The trip to Chicago is one that Geno Auriemma likes to make with the Huskies. Great city. Great sights. Great food. And one great friend.
Auriemma and DePaul coach Doug Bruno have been friends for a long time. With each tending to their respective teams during the season, there isn’t much time to catch up and talk at great lengths. But the trip to the Windy City provides then with at least some time to meet.
And they certain have plenty to talk about. The Huskies have won 62 straight games. The Blue Demons are fighting for an NCAA tournament berth despite losing leading scorer Deirdre Naughton to a season-ending knee injury in the fifth game this season. The two are also coaching together as part of the U.S. Senior National Team.
To Auriemma, the head coach, it was an easy choice to add Bruno to his staff.
“The first thing was because my friendship with him goes back a long way,’’ Auriemma said. “The second thing is that I’ve always respected him as a basketball coach. And he’s put so much time into USA Basketball, he’s coached at almost every level, and those people really need to be rewarded. Here’s a guy who loves basketball, has given his life to women’s basketball, and has given his free time to USA Basketball. It was a no-brainer.’’
Along with Minnesota Lynx coach Jennifer Gillom, Auriemma and Bruno will lead the U.S. at the 2010 World Championships in the Czech Republic Sept. 23-Oct. 3. The U.S. will begin preliminary round play in Pool B against Greece Sept. 23.
“It’s an honor to be asked to coach at that level,’’ Bruno said. “I do believe that I’ve done something to earn it with my work at USA Basketball. I think our teams produced. But it’s an honor to do it and I get goose bumps just talking about it. There is nothing in pro sports or any sports … How many times do you listen to the national anthem before an event? There is nothing like being up on that podium and listening to the United States national anthem after your team has won gold.’’
Bruno led the U.S. Women’s U-18 FIBA Americas Championship Team to a 4-0 record in Colorado Springs, Colo. in 2006. The team earned the gold medal and qualified for the FIBA U-19 World Championship. He then led the U-19 World Championship Team to a 9-0 record and the gold medal at the 2007 FIBA U-19 World Championship in Bratislava, Slovakia.
The U.S. also finished 3-0 under Bruno participating in an exhibition tournament in the Canary Islands, Spain prior to the U-19 World Championship.
Bruno was the co-winner of the 2006 and 2007 USA Basketball Developmental National Coach of the Year award. He is the only two-time winner of the award.
“He’s a great teacher,’’ said UConn junior Maya Moore, who was a member of the U-19 team. “He’s really enthusiastic and I think that really spreads over to his program. I think he really did a great job with preparing … I felt really prepared coming in here having played for Coach Bruno the year before I got here, preparing me for Coach Auriemma and how he runs his program here.’’
Bruno and Auriemma coached together with the National Team this fall at training camp in Washington, D.C. and then at a three-game tournament in Russia. Bruno said it was quite an experience to be on the same staff as Auriemma.
“It’s magnificent,’’ Bruno said. “He’s even better in person. That sounds like it’s patronizing but he does a great job of coaching basketball. Whenever you get to be next to a guy that does a great job, it’s a thrill. I’m a basketball junkie. I’m always looking to learn. Everyone always hears about the great job he does. We observe the product when you’re on the outside. It’s a good product to observe. But until you’re on the inside you don’t even realize … I mean, you know he’s really good from the outside. But on the inside, he’s brilliant. He’s in the Hall of Fame for a reason. He’s a special coach.’’
Live chat tomorrow from noon to 1 p.m. … Be there.
Rich
