Father-son showdown for Mount Vernon boys’ basketball

MOUNT VERNON - It's a battle between father and son.

Mount Vernon boys' basketball coach Ed Timm has prepared his team to face the Knights of Davenport Assumption tonight in the second round of substate play. Timm's son, Jake, is the coach of the boys' sophomore team at Assumption and, for the first time, will be a part of the coaching staff playing against his father.

'It's strange in general when you see one of your children on a different bench,” Ed said.

Jake played basketball for the Mustangs under his father when Mount Vernon won state in 2012. Ed's coaching tactics haven't changed since coaching his son.

'Jake knows everything that we do, but so does everyone else,” Ed said. 'He can't tell them anything they wouldn't be able to watch in the first 30 seconds of film.”

While there may be some tension between father and son after the game, the biