[Smith] trusted his players, thats what was special about him, Parker said. Its been great the two times.. Retiring Simeon coach Robert Smith surpassed 500 career wins, spent most of the season ranked No. Weve nearly reached the conclusion of the regular season with the biggest games yet to come. The Trevians will face Libertyville, a 60-42 winner against Prospect, on Monday in the NOW Arena Supersectional in Hoffman Estates. Flowers is currently an assistant coach at Simeon. They all just wanted to win and that's me.". Matt arrived just as the Cubs won the World Series. "College would have to be the right situation. Tim Flowers is sort of a son of Simeon. Oswego East ended 2021-22 with a 52-51 sectional final heartbreaker to Bolingbrook but not before the Wolves finished with a program-best 33-3 record. Smith, 50, is 480-92 heading into his final season. Smith whose signature look has been a spectacular pair of Gucci glasses wants his team to win every game, but finding a way to beat Irons would have meant a little more if only because they have become so close over the years. On Jan. 24, Smith picked up win 500 when his Wolverines beat Brooks 82-36. Smith was always handing out compliments to the very few teams that did manage to beat his and to players that deserved it. This was all accomplished with one of the current top five senior prospects in the country, 6-9 Matas Buzelis, leaving the Hinsdale Central program following his sophomore year. I want to spend more time with my kids, Smith said. It would be quite the ending to an amazingly successful run. The perennial south suburban power lost two Division I prospects in the offseason, both transferring out of the program. The Wolverines could be the areas preseason No. The 2021-22 DePaul Blue Demons women's basketball team represented DePaul University during the 2021-22 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. And they generally always played with such pride. Coaches, ADs and staff who do not . When rival coach and now friend Tyrone Slaughter of Young heard the news, he didnt hesitate in making a bold statement. He made sure that we were confident. As it has so often since he took over the Simeon program in 2004, history turned Smiths way. Leonard Thomas. CHICAGO (CBS) - The most successful boys high school . You can't just be a regular high school coach for those guys. 8147 S. Vincennes Avenue Chicago, IL 60620 . The GOAT retires: A look back at the legacy of Simeon basketball coach Robert Smith This retirement is about all that Robert Smith has meant to the sport and, specifically, Public League basketball. Simeon (29-3) vs. Mount Carmel (27-6) With four losses in the final seven games of the regular season, there were some who were prepared to write an early postseason obituary for Mount Carmel. Hurley is the father of former Duke guard Bobby Hurley, and Bobby is one of 150 players from St. Anthony to play Division I basketball. St. Ignatius, Grayslake Central and Marmion were the other local teams advancing to Class 3A supersectionals. Simeon High School Basketball; JV; Simeon JV Basketball. In his tenure Smith has coached several NBA players, including Rose, Jabari Parker, Talen Horton-Tucker and others. Simeon coach Robert Smith coaches from the sidelines at far left. Despite the loss of Wilson, Simeon returned to Champaign and the state tournament in the spring of 1985 before losing in the quarterfinals. The actor suffered a brain aneurysm Feb. 18 at his Los Angeles home and died in his sleep Friday at a hospital in Burbank, California, his manager said. More:Wisconsin Lutheran moves back to the top of the boys basketball rankings; Oak Creek's Izaac Neal, Cedarburg honored. But there are teams, on paper, with more talent than Simeon, and Smith continues to always be able to navigate and right a ship just perfectly. Flipboard. Neal F. Simeon Career Academy (formerly known as Westcott Vocational High School, Neal F. Simeon Vocational High School, Neal F. Simeon Career Technical Academy), locally known simply as Simeon, is a public four-year vocational high school located in the Chatham area on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States.Simeon is a part of the Chicago Public Schools district. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The GOAT retires: A look back at the legacy of Simeon basketball coach Robert Smith, Simeon basketball coach Robert Smith will retire after next season, Sectional final roundup: Simeon, St. Ignatius win in 3A; Oswego East takes down Joliet West in 4A, 2023 Chicago Sun-Times All-Area basketball team. OVERALL 8-3 0.73 Win % CONFERENCE 4-2 0.67 Win % HOME 3-1 AWAY 2-1 NEUTRAL 3-1. Craft, 55, retired in May as a science teacher and coach. Watch online from home or on the go. All rights reserved. The AAU circuit is seen as a chance of opportunity for high school players to play on traveling teams at national tournaments and gain exposure in front of top college coaches. It wasnt just city and state championships. Smiths last team at Simeon will be strong. The address was changed from 8235 S. Vincennes Ave. to 8147 S. Vincennes Ave. He never wavered from high standards that stressed teamwork over individual glory, and the boys who played for him learned to accept his rules or go elsewhere. CHICAGO (CBS) The most successful boys high school basketball coach in Illinois history is getting set to step down. - Adaptable leadership approach used to get the most out of each player. . One possession in a basketball game doesnt necessarily mean anything. Lawmakers and others should not seek to undo laws meant to protect people from gun violence. A big brother with a resume thats second to none in the basketball-mad state of Illinois. There were a handful of teams with massive preseason expectations when the season began. Congratulations once again to Coach Robert Smith! 