Summit’s coaching legend has yet to peak

The first time Dawn Staley met Pat Summitt almost 25 years ago, she said “no” to the Tennessee coaching legend. Summitt sat in Dawn Staley’s Philadelphia living room trying to convince the Dobbins Tech guard to come to Knoxville, Tenn., where her program was coming off its first national title.

“She was pretty much straightforward, which is what I like, but it was an intimidating experience,” said Staley, who chose to go to Virginia. “She wanted me to be a Lady Volunteer, and she came across as being very serious.”

While she didn’t wear the orange and white of Tennessee, Staley — a three-time Olympic gold medalist — respects the game’s winningest coach. That reverence deepened when Summitt, 59, revealed before the season that she started suffering the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Thursday night at Thompson-Boling Arena in Tennessee, Staley will present Summitt with a $20,000 check to the Alzheimer’s Association on her behalf.

Some of the money was raised by players and coaches on a charity walk this fall. Staley and her coaches gathered donations from NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, USC men’s basketball coach Darrin Horn and his staff, and football coach Steve Spurrier, a friend of Summitt’s who made the largest contribution.

Spurrier said he spoke with Summitt soon after her announcement and shared how another friend had coped with terminal ailment. “I have watched a few of her games on TV,” he said. “She seems to be doing all right.”

The pair of Women’s Basketball Hall of Famers has what Staley, 41, calls a “professional relationship,” though that does not mean Summitt is not friendly.

“She’s the most graceful champion who you would want to meet,” Staley said. “The look is intimidating. But if you strike up a conversation with Pat Summitt, she’s going to give you her all. She would talk to anybody, which is so gracious of her. Everybody is not like that.”

Nearly a decade ago, Summitt agreed to play a home-and-home series against Staley’s team at Temple. The Volunteers had more to lose in taking a chance against the upstart Owls. Tennessee won both games, though by four points at Knoxville.

Soon after Staley arrived at South Carolina, Summitt — now in her 38th season at Tennessee — asked the new coach to speak up on issues at SEC coaches meetings.

“A lot times I will just sit back and hear everybody out,” Staley said. “She was the one who forcefully made me talk and give my opinions, which she didn’t have to do. It just goes to show you how professional she is in wanting the game to grow.”

Staley said she has unconsciously adopted the stare Summit’s uses on players who need a bit of guidance at practice or during a game.

“I think we’re in the same frame of mind when we use it because we need to penetrate the players’ minds so they know we are serious about the way the game should be played,” Staley said.

Summitt has nothing but high regard for Staley, who scored 28 points for Virginia in an overtime national championship defeat to Tennessee in 1991 and played her Volunteers hard despite seven losses as a coach. Staley’s teams are a reflection of Staley the player, Summitt said — tough, focused and aggressive.

“I have so much respect for her and what her teams do. She might not have the best talent, but she may have the best team,” Summitt said. “She gets it. There’s some coaches that get it and others that don’t. And with her team, she will bring out the best with everyone. I know when she steps on this floor, she will have her team ready to roll.”

The Gamecocks are off to their best season in Staley’s four years in Columbia at 17-5 and 6-3 in the SEC, good for third place behind the No. 8 Volunteers (16-5, 7-1).

USC has won three straight games, righting itself after a three-game losing streak with one of the nation’s stingiest defenses and a re-energized offense. But South Carolina has beaten Tennessee once in 43 meetings — in 1980.

“This year feels different with our team chemistry, and they way we have been playing lately,” said USC senior guard La’Keisha Sutton, who has averaged 10.6 points a game in five previous meetings with Tennessee.

The Gamecocks must find a way to overcome the taller Volunteers, who collected 42 more rebounds than USC in two victories last year. The Gamecocks have one player above 6-foot-1 on the roster. Tennessee has five.

Staley sees a difference in how Tennessee is playing this season. The Volunteers are switching defenses more often to take advantage of their athleticism — an influence of associate coach Holly Warlick, Staley said.

But if USC gains an advantage Thursday night, Staley knows that could trigger Summitt.

“She’s the X-factor in that she can turn it on and off at any time at getting them to play at a high level,” Staley said. “There is a concern. It’s very powerful. She’s very competitive, and you don’t lose that no matter what.”