DENVER, Colo. – Gonzaga guard Josh Perkins is playing in his first NCAA Tournament game and unlike most players he gets to play in his hometown.
The other special part is his dad, Randy, will be there to watch.
Randy Perkins, 52, had his own playing career at four different colleges and as Josh’s former coach he's no doubt taught Josh a lot about the game, but it quickly became obvious that those father-son lessons go well beyond the hardwood.
Denver's Elyria neighborhood is where Randy raised Josh and it’s less than five miles from the Pepsi Center.
Randy runs the Colorado Miners Community Center there and he’s proud of his work with the kids in the area.
“It's one of the poorest communities in the metropolitan area,” said Randy. “We were not supposed to be as successful in this building as we have been.”
He’s also proud of the work he’s done with his son through the center.
“I like to say it's kind of created a foundation for the kind of person he is today,” said Randy.
Josh graduated out of his dad's AAU program with its academic and community service requirements and moved on to a Gonzaga career that has presented its own set of challenges.
“Beginning of this season having to figure this thing out on the job training that was tough,” said Randy.
With time this year Josh went from a source of the fan base's frustration to a key to the Bulldogs' success.
“I'm not one of those I told you so guys, but I told you so,” said Randy.
His growth is one reason the Zags are on Josh Perkins’ turf this week. And if the son is anything like the father, that's not something he'll take for granted.
“He's really thankful, he's really grateful for this opportunity and he's going make the most of it,” said Randy.
Randy’s influence extends outside the neighborhood. Randy and a fellow coach will bring sneakers to give kids at a basketball camp they have worked in Fiji. They have already collected 200 pairs.