TAMPA, Fla. — The Leto High School boys’ basketball team (15-6) is off to its best start since 2005, thanks to players and coaches that share the same last name.
Step into the Leto basketball gym, and you’ll see a Delgardo shouting orders, a Delgardo blowing a whistle, and Delgardo with an assist and a Delgardo driving to the hoop.
“We all love basketball so much,” Daniel Delgardo III said.
Dan Delgardo is the Falcons' head coach. His son Daniel is the point guard. Dan’s brother, Derek Sr., is the assistant coach, and his son, Derek Jr., is the shooting guard.
“It really makes life all about basketball, especially my uncle and dad both being basketball players. It just runs in the family,” Derek Jr. said.
The cousins have been teammates since the second grade. Now, they’re sinking shots and setting milestones on the floor.
“Two in the same year, that’s very rare,” Coach Delgardo said. “It’s funny because everyone thinks they are brothers. They’ve come up together from day one.”
Both players have eclipsed 1,000 career points this year as juniors. But they have bigger personal goals in mind.
“Senior year, obviously, our goal is to go for 2,000 points,” Derek Jr. said. “That’s been our goal to reach 2,000 around the same time next year.”
The Leto all-time points record is 1,656. Both players will likely pass that number next season. Only one player can be the all-time record holder.
“Knowing how they are, I would wager to say one was higher than the other, and knowing they could tie, I bet they would try to go for the tie,” Coach Delgardo said.
Even with four Delgardos on the floor, the head coach teaches that family isn’t always blood.
“Having a family atmosphere,” he said. “If you talk to any kids on the team, we treat them like our own. That spreads out to the community. Our shirt says #ChangeTheCulture.”
