By T. Scott Boatright
GRAMBLING — Grambling State University President Martin Lemelle, Jr.’s catchphrase has become we are building.
And Lemelle and Co. laid the foundation for rebuilding the GSU men’s basketball program Friday morning as he introduced Patrick Carey II as the 13th head coach of the Tigers’ men’s basketball team Friday during a press conference inside the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center.
Carey fills the void left by last week’s departure of Donte Jackson, whose eight seasons was the longest tenure for a Grambling men’s hoops coach since Hobdy, who oversaw GSU’s basketball program from 1956-86.
Lemelle. whose father Martin Lemelle, Sr. was both a player and an assistant coach at GSU under Hobdy, said he feels Crarey was the best man for the job.
“He understands the enduring perception of what it means to be a Tiger,” Lemelle said. “He is a man that is thoughtful and analytical. He is a man that is considerate and committed.”
GSU Athletics Director Dr. Trayvean D. Scott agreed.
“Coach Patrick Crarey II is the right leader at the right time for Grambling State men’s basketball,” Scott said. “His track record of winning, his commitment to developing young men, and his relentless drive align perfectly with the standard of excellence we are building across our athletics program. I have no doubt he will lead this program to national prominence and sustained success.”
Crarey said he was proud to take over the program from Jackson.
“This university is respected all over the world,” he said. “ I am here as a servant to keep the trajectory going. “Much respect to my brother Donte Jackson. He built this program with his bare hands. I will continue the tradition on the foundation of his success. But don’t get it twisted; we’re going to see them twice.
“I’m about relationships, then championships, with administration, alumni, faculty, and staff and most importantly our students. I’m here to work with everyone to enhance the brand of Grambling and to win at the highest levels.”
Crarey comes to Grambling after one season at the helm of Florida A&M’s basketball program. FAMU finished with a 14-17 record and a 10-8 mark in the SWAC in its only season with Crarey at the helm.
The Rattlers’ 14 wins were the most in a season since 2008, and Crarey led them to their first SWAC Tournament game since 2002, their first season in the conference since moving from the MEAC, with FAMU beating Prairie View in the tourney opener before falling to Jackson State in the second round.
Under Crarey’s leadership, Florida A&M’s Sterling Young was named the SWAC Player of the Year and the Rattlers’ Milton Matthews was named the league’s Freshman of the Year, but both along with other FAMU players opted to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal after the season ended.
Just as Jackson came to Grambling from an NAIA school, Crarey took over at Florida A&M after a successful NAIA coaching stint at St. Thomas, and before that Crarey coached for 10 years at Washington Adventist University, where he won a United States Collegiate Athletic Association national title in 2014 and twice was named the USCAA Coach of the Year.
Crarey said Scott was quick to focus on him to take over the GSU men’s hoops program.
“Dr. Scott was on me tough,” Crarey said. “He was trying to get it done with a relentless pursuit and that was humbling.”
That pursuit involved Lemelle and Scott discussing resources, including NIL funding, with Crarey.
“I would not come here if I did not have an NIL conversation with the president and Dr. Scott,” Crarey said. “That has been talked about. We’ll be competitive. We’ll be one of the most competitive teams in the league. And I’m really looking forward to it because they showed me they were going to stand up, and not just singular people.
“This is an organization where they told me this is what we’re doing and Dr. Lemelle was very honest and very aggressive in his pursuit of what he wanted us to do with this thing. So, the roster will be constructed with really good players, and I’m really looking forward to us getting this thing going.”
Scott reiterated that Crarey will have a NIL budget to help recruit players.
“It’s obviously important for us to be able to recruit athletes that really understand the history and the tradition — the legacy of Grambling State University — the shoulders that they’ll stand on,” Scott said. “It’s one thing to be able to compensate a player, which we’ll be in a position to do. But it’s another thing to ensure that player has an appreciation for all that Grambling has been and will be moving forward.”
Crarey said his coaching style and GSU’s playing style will be fueled by one factor — passion.
We’re going to be a passionate bunch,” Crarey said. “We’re confident. People may say we’re cocky. Cocky is to people who are insecure. We’re not insecure. We know how hard we work, and we know how talented we are. We’re going to get out there and hit the ground running and play for The G. It’s a big brand and we plan to make it bigger.”
Scott said that confidence was obvious when Crarey was interviewed for the position.
“He walked in and said ‘I’m a winner — I’ve always won.’ If you know his history from Florida A&M to St. Thomas to Washington Adventist in Washington D.C., the guy is a winner,” Scott said. “But it’s not just that he’s winning. He wins the right way. He made reference to it earlier — he’s a builder.
“A winner who builds has a sustained level of success. We want a sustained level. Coach Jackson took us to heights unknown. We want to get back there and advance even further. So having that ability to be a builder but also be a winner calls for us to have a good long line of success throughout his tenure as our men’s basketball coach.”
