Craig McMillan, Arizona’s first McDonald’s All-American and starting guard on the Wildcats’ first Final Four team in 1988, continues to coach Santa Rosa (Calif.) Junior College to prominence.’
McMillan, in his 18th season as Santa Rosa’s head coach, has led the Bear Cubs to a 20-4 overall record and 13-0 mark in the Big 8 of the California Community Colleges Association. In the midst of a 16-game winning streak, McMillan’s team has claimed at least a share of the league title.
It is McMillan’s sixth conference title. He led the Bear Cubs to a state championship in 2014.
Craig McMillan’s Santa Rosa (Calif.) JC team celebrates a league title tonight (Santa Rosa photo)
McMillan is also known for the “McShot” against Oregon State on Jan. 23, 1986. McMillan, a sophomore that season, made a last-second basket that beat the Beavers 63-62 in overtime. With three seconds left, Steve Kerr threw a length-of-the-court pass on an out-of-bounds play that was deflected to McMillan and he swooped to the hoop to make the winning layup.
Many fans in McKale stormed the court in celebration, in what was one of the rare times Arizona fans have reacted that way. “Some people were talking to me the other day about that play,” McMillan said during the 25th anniversary of Arizona’s 1987-88 Final Four team five years ago at McKale Center.
“I didn’t do that much. The ball landed right in my lap.”
This video was part of an article published in November by the Santa Rosa (Calif.) Press-Democrat featuring former Arizona teammates Craig McMillan, Steve Kerr, Tom Tolbert and Bruce Fraser.
McMillan is one of 31 former Arizona athletes who are head coaches. Three have left the list in the last few months with Kelvin Eafon no longer coaching boy’s basketball at Pueblo, Reggie Geary not coaching in Japan this season and Antonio Pierce leaving his football coaching job at Long Beach (Calif.) Poly High School to become an assistant at Arizona State.
Here is an updated list:
FORMER ARIZONA ATHLETES AS CURRENT HEAD COACHES
High school boy’s basketball (2)
[table “” not found /]Men’s college basketball (4)
[table “” not found /]Men’s professional basketball (3)
[table “” not found /]College baseball (2)
[table “” not found /]Professional baseball (2)
[table “” not found /]Women’s college basketball (2)
[table “” not found /]High school football (7)
[table “” not found /]College softball (3)
[table “” not found /]High school softball (5)
[table “” not found /]High school soccer (1)
[table “” not found /]
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