Famous USC fathers sharing special NCAA moments with their sons

As an assistant college basketball coach, BJ McKie is no stranger to being at the Final Four.

The Final Four is a yearly gathering for college coaches for networking and job hunting. McKie, an assistant at Charleston Southern, has gone five of the past six years, but this year it’s going to be different when he enters University of Phoenix Stadium.

McKie not only will be there cheering his alma mater South Carolina in its first trip to the Final Four. He also will be watching his son Justin, a senior guard for the Gamecocks, play on college basketball’s biggest stage.

“Just being an alum and from where our program has come and to see one of my son’s goals be attained has been really special and surreal,” McKie said. “You always want kids to do better than you did.”

Perry Dozier can relate to BJ McKie’s situation. Like McKie, Dozier played at South Carolina, and his son P.J. has played a key role in the Gamecocks’ postseason run.

P.J. has had some of his biggest games during the tournament run, scoring 17 points in Sunday’s 77-70 regional final against Florida.

“I can’t say it was enjoyable, because it was very nerve-wracking,” Perry Dozier said of Sunday’s game. “But once it was over, I felt that joy. They kept showing Darius Rucker and the emotion he had. Me and Darius both have a love for the university, and to have a son that it is playing ... I felt his joy.”

Dozier and McKie are part of an impressive list of former high-profile fathers whose children are on the Gamecock men and women’s squads playing in the Final Four. Tommy Corchiani’s father, Chris, was part of the “Fire and Ice” backcourt at N.C. State with Rodney Monroe.

Naismith Player of Year candidate A’ja Wilson’s father, Roscoe, played at Benedict and then overseas for 10 years. Kaela Davis’ dad, Antonio, played 13 seasons in the NBA for the Toronto Raptors, New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers.

The Davis family is racking up the frequent flyer miles this week. After being in California for the women’s regional over the weekend, the Davises flew to New York to see their son, A.J., play in the NIT semifinals with Central Florida on Tuesday. The family will fly to Dallas for the Women’s Final Four, which begins Friday.

But none of those dads played at USC.

BJ McKie is the Gamecocks’ all-time leading scorer, and his No. 3 jersey is retired.

Perry and his brother Terry Dozier led Baltimore’s Dunbar High School to a national championship and then both enrolled at South Carolina. While Perry’s career was cut short because of injury, Terry scored 1,445 points.

Asia Dozier, P.J’s sister, was a former Gatorade Player of the Year and a part of the USC women’s first Final Four team in 2015.

“Their last names have been tied to the university for a lot of good. There was a lot of unbelievable pressure to stay home and live up to the expectations created by ones before them,” South Carolina coach Frank Martin said. “That has been a big part of dealing with them on how to become Justin McKie and P.J. Dozier, not just McKie and Dozier.

“There are proud McKies and Doziers. That means the world to me – when the game ends, they can go into the stands and there are 20 people waiting for them. That’s what life is about, that support system.”

Both fathers have been a strong support system through the ups and downs of their sons’ careers. Justin watched players in his recruiting class transfer and had thoughts about leaving. But he never did and has been a part of USC’s resurgence under Martin.

P.J Dozier had his ups and downs as a freshman but has settled in this season. He is second on the team in scoring at 13.8 points per game and is the team’s leader in assists.

“His overall confidence level has improved, and his play has shown it,” Perry Dozier said. “He is really buying in on the defensive end, and that has helped his overall game.”

Both fathers said they will have their share of nerves before Saturday’s game against Gonzaga but are glad to be able to share this moment with their sons.

“I have known the Doziers for years,” BJ McKie said. “To be in the stands with them is a great feeling. Something we talked about when they signed to play at South Carolina. That they can grow the program into something special, and it has.”

This story was originally published March 30, 2017 at 6:55 PM with the headline "Famous USC fathers sharing special NCAA moments with their sons."