NCAA Tournament: 5 Best Father-Son Performances
RJ Hunter hit a shot that will live on in the history of the NCAA Tournament for years to come and it will be in the "One Shining Moment" montage at the end of the championship game. That got me thinking, what are some of the best father-son performances all time in the tournament?
5) Greg & Doug McDermott- This father-son combo makes the list because of their consistency in making the tournament. For the final 3 years of Doug's career, he and his dad guided the Blue Jays to the tournament and won at least one game in the Big Dance. Best singular performance? Let's go with Dougie McBucket's game last year against Louisiana-Lafayette when he put up 30 points and 12 rebounds on 13/23 shooting. Fair to say that's pretty good?
4) Lon & Kevin Kruger- Kevin didn't play for his dad for all four years of his college career for his dad. Instead, he played his senior season for his dad at UNLV after playing the first three years of his career at Arizona State. In his senior year though, he was part of a 30-7 Runnin' Rebels team that entered the tournament as a 7 seed. After winning in the 1st round of the tournament as expected over 10 seeded Georgia Tech 67-63, the Rebs had a showdown with the number 2 seed Wisconsin. Kevin Kruger had his best game of the tournament in an upset victory 74-68 over the Badgers. Kevin scored 16 points and added 7 assists and 6 rebounds in the win. The duo's run would stop there as they fell in the next round to Oregon 76-72.
3) Homer & Bryce Drew- Younger fans may see the name Bryce Drew and think Valparaiso's head coach. But, anyone born before 1993 probably remembers Bryce Drew better for one of the most iconic moments in NCAA Tournament history - actually, you know what? Just take a look at the video...
[youtube:"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Rm_eAiV4dA"]
Go ahead, watch that a few more times. I'll wait. Good? Does that look familiar? Well, let's refresh your memory.
2) Ron & RJ Hunter- Yes this shot from yesterday already takes the number 2 spot on this list because of the magnitude of the shot (game-winner like Drew's), but also the added element of the reaction from Hunter's dad. Homer (Bryce's dad) had a good reaction, but few reactions will ever beat this:
https://vine.co/v/OYuPJjWlOm7
https://vine.co/v/OYuQ91xbgw9Yeah that's pretty much as good as a reaction gets. Just look at that shot. It's beautiful.
1) Forrest "Phog" Allen and Bob Allen- If there's anyone reading this post that actually saw the 1940 Kansas tournament run with these two I'd love to hear from you. Because that is a precious piece of basketball history. If you're a college basketball fan, you know who Phog Allen was. The legendary coach of Kansas, player under the inventor of the game of basketball James Naismith, Allen is one of the iconic figures in the game. Well, his son wasn't too shabby either as a player getting selected All-Big 6 twice in his career and playing on the 1940 national championship team for his father. I don't have any video or stats for you here, but until a father-son combo wins the NCAA title together, these two will remain entrenched in the top spot.
This was a lot of fun to compile and here's hoping Ron, RJ, and Georgia State's run continues here.
Ryan Mayer is an Associate Producer for CBS Local Sports. Ryan lives in NY but comes from Philly and life as a Philly sports fan has made him cynical. Anywhere sports are being discussed, that's where you'll find him.
