on Monday recruiting.
Meantime, Hurley, the 66-year-old Naismith Hall of Famer, told SNY.tv he planned to remain at St. Anthony for as long as he is able.
“As long as my health is good, I can’t see myself not coaching,” Hurley told SNY.tv.
Having won 27 state titles, 12 New Jersey Tournament of Champions crowns and more than 1,000 career games, Hurley appears as excited as ever for yet another basketball season to begin.
“I ran six weeks of basketball camp this summer,” he said. “This past weekend I was in Fresno, Calif., at a coaching clinic. The weekend before I was in Charlotte at a clinic. This weekend I’m at the Kentucky High School Coaches Association on Friday night. On Saturday I’m going to have a roundtable in Cincinnati with some high school coaches. Then on Saturday I’m off the plane and right to a coaches clinic at the Boys Club.”
A longtime probation officer in Jersey City, Hurley has been retired for several years now and spends much of his free time helping to raise his grandchildren.
“I don’t have a job in the way of wanting to be able to do all this basketball stuff,” Hurley said. “I really enjoy doing it, so God willing I’ll do it for a while.”
Three times since 2008, Hurley has coached undefeated teams.
His 2007-8 team that won the Tournament of Champions starred current Nets guard Tyshawn Taylor, along with former college players Mike Rosario, Jio Fontan, Tray Woodall and Dominic Cheek.
In both 2011 and 2012, Hurley’s Kyle Anderson-led teams won the TOC, going 65-0 along the way. The 2011 team beat arch-rival St. Patrick, then No. 1 in the nation and starring Kentucky commit Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, in what was the unofficial national championship game in the North Non-Public B final.
After losing guards Josh Brown (Temple) and Hallice Cooke (Oregon State) and bigs Tim Coleman (NJIT) and Kentrell Brooks (Marist), Hurley’s team this year won’t feature any big-name stars.
Markis McDuffie, a 6-7 2015 forward who projects to be 6-10, may be the player with the biggest upside.
Jordan and David Cox of Rutgers and Shaheen Holloway of Seton Hall watched him Monday.
As for McDuffie, Hurley said, “You’re buying a stock at very good price with the chance for it to really develop, but he’s very young…He’s a total perimeter player. He shoots it very well, can handle a basketball.
“I think the closer you get to the end of his high school career, the more you should see what you’re looking for, which is that potential being recognized. But he needs to make that growth as a player.”
For the next two years, McDuffie can make that growth with Hurley as his coach.
FREE THROWS
St. Anthony will scrimmage Don Bosco, Fairfield Prep, Mount Vernon/Teaneck/Lincoln in December. The regular-season schedule includes games against Blair Academy, Roselle Catholic and Linden, as well as tournaments in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off, the SNY Invitational and the PrimeTime Shootout.
Photo: NJ.com
