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Milestone Is Cause For Celebration

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By CRISTINA LEDRA, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 21, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - Gary Anders wiped his brow again and again.

He was drained from the overtime win at Land O' Lakes High on Friday night and overwhelmed by the dozens of fans who had spilled down from the stands bearing hugs and handshakes.

Anders wished the commotion over his 500th career win as a coach would have come sometime after his Ridgewood High School boys basketball team's season was over.

His stroll through the crowd following the Rams' 70-66 win was aimless. Judging by the well-wishers who turned him in every direction and the tears that reddened his eyes, it was clear this was a celebration too important to wait.

"He was the best coach I've ever had," said Mike Argerenon, a former Ridgewood player who graduated six years ago.

Undoubtedly, there are hundreds of others who feel the same way about the coach, who is in his 29th season and has had only eight losing campaigns.

He has made great out of good, and this season, great has yet to reach its limits.

This year's Rams team could be Anders' best team yet, which is why he wouldn't allow himself to think about his own milestone.

"This is huge," junior guard Alvin Satram said. "Today we all signed a ball for him. We just wanted to play like it was any other game and try to win like we always do."

Anders' focus is on the players, on the task at hand, as it always has been. That means punishment when you screw around and some hollering when his temper gets the best of him as much as pats on the back and encouragement.

"I remember running 11 straight suicides for just messing around in practice, and he didn't find it too funny," said Joe Hudson, who played for Anders in the late-1990s. "He's one of the few people I've ever met that can have fun and, at the same time, if you screw around too much he can really show you that's bad.

"He's a great teacher."

Back then, Hudson said his team didn't have anywhere near the talent of this year's team. Yet, somehow, Anders coached them to the Elite Eight.

Even being on the losing end of another heartbreaking loss to the Rams this season, Land O' Lakes coach Dave Puhalski couldn't help but step out of the game to honor his friend of more than a decade.

"The announcer was going to do it, but I said, 'Gimme that mike. I want to congratulate this guy,'" Puhalski said.

"If a guy's got to get it, what a great guy to get it. I have the most respect for him and his program in the 19 years that I've been here. He does a great job."

Road To 500

Anders' Coaching record, season-by-season

1979 Hudson 0-8

1980 Hudson 9-14

1981 Hudson 9-18

1982 Hudson 11-12

1983 Hudson 23-4

1984 Hudson 9-18

1985 Hudson 11-16

1986 Hudson 8-18

1988 Ridgewood 21-6

1989 Ridgewood 18-10

1990 Ridgewood 23-5

1991 Ridgewood 24-7

1992 Ridgewood 6-17

1993 Ridgewood 21-11

1994 Ridgewood 21-7

1995 Ridgewood 13-15

1996 Ridgewood 18-10

1997 Ridgewood 28-5

1998 Ridgewood 21-9

1999 Ridgewood 16-12

2000 Ridgewood 20-10

2001 Ridgewood 20-9

2002 Ridgewood 25-7

2003 Ridgewood 28-3

2004 Ridgewood 22-6

2005 Ridgewood 14-12

2006 Ridgewood 20-7

2007 Ridgewood 25-4

2008 Ridgewood 16-3

Totals 500-283

Reporter Cristina Ledra can be reached at (813) 948-4203 or cledra@tampatrib.com.

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