Kansas State's Jerome Tang Eager To Face One Of His Role Models Saturday

Jerome Tang grew up idolizing Rick Pitino, one of the most legendary coaches in basketball.

On Saturday, Tang gets the chance to face one of his role models. Tang leads Kansas State against Pitino's St. John's team in New York.

"I wish coach Pitino was playing but he's not," Tang said earlier this week. "That's the thing, he's got players. He's done a really good job of assembling a team that can emulate his personality and what he's about. And it is, don't get me wrong, it's an honor. I was a young high school coach and brought his tapes on his black and white press defense and we did that in high school, pressed the whole time."

Pitino worked his way up the ranks, with stops at Providence, Kentucky, Louisville and even had a stint with the Boston Celtics in the NBA. Tang said he has always admired Pitino. Saturday's matchup is even more surreal considering St. John's is honoring legendary coach Lou Carnesecca before the game.

Carnesecca, who led the Red Storm to the 1985 Final Four, passed away last Saturday at the age of 99.

"That's when I learned you could become a better player by working at it," Tang said of watching Pitino. "And as a coach, that's what I wanted to do for my players. The fact that coach Carnesecca just passed away and we get a chance to go up there and play. As a young person, I never thought that I would be a part of."

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Kansas State Wildcats On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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