TAMPA, Fla. — The USF men's basketball team has been through the ringer since the end of last season.
Their top three players entered the transfer portal and left the program. In October, head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim died suddenly during a medical procedure. Assistant coach Ben Fletcher took the reigns on an interim basis and has kept the Bulls train from running completely off the tracks.
His team is 11-11, 4-5 in AAC play. They've been hit with injuries to key players along the way, but Fletcher's proud of the way his group has stayed the course.
"No game has been alike for us, good or bad," Fletcher said after Wednesday's practice. "All those things are just learning experiences that you can use, especially when it comes to postseason play. It’s all about how you finish, and that’s important for us right now."
Tonight, USF hosts Temple at 7 p.m. During the game, American Athletic Conference commissioner Tim Pernetti will present the Abdur-Rahim family with coach Amir's Conference Coach of the Year trophy. He'll also present a check for $15,000 to theFuture Foundation, a non-profit that helps young students flourish in and out of the classroom.
"I think of all the good times we had. I think of the championship run," point guard Jayden Reid said about remembering his former coach. "I think of my first collegiate head coach. A mentor for me and a leader. Just all the emotions, the good times, the bad times. It just all comes together."
Even though coach Amir isn't physically with the team, Reid said he can definitely hear his voice.
"As soon as I come in the gym, I always hear coach Amir, like, 'Talk, Jay!' 'Be a leader, Jay! ' 'One percent better! Be an everyday guy!' I just hear those things constantly throughout the games, throughout practice," Reid explained. "It’s just a good feeling knowing that he’s always with us."
"You don’t go six years working with a guy, and you don’t pick up certain things from him," Fletcher added. "It’s one of those deals where it comes in waves. You just have to embrace the moment and try to push through."
The Bulls will most likely need to win the AAC conference tournament if they have any hopes of making it to the NCAA tournament. February is when everyone needs to play their best basketball, and Fletcher thinks USF's best ball is still ahead.
"Amir used to say all the time, ‘It’s not about what happens, it’s how we respond.’ I think through the adversity that we’ve gone through, our guys have answered the bell every time."
Tipoff between the Bulls and the Owls is set for 7 p.m. The game will air nationally on ESPN 2.
NEWS LITERACY WEEK
Excited, idealistic, and not jaded. Those are a few words ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska would use to describe the USF journalism students he interviewed for News Literacy Week.
