Saint Peter's coach once shared court with Kobe Bryant
Sat, Mar 26, 2022
NCAAB News (AP)
The Peacocks' head coach has been a media darling throughout this year's Big Dance, delivering one tasty soundbite after another.
Following his team's memorable 67-64 win over No. 3 Purdue on Friday - which made the Peacocks the first 15-seed to reach the Elite Eight - Holloway was asked what his message to his team was after the win.
"What they gone say now?" Holloway asked. "Everybody got something to say. We can't do this, we can't do that. Cinderella, underdogs, this, that. I got guys that just play basketball and have fun.
"The only thing I'm gonna say now is, 'what they gone say now?'"
As good as Holloway has been on the sideline as a coach and in the media, many forget - or maybe didn't know in the first place - what a talented player he was during his time at Seton Hall. Holloway was an elite-level recruit coming out of St. Patrick High School in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Before he enrolled at Seton Hall, he participated in the 1996 McDonald's All-American Game, a showcase for the top high school basketball recruits in the nation.
In that game, Holloway started at point guard for the East Team and put up seven points, eight assists and six steals en route to being named the MVP. He played alongside the likes of Richard Hamilton, Jermaine O'Neal, and yes ... the late, great Kobe Bryant.
A Twitter user posted the following photo of Holloway and Bryant slapping hands as teammates in the game.
Other future NBA players in that 1996 game included Mike Bibby, Mateen Cleaves, Stephen Jackson and Tim Thomas.
Holloway went on to star at Seton Hall from 1996-2000. He helped guide the Pirates to the 2000 NCAA Tournament, where they earned a spot in the Sweet 16 before eventually falling to No. 3-seed Oklahoma State. That Seton Hall squad was the last New Jersey-based school to make a Sweet 16 until this season's Saint Peter's team, which Holloway is now coaching.
Holloway finished his college career with 1,588 points and 681 assists, which remains a school record.
Holloway is earning plenty of respect throughout the country for the coaching job he has done throughout this year's tournament. But let it be known that he could play some ball back in his day as well.
