March Madness is over for Mount St. Mary’s. It was ‘the best few weeks of my life’ for a coach’s son

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Silas Lind, all of 9 years old, leaned forward and peered over the microphone at a room of reporters. He was ready to make his March Madness statement.

The son of Mount St. Mary’s coach Donny Lind had just watched his father become choked up with emotion after the Mountaineers’ season ended with Friday’s loss to Duke. But it wasn’t solely about the game; it triggered by a question about how special it had been to have Silas by his side and deeply involved with the 16th-seeded Mountaineers’ latest run to the NCAA Tournament.

“These have been the best few weeks of my life,” Silas said with a soft voice, shortly before fighting back tears like his father. “And I hope we have many, many more of them.”

It was a small but touching moment, one coming amid the chaos of March Madness and the cynicism of the changing state of college sports with money-churning TV deals and conference realignment. It was a reminder of just how cool these moments can be, particularly when it comes for the small programs that receive a rare piece of the spotlight in an event that captivates the country every spring.

“It’s amazing,” Lind said, his voice quivering with emotion after a long pause. “You know, this is a hard business for us as fathers, very difficult. So to be able to bring him with me — my wife and my daughter are here, too — it’s been a blast. He’s enjoyed missing school, playing with his friends on the court, but he can speak to that, I’m sure.

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“But to be able to have these guys along for this ride and to be a part of it and just be having so much fun, I’ve got the best job in the world.”

Silas had earned a bit of a viral following with his connection to the program, sitting on the bench during home games or joining the team on the court at practices for the Maryland-based school that won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. That included being featured briefly on a broadcast segment during the Mountaineers’ win against American in Wednesday’s First Four.

He joined his dad, and Mountaineers players Dola Adebayo, Arlandus Keyes and Xavier Lipscomb in climbing the stairs to the dais for the postgame news conference after the 93-49 loss to the Blue Devils. He sat on his father’s left knee as Lind made his opening statement, then later took the chair to the left of his father when the players headed back to the locker room.

Lind fought to choose the right words as the emotions took over.

“To share it with the people I love the most, with my family and, shoot, those guys in the locker room has been unbelievable,” the coach said.

“Hopefully he’ll talk to the fact that he’s had a blast over the course of the last couple weeks. You should see him at home games when he’s allowed to be on the bench. He’s having a lot of fun. That’s what our program’s about. We try to have as much fun as we can. This is a fun, fun game. It’s a blast to get to do this with him.”

When he finished sharing his thoughts, Lind looked at his son. It was his turn.

“You’re up, bud,” he said warmly.

And after Silas had delivered his message, the coach nodded in agreement, briefly tussled his son’s short hair and pulled him close for a hug.

Another March memory made.

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