Elgin's Harrington, Bumbales ticketed for IBCA Hall
Two familiar faces to fans at Chesbrough Field House will soon be enshrined in the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Sean Harrington, a 1999 Elgin graduate and the program's all-time leading scorer, will be inducted for his stellar playing career from 1996-1999.
Dr. Nick Bumbales, currently the head coach of the Elgin girls basketball and volleyball programs, will be inducted in the “Friends of Basketball” category.
Harrington was a key figure for the memorable 1997-98 Elgin squad, which won its first 20 games and beat Naperville North to advance to the Class AA Elite Eight. His Maroons were the last team from Elgin Area School District U-46 to qualify for the state finals.
Harrington scored 2,119 points in his career and remains the school's all-time leading scorer, 363 points ahead of 2008 graduate Armani Williams. He was named the honorary captain of the Daily Herald All-Area team in 1997-98 and 1998-99.
The Bartlett native went on to win four letters at the University of Illinois, where he was a tri-captain as a senior in 2002-03. He was a member of two regular-season and one Big Ten Tournament championship teams. He twice led the Big Ten in 3-point shooting percentage, played in a school record 11 NCAA Tournament games and was named all-Big Ten Academic three times.
Harrington is currently in his third year as the Director of Basketball Operations for the Fighting Illini, a title he held previously at Saint Louis University and Northern Illinois.
“It's very exciting,” Harrington said Thursday of the hall-of-fame nod. “I've lived in Illinois my whole life and I know the tradition that Illinois basketball has. I've seen a lot of great players, not only at the high school level but at the college level. To be a part of that group is something that is definitely an honor and something I'm excited about.”
Harrington played high school basketball at Elgin for his father, Jim, who was inducted to the IBCA Hall of Fame in 2001.
“It's an honor to be in there with him,” Sean Harrington said “I watched all his games and how successful he was as a high school coach and how people respected him in the profession.”
Bumbales, who now teaches at Streamwood, has been an integral part of basketball at Elgin High School for over two decades. He was the Elgin team physician for nearly 23 years, a position he resigned last year in the wake of districtwide budget cuts.
During a turbulent financial era in which multiple teaching and coaching positions were eliminated, Bumbales took on the role of girls basketball coach at Elgin High in 2009. He added the role of Elgin girls volleyball coach for the 2010 season.
Additionally, Bumbales ran the Jr. Maroons feeder basketball program for 15 years through 2008. Through the years he has also volunteered as the team physician for multiple IBCA-sponsored all-star games.
“I'm really excited about it,” Bumbales said of his impending enshrinement. “I've put a lot of hard work in for a long period of time. I've had the pleasure of working with some great coaches and some great players through the years, most notably Jim Harrington here at Elgin.
“It's a fabulous honor. Time passes quickly. You don't realize all the things you've had the opportunity to be a part of. I've been a part of a lot of great things here at Elgin.”
The induction ceremony will be held Saturday, April 30 at Illinois State University's Bone Student Center in Normal.