2005-2023 CBS Interactive. Ive spent the last 24 years giving all my attention to other peoples kids.. Lawmakers and others should not seek to undo laws meant to protect people from gun violence. "That hug from Derrick in the last state championship and that hug from Jabari that last state championship, those meant a lot," Smith said. Interviewed after the 1984 championship, Ben Wilson said of Mr. Hambric: "We do things his way, because he's right.". Please enter valid email address to continue. Wilson's slaying was indicative of the tough streets from which Mr. Hambric drew his players. Vashon takes on another big-time Illinois foe when it hosts East St. Louis (18-6) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. There wasnt any fake or forced bravado. This last year will be the same as any other, Smith said. Simeon and other top Chicago basketball powers don't produce all of that talent alone. While state tournament runs put together by their teams do matter, there are a number of Coach of the Year candidates throughout the area. [Smith] deserved it, Griffith said. Basketball; Football; Vashon played Chicago Simeon in the OFallon Shootout at OFallon High School in OFallon, IL on Saturday February 4, 2023. . Smith made his debut as Simeons coach in 2004, the same night Derrick Rose made his for Simeon. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Area college signings: NCAA Division I and II, Area college signings: NCAA Division III, NAIA, JUCO, 4 killed, 4 critically injured in crash at South Grand Boulevard and Forest Park Avenue, Parents push back on allegations against St. Louis transgender center. Smith went out on top, at least in the Public League. Here's an overview of the eight contenders. But Velasquez, who is 131-31 in the past six seasons, worked a pair of transfers into the mix and kept the Wolves humming. Matt Zahn joined CBS2 Chicago in October 2016 as a sports reporter and fill-in sports anchor, and what a time to come to Chicago. On January 24, 2023, Simeon Coach Robert Smith made history, securing his 500th career win in boys high school basketball. Lawmakers and others should not seek to undo laws meant to protect people from gun violence. The Trevians are 27-4 heading into this weeks Central Suburban League regular-season finale with Niles North. On 2/28, the Simeon varsity basketball team won their neutral playoff game against St. Laurence (Burbank, IL) by a score of 50-42. Most of the talent went to Public League schools, and players stopped going to Catholic schools.. After 19 years and 500 wins, legendary Simeon basketball coach aims to go out on top. Boys Basketball. That resonated with his players and assistant coaches. As a result, his basketball acumen and work ethic often went unnoticed. But we are going to win a state championship. And I see a principal in that postgame crush pic.twitter.com/bV8P6il45f. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Parker had his choice of schools across the country but chose Simeon. The accolades are endless and the resume is, quite honestly, unlike any other in high school basketball when it comes to state championships and appearances, along with the individual talent hes produced. He will coach one more season a loaded team that is expected to contend for a state championship in 2023 and call it a career. Lawmakers and others should not seek to undo laws meant to protect people from gun violence. 0:36. (Ed Wagner, Jr., Chicago Tribune) 1979-80. Upload it here. Latorre has led this senior-dominated group to the best season the program has had in 25 years. Smith, who is also Simeon's athletic director, hands the job over to his assistant coach and former player Tim Flowers, who will begin his tenure during the 2023-24 season. College coaching is always something I wanted to do, Smith said. Averaged 19.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1 . Print. Me and Coach Smith are like family, Irons said. Evan Kanellos made the winning free throw with five seconds left. Steele retired all six Padres batters he faced, then headed to the bullpen to throw 25 more pitches. Among those teams, however, there was one that lived up to the hype over three months of basketball better than any. Competing against coaches like [Youngs] Tyrone Slaughter, Mike Oliver at Curie and Nick Irvin [at Morgan Park] just gave us a different vibe, Smith said. So that actually took a lot of pressure off of me.. We all have one more year to enjoy it and to celebrate the most successful high school coach in state history. Smith has a career record of 480-92 with six state championships. Simeon coach Robert Smith watches as the Wolverines play Kenwood. The players have repeatedly said they havent felt extra pressure to make sure that Smiths final season was a success. He went on to LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis, where he was captain of the basketball team and an honors student. The Trevians, however, graduated four of five starters, including all-area performer Jackson Munro. Show all Sports. Just ask the fine people of Pontiac how much they appreciate their adopted program each December at the prestigious holiday tournament. Earlier today I was thinking about games I played in before and all the seasons Ive coached.. You have to learn and understand how to make them better players and people. During the early 1980s, the city of Chicago featured one of the best high school basketball