UNION, N.J. — There were days, not so long ago, when Mike Rice wondered whether he would ever coach in basketball again.
After all, Rice was fired by Rutgers in 2013 after he was caught on videotape hurling basketballs and homophobic slurs at his players. Amid a scandal that made headlines across America and triggered a national debate about what constitutes abusive behavior by coaches at all levels, Rice was even lampooned by Melissa McCarthy on “Saturday Night Live.”
“I’m always a positive thinker, but yes there were questions,” Rice told me Saturday night.
But Rice, 47, is boldly forging a new chapter in his career, one that now includes winning the prestigious Union County (N.J.) championship as he continues to rehabilitate his image and move toward a possible return to the college ranks.
During St. Patrick’s thrilling 58-54 double-overtime victory over Roselle Catholic before a packed house of 2,500 fans at Kean University’s Harwood Arena, Rice even carved out a moment to stop and smell the roses.
“I took a moment, which I never do, to just enjoy it,” he said. “It was just a fun atmosphere. It’s a fun competiton to be in.”
Thanks to four straight clutch free throws from Harvard-bound point guard Bryce Aiken in the final seconds, plus 14 points from Jordan Walker and 13 from Jamir Harris, Rice celebrated his first tournament championship since leading Robert Morris to back-to-back Northeast Conference tournament titles in 2009-10.
“That had to be the NEC six or seven years ago,” he said when asked to recall his last tournament title as a coach.
Rice added another chapter to the rich history of St. Patrick’s (21-5), which has produced NBA players Kyrie Irving, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Al Harrington and now won 19 Union County titles. Fourteen came under former coach Kevin Boyle, now the head man at Montverde (FL) Academy who should be considered for a college job.
Moments after winning the title, Rice found himself answering questions from a local TV station and also holding the microphone as Aiken was interviewed.
“It’s his dream, that’s his dream to coach and to give his knowledge to all the kids that he comes across in his life,” Aiken told me. “He’s doing a tremendous job and I thank him every day for that.”
Rice paid his dues. He underwent anger management training and worked with John Lucas in Houston. He coached with the Hoop Group. He coaches his own children in AAU.
He’s still highly animated on the sidelines, but the St. Pat’s players seem to love him and there has been no sign of inappropriate behavior on his part.
“Me and Mike, we’ve definitely developed a tremendous bond over the season,” Aiken said. “I’m so excited to have him on board, I’ve learned a lot. I’ve learned a tremendous amount about the game and he’s definitely helped me expand my game.”
“Just to have someone of his caliber on the coaching staff, I’m thankful for him every game.”
Initially, the plan was for Rice to coach St. Pat’s through December while Chris Chavannes dealt with his other duties as the school’s principal.
But come January, Rice was still coaching the team, with Chavannes aiding him on the sidelines.
“I’ve been very busy at school,” Chavannes, who led St. Pat’s to Union County titles in 2013 and ’14, said after the win. “We’re in a bit of a transition [to a new facility] right now at school and I’ve been extremely tied up. We communicate together, we speak every day and I have tremendous confidence in Mike…but right now I get the opportunity to focus on the school.
“He’s been great. It just happened. It made it easier to have the school to really focus on, but he’s been great.”
St. Pat’s is now 2-1 against arch-rival Roselle Catholic this season, and a fourth matchup could come in the South Non-Public B semifinals next month. RC will be hungry for revenge after falling to 0-4 in Union County title games, including last season’s loss to Linden.
“We’ll probably have this rematch again in about 10 days,” Chavannes said.
The winner of that game would likely face Bob Hurley and St. Anthony’s, the No. 1 team in New Jersey and No. 5 in the USA Today poll, in the Non-Public B championship game on March 12 in Toms River.
St. Anthony’s edged St. Pat’s, 60-56, at the Dan Finn Classic in December in Jersey City.
If the Celtics get back to that game, we could see Mike Rice-Bob Hurley Part II.
Hurley, for his part, already told me that Rice has done everything in his power to rehabilitate his image. And in a short time, too.
How many disgraced college coaches get back to coaching — and winning, albeit in high school — within three years?
Ironically, Rice’s success also comes against the backdrop of Rutgers’ troubles this season under third-year coach Eddie Jordan, the man who was brought in to restore the program after Rice was fired. The Scarlet Knights lost by 39 points at Northwestern on Saturday and haven’t won a Big Ten game since January of 2015.
“We’re just ecstatic for the kids and obviously for Coach Rice, he’s been a huge part of our success,” said St. Pat’s assistant Todd Decker, himself a former head coach at St. Peter’s Prep. “What he brings to the table from his past experience is tremendous. He’s a great guy, a great family man and obviously he can coach too, and the kids have responded to him.”
For now, Rice isn’t thinking much about the past at Rutgers, or a potential future return to college.
Next up is the state tournament and the brutal Non-Public B bracket.
And another chance for Mike Rice to continue to win championships, to continue to rehabilitate his image.
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