BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Bryan Hodgson’s celebrated homecoming comes with both deeply painful and joyously uplifting reminders of the South Florida’s full-circle journey in preparing to make his NCAA Tournament coaching debut not far from his Jamestown, New York, roots.
There are the mental and physical scars — two burn marks on the back of his legs — Hodgson carries as a result of the physical abuse he endured as a child.
More significant and uplifting
for the 38-year-old is what followed. Placed in foster care at the age of 2, he was adopted by a loving family that allowed Hodgson to pursue what became a passion for basketball.
And there Hodgson was on Wednesday seated at the podium in Buffalo, a 60-mile drive from his hometown, sharing with unflinching detail his upbringing and the perspective he has gained, a day before South Florida (25-8) opens the tournament facing the East Region’s No. 6 seed Louisville (23-10).
“If you use those negative experiences to grow and better yourself, use them as a ladder, you’re going to be successful,” Hodgson said.
“Did I have the worst childhood in the world? No, no,” he said.
The scars, now reduced to about 50-cent piece size he said, are what’s left from his teenage birth mother's boyfriend placing Hodgson on a burning wood stove as punishment for wetting his diaper.
“I had some traumatic experiences,” he said. “But I had people around me that were there to catch me. The Hodgson family is the center of that.”
This then becomes the payoff for a coach who in his first season at South Florida and has transformed the Bulls. The Tampa school is riding an 11-0 run, won its first AAC tournament title and clinched the program’s fourth tournament berth, and first in 14 years.
Hodgson's success follows two seasons at Arkansas State, where he went 45-28, including setting a program record for wins with a 25-11 finish last year.
On hand in Buffalo to root him on will be a 38-person entourage of friends and family. It’s a group that will include his adopted parents Larry and Rebecca. Larry Hodgson is unable to travel due to dementia, and will see his adopted son work in person for the first time as a head coach.
“I’m not going to ...” Hodgson said, before pausing as to whether he’ll search his father out in the stands. “I can’t really look at him before the game. Too much emotion. I’ll be locked in on winning a basketball game. But very lucky that it’s happening.”
Hodgson got his break as a long-time assistant under current Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats, starting in Buffalo and following him to Alabama. Hodgson has brought Oats’ up-tempo offensive approach to South Florida. The Bulls rank eighth in the nation in averaging 87.7 points per outing, and have topped 90 points 15 times, including a school record in a 109-88 win over UTSA on Feb. 4.
Hodgson has also developed a reputation as a top recruiter.
Forward Izaiyah Nelson and guard Joseph Pinion, both seniors, played under Hodgson at Arkansas State and followed their coach to South Florida.
“When he got the new job at South Florida, and I knew it was a no-brainer to go with him,” Pinion said.
“He has a persistent effort. He’s always texting you, telling you how he can make you better, how you can come here and you can elevate your game,” added Pinion, one of the Bulls two top 3-point threats. “He just shows you how you can get better.”
Hodgson’s success has other schools now recruiting him. His name has been tied to vacancies at Providence and Syracuse.
“It’s a blessing to be wanted,” Hodgson said of the chatter. “I can tell you right now that my sole focus is on winning basketball games and enjoying every single second with this group of young men I have right now.”
Hodgson has become an advocate for foster care. He founded Coaching Love, a nonprofit that provides assistance to foster care children and other at-risk youth.
“Foster care is brutal,” Hodgson said. “Oftentimes foster children are left going home to home with nothing but the clothes on their back and hopefully a pillow and a few outfits.”
He considers himself blessed.
“I often joke with my parents — people talk about my recruiting," Hodgson said. “I said my mom and dad are the best recruiters in the country because they signed me.”
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
