Jim Jimas always felt the the deck was stacked in his favor.
After all, he could draw to an inside straight by adapting to the philosophies of former coaches like the late Udell Wankier, the late Stan Watts and Art Hughes.
"I really can't say in words what those three men meant to my coaching career," explained Jimas. "Udell was my coach in high school at Bingham, and a lot of people forget how dominating his teams were for a 15-year run. He was a great coach and person, too. He gave me a head start to my coaching career, because even in high school he gave us the freedom to make on-court decisions. And they really helped me gain a lot of confidence in myself at an early age.
"Stan was an amazing person," added Jimas. "I just loved playing for him at BYU. He allowed us the same freedom that Udell did in high school. Of course, we won the 1966 NIT Tournament when it really meant something to play in that tournament.
"In those years, all the teams played in the old Madison Square Garden, and not just the Final Four. Just think about our conference (the WAC), we had the NIT championship team, which was us. Utah, with Jerry Chambers and Merv Jackson, were in the NCAA Final Four. And UTEP, which was Texas Western back then, would later join the WAC and the Miners won the NCAA Championship, upsetting Kentucky. I had a chance to induct Stan into the State Of Utah Basketball Hall Of Fame (1999), and that is a moment that I'll always cherish.
"And of course, Art Hughes was still teaching for my first four years at Hillcrest, and his basketball knowledge was there for me. It was like going to finishing school. When Art retired, he tossed the baton to me, and I was ready. I was very fortunate to have learned basketball from those three mentors.
"I was confident in my own coaching ability and I didn't want to go to a school that didn't have a rich basketball tradition, and when Art decided to step down, Del Mar Schick, the principal, was a lifetime friend, and he called me and ask me to coach the team," continued Jimas.
In 14 years at Hillcrest High, Jimas' teams compiled a 208-99 record. His Huskies won the 4A state championship in 1980 and finished second place three times. He had retired from coaching for four years before taking over the basketball reins at Brighton (1992-93), where his teams posted a 126-60 mark for his eight years, winning the 1996 5A state championship, and his Bengal teams finished second twice, including his last year (2000), losing to Copper Hills. During his career, Jimas coached more than 30 all-state players and two first team All-Americans, Hillcrest's Marty Haws, 1984, and Brighton's Gardner Meads, 2000.
"The thing I am most proud of was the consistency of the players and the way they met every challenge," said Jimas. "You can be the greatest coach in the world, but if the kids don't buy into to what you're selling, it won't matter one bit. I had great kids. That was the key for me. The bought into my coaching philosophy."
Jimas, who turned 56 years old March 28, was always a gym rat. He grew up playing in the old Civic Center in old Bingham, and led the Class A in scoring his junior (1962) and senior years (1963). He might have led the state in scoring his sophomore year, but he spent much of the year nursing a knee injury. His former BYU teammate Gary Hill actually led the state in scoring for three years, 1961-63, playing for Gunnison High. Both were prep All-Americans.
He was all-WAC his senior year at BYU.
WHAT WERE HIS GREATEST MEMORIES? "As a player, the NIT championship has to be a big highlight for me, because we were inducted into the BYU Hall Of Fame in 1981," said Jimas. "However, there were two other highlights, too. The fact that five of our first eight players (Neil Roberts, Cedar City; Steve Kramer, Jordan; Dick Nemelka, West High; Hill, and Jimas) were from the state during my three years at BYU, and we were 8-0 against Utah. That's really something to be proud of."
Actually, in the NIT semifinals against a Bobby Knight-coached Army team, Watts inserted Jimas down the stretch for a three-guard lineup against the Cadets' quickness. Jimas stole the ball and scored the winning basket.
"As far as my coaching career went, each season had a special memory," he explained. "Even the teams that didn't win the state championships or finish second were special to me. Each team had its own special story. Each player had their own challenge to conquer. Some challenges were on the court. And some which were off the court. I hope each individual I coached knows how special they were to me. They where all so smart. Maybe, that's why we won, and they really didn't need me . . . I had my chances to coach on the college level. But I loved coaching the preps. It was a lot more stable situation for my family to stay on the high school level."
WHAT IS HE DOING NOW? "I am still teaching at Brighton High, but I have 31 years of teaching in, and I could retired anytime," he pointed out. "I still like being associated with the young kids. I still like seeing them meet their challenges. And of course, I am stealing a little from them, because they're keeping me young. My wife, Mary, and I still go to the Brighton games. But after the games, I can go home, not having to worry about the next game, and get a good night's sleep. Mary and I have four granddaughters. And they are still another challenge in life. But that's what really life is about — family."
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