Torin Francis Talks About ND Future

WORCESTER, Mass. -- It wasn't supposed to end this way for Tabor's 6-9 McDonald's All-American center Torin Francis.

Francis scored 19 points in Sunday's NEPSAC Class B Final loss to the Storm King School, but by his own admission, it was one of his worst performances of the year.

Francis missed his first five free throws on the afternoon and made just five of 12 from the charity stripe. In addition, a swarming Storm King defense hounded him all day long and knocked the ball away from him on several occasions.

Of course, Tabor might not have been there in the first place without Francis, who has carried the Seawolf program many times throughout his storied career.

Francis could have denied media requests for interviews, or blamed the officials for letting the teams play too loose. Instead, he stepped up to the plate and answered questions with honesty and dignity.

"It all started with the beginning of the game," Francis reflected. "They just came out with more energy than us. They were pushing the ball and getting transition points and attacking our defense."

"Usually, it's good when the defense collapses on me, because that opens it up for the shooters," Francis continued. "I would start going into my move and the guys would come over and just take it. It was effective this time."

While there was plenty of blame to pass around the locker room, Francis admitted that it was one of his worst performances in a Tabor uniform.

"I tried to step it up, but I was missing my free throws and I was putting the ball on the floor too much and getting it stripped," he said. "This was definitely not a good performance."

"I was planning on coming out here and play well and finish with a win in the last game of my senior year, my last high school game, but it just didn't go that way," he concluded.

As disappointing as it was for Francis, it was equally disappointing for his coach at Tabor, David First. First watched the game from long distance after getting ejected late in the first half for arguing with an official.

"I envisioned us being up eight points with a minute left and taking him out of the game and giving him a hug," First said. "But he is going to ride off into the sunset."

"He's had a great career at Tabor, and this one is going to hurt for a while, but then he's going to move on," First continued. "These are kids, and sometimes kids don't play well at certain times, and what you try to do as a coach is to give them every opportunity to win the game even when a couple of them aren't playing well."

It was the second straight year that Tabor lost in the Class B Final. As a sophomore, Francis and crew took home the crown back in March of 2000.

Still, the Seawolves had a terrific 2001-2002 season.

"This year we had such a good team," Francis said. "We might not have looked that good on paper, but we beat a lot of good teams this year and finished up with losses, three of them to ranked teams and two of them to Worcester."

Francis will take his act to Notre Dame this year, where he promises to be a capable replacement for departing Irish senior Ryan Humphrey. Notre Dame is in action this week at the Big East Tournament, and Francis admitted that he's been keeping an eye on his future teammates this winter.

"They had two pretty good wins in the past week over Providence and Miami, and they have over 20 wins, and I don't think a Big East team has ever been denied from the NCAA Tournament with 20 wins before."

Francis said he talks with Notre Dame Head Coach Mike Brey on a regular basis, and is looking forward to being the Irish's second straight representative in the McDonald's All-American game next month in New York City.

Current Notre Dame freshman Chris Thomas played in the game last year in Durham, N.C.