By DAREN DUNN
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Community College Athletic Department held a press conference Thursday to introduce the basketball program's 15th head coach.
For the second time, Tommy DeSalme will follow in the footsteps of Steve Eck. DeSalme took over the Cowley job when Eck left 12 seasons ago to come to Hutchinson.
"I followed him once before, 12 years ago at Cowley," DeSalme laughed. "He's a hard guy to follow." DeSalme praised the job Eck did in Hutchinson and throughout his hall of fame career.
"The goal will always be to hang a national championship banner and the new coach needed to know that coming in," Athletic Director Josh Gooch said. He said the new coach needed to be someone who could hit the ground running.
DeSalme led his Tigers to the national championship game against Coffeyville in April. The Tigers came back from a 24-point deficit and cut the Red Raven advantage to just three with only minutes remaining. Coffeyville went on to win 108-99.
"You'll get our full effort every single day and we're going to bring an exciting brand of basketball, but more importantly, we're going to have kids that work really, really hard, give everything they got and that's all I'm asking from them — that they play so hard for the name on the front of their jersey."
DeSalme plans to bring the same high-scoring, high-defensive style that led the Tigers to the title game. Cowley averaged 109.8 points per game last season.
DeSalme leaves Cowley as its winningest coach with a record of 239-143.
Because of the pandemic, players are eligible for another season. When asked about sophomores potentially staying and sophomores transferring from Cowley, DeSalme couldn't give a definitive answer.
"I'm not going to say 'no' or 'yes' to anything. I think we'll do best by the players." DeSalme said the Hutchinson players didn't sign up to play for him. But he promised to do what is best for the players, whether they were Blue Dragons or Tigers last year. "To me, that's the most important thing, we want those student athletes (to do what's) best for them."
DeSalme is seventh in all-time KJCCC coaching wins with 284 after spending time at Independence and Cowley. Steve Eck is third on that list with 468 victories. Eck will coach high school basketball at Kapaun Mt. Carmel next year.
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