Tampa Catholic assistant basketball coach played for two of this year's Final Four coaches

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TAMPA, Fla. - If you've attended any Tampa Catholic basketball game or practice this season, it is pretty obvious that assistant coach Thomas Dziagwa loves hoops.

What they're saying:

"Some people watch basketball and then there are basketball junkies," Dziagwa said. "I would say I am a basketball junkie."

This basketball junkie is locked into March Madness, especially after his wife Elanie gave birth to their first child, Theodore. His paternity leave timed up perfectly with the start of the tournament.

"I have been able to watch every single game," Dziagwa said. 

However, this year, the Madness hit a little close to home.

"This Final Four year has been huge having two coaches I played for be in it," Dziagwa said. 

The backstory:

Dziagawa played college basketball at Oklahoma State. His first head coach in Stillwater was current Illinois head coach Brad Underwood. His second head coach was current Michigan assistant Mike Boynton. He even played with Tyler Underwood, Brad's son who is an assistant for the Illini, at Oklahoma State. 

Courtesy: University of Illinois Athletics

"Not only did they help me become a better basketball player, and I had success at Oklahoma State, but they had a lot of impact on who I became as a young man," Dziagwa said.

Dziagawa still feels that impact in his current role at Tampa Catholic. 

"They definitely have influenced my coaching philosophy and the way I carry myself, being an everyday guy that Coach Underwood always harped on and then being authentic like Coach Mike always harped on," Dziagwa said. 

Local perspective:

Dziagwa was in a Final Four himself as a high school student athlete at Tampa Catholic back in 2016. He's hoping to use what he's gathered from his college Final Four coaches at the high school level to get the Crusaders back to that stage. 

"I have seen the blueprint," Dziagwa said. "I have seen what works. I have seen the culture. Being in that culture myself, you want to be coached hard. You want to be told the truth. Good players want to be told the truth."

Truth be told, Dziagwa prays he learned something from them along the way.

"I am hoping that I have picked up some things from them because they are just phenomenal coaches," Dziagwa said. 

Dziagwa hopes his former coaches accomplish even more this weekend.

"I am extremely happy for them. I think they are phenomenal coaches, but even better people, and I am just happy to see them have success at their respective places," Dziagwa said.

What's next:

The Final Four takes place in Indianapolis on Saturday night. The Illinois vs. UConn game tips off first at 6 p.m. The Michigan vs. Arizona game will follow.