Under Conte Stamas, Brother Rice had the greatest three-year run in the basketball program’s history.
Since Stamas took over as coach in 2022, the Crusaders have won 91 games, earned three regional titles and captured the program’s first state trophy.
“I loved my time at Rice,” Stamas told Southwest Regional. “Great, supportive administration. I really got to know a lot of people in the community and the school. That’s what I’ll miss.”
But after leading Rice to second place in Class 3A, he decided it was time to step down.
“Being at a private school, there’s so much more to it besides the coaching,” Stamas said. “You’ve got the recruiting, fundraising, running the eighth-grade tournament, the seventh-grade tournament. Those things are very important at a private school. (But) I’m at a point now, I just want to coach. I love going to practice, I love preparing for the games. …
“The other stuff needed to be done. But it’s hard year to year.”
Stamas had been a coach for 43 years, with college stops at Xavier and Stetson along with head-coaching stints at Morton College, Thornton Community College (now South Suburban), Evanston and Lyons. Before taking over at Rice, he was an assistant at Hinsdale Central.
He is considering this a resignation rather than a retirement, and is open to opportunities to coach at either the high-school or college level.
“It would have to be a really good situation,” Stamas said, “It might not be out there.”
But it also could be anywhere.
“To me, basketball is basketball,” he said. “You have to have good guards, you have to defend. I don’t think the game is much different. I think coaching and teaching is the same (at both levels).”
The Crusaders went 31-7 this year, finishing second to DePaul Prep in the Catholic League Blue and falling 55-52 to the Rams in the Class 3A final.
It was a senior-dominated team led by Southwest Regional Player of the Year and Citadel recruit Marcos Gonzales.
Other key players were fellow seniors Jack Weigus, who will play at Division II Emporia State; Caden Workman, who will play at Division III Augustana; KJ Morris; Max Justic; and John Mikrut, who will play volleyball at Division III Trine. Gonzales (ankle) and Workman (broken hand) both battled through injuries, making the season’s results even more impressive.
In any case, Stamas believes the program will be in good shape going forward.
“Rice has a good tradition,” he said.