players in the country. While he's still clearly on top of his game when it comes to coaching at a high level, he's decided this is his last season. He instilled discipline with his players and in how they played. PG Sr. 5' 10" 160 lbs. And while he won and won bigger than anyone he never, ever was full of himself or took himself too seriously. We've nearly reached the conclusion of the regular season with the biggest games yet to . But more than whats on paper or in the record books or who hes coached, Smith has earned a level of respect from everyone in the sport that so few are truly able to earn. The only two Catholic League programs to win a Class 4A sectional since the arrival of the four-class system have been Loyola in 2014 and Mount Carmel in 2008. Anderson is the sixth recipient of the Mr . Smith, a Simeon graduate, nearly took an assistant job at Loyola under Porter Moser in 2017. Smiths debut as a high school coach in December 2004 is one of the citys legendary high school basketball moments it also was Derrick Roses debut. 0:05. But for Benet to put together a 29-1 record? Smith is stepping down at the end of the year. On 2/7, the Simeon varsity basketball team won their home non-conference game against North Lawndale (Chicago, IL) by a score of 74-54. Smiths impact on student-athletes throughout Chicago has truly been incredible as he continues to cement his legacy in his final season as the head basketball coach at Simeon. It was never going to be easy following up last years remarkable season. Simeon will face Hillcrest on Monday in the UIC Supersectional. 1 sectional seed. He coached at a YMCA before taking over the frosh-soph teams at Simeon, presiding over a string of winning squads and continuing to win when he became varsity coach in 1980. Photos by @acphoto22. He is survived by a son, Robert Jr.; a daughter, Robyn; and a brother, Arthur. There wasnt extra stress, Rubin said. Slaughter, who says he and Smith were once vicious adversaries but became close friends over the years, saw the class he oozed. The actor suffered a brain aneurysm Feb. 18 at his Los Angeles home and died in his sleep Friday at a hospital in Burbank, California, his manager said. New Trier held on to beat Glenbrook North 47-46. Submit Roster. Hinsdale Central, now 28-3 on the season, hasnt lost since mid-December and is riding a 20-game winning streak. "When I started this, my goal was to have the most city championships and the most state championships and I accomplished those goals a couple of years ago," Smith said. After everything weve been through all year our defense held up in those last two minutes of overtime.. Junior Chris Riddle added 10 points off the bench. 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On 3/3, the Simeon varsity basketball team won their neutral playoff game against Chicago Mt. Deon Thomas, who did not play organized basketball until high school, became No. Curtis Wilson, Ben Wilson's oldest brother, center, accepts a framed team jersey from members of the Simeon High School basketball team in 2009 during a retirement ceremony for Ben's number, No . Were talking six state championships and four other top four finishes at state that earned state trophies. In the 1990s, Mr. Hambric put together a stretch of 10 straight 20-win seasons. Saturdays win was the second time Vashon and Irons bested Smith and Simeon. Seriously underwater., St. Louis man charged in quadruple fatal crash; police say he ran off with his license plate, Neman: Missouri womans saga of trying to find common sense at Walmart, I can still hear the roaring of the engine, says father of teen maimed in downtown St. Louis. Simeon All Access: Administrators, parents, coaches search for answers in wake of shooting death of 17-year-old Morgan Park student Tyrone Lawson after a Morgan Park Simeon basketball game at . For better or worse. There is still something to look forward to.. For better or worse. Having accomplished so much is part of the reason Smith decided that this season, his 19th, would be his last. Other future NBA players to play under Smith include Talen Horton-Tucker and Kendrick Nunn of the Los Angeles Lakers. For better or worse. Mr. Hambric, 69, died of cancer on Friday, said Marque Riley, Simeon athletic director. The Trojans ended Hinsdale Centrals 23-game winning streak with a 53-43 victory in Hinsdale. Membership Options Live Broadcasts Current Stats Media requests Photo Galleries SmugMug Photos Athletic Director Podcasts Basketball Podcast with Coach Noszka Coach's Corner Podcast . We will enjoy this for a few days and then we will regroup and try to fix some things and try to go win another state championship, Smith said. There is a reason Heidkamp is a two-time City/Suburban Hoops Report Coach of the Year winner. Simeon coach Robert Smith, the most successful boys high school basketball coach in state history, will retire after next season. Then there are the many untold stories of how he nurtured players. The lost talent and the timing of it would cripple most teams. On Friday, it was Akil Watson's turn to burn the Roses, with the Arizona State commit shooting 10-for-14 from the floor and 3-for-3 from the free-throw line. "He used to have a saying, 'Come the fourth quarter, you'll see who can play.'". They are both playing basketball now, and I want to be able to give them my full attention. The Wolverines are in Class 3A, Kenwood is in 4A. 1 and just recently capped off the regular season with a city championship. Mr. Hambric's wife, Phyllis Hambric, preceded him in death. 8. The new mayor has the power to physically remake the city or large portions of it.