Phoenix Desert Vista boys hoops coach Crump resigns
Gino Crump said he has stepped down as boys basketball at Phoenix Desert Vista.
He said he turned in his resignation Wednesday night.
Crump said that he has accepted in principle a position to lead the Bella Vista national high school basketball team in Scottsdale.
But he said he wants to help Desert Vista first with its transition with a new coach for the players’ sake.
The Arizona Interscholastic Association pushed back the start of basketball games to Jan. 5, because of the surge in COVID-19.
He said it was an accumulation of many things, including the delay to the season, that led to his decision.
During the delay, he lost his starting backcourt. Guard Marcus Wady moved to San Antonio and Dasean Lecque transferred to national high school power Hillcrest in Gilbert.
“I think if the season had started, I’d be coaching at Desert Vista,” said Crump, who was set to begin his fifth season at the school. “But it continued to be pushed back. I wasn’t really worried about players (leaving). I’ve been fortunate to have good players come to me.”
Crump delivered a 6A state championship to the school during a turbulent 2019-20 season in which he was suspended for part of the season then recommended to be fired following an investigation over a physical incident with a player.
Crump had grabbed one of his players after an overtime win at Phoenix St. Mary’s to avoid a fight from breaking out with St. Mary’s students. After the investigation, Desert Vista recommended to the district that Crump be fired.
Crump retained Phoenix Thunderbird coach Buddy Rake as his attorney to fight the restraining order a parent was trying to file against Crump over the incident. The Phoenix Municipal Court judge dismissed the order after evidence proved Crump grabbed the player following the game because he was taunting St. Mary’s students.
He returned to lead Desert Vista to a 28-3 record and its first boys basketball state championship since 2008.
“There was some residual resentment that I thought I could put behind me,” Crump said. “For the the most part, I did. But I was still working in an environment where you were not treated fairly and not supported. A lot of people signed a petition that supported me. I did what any good coach would have done to try to protect his player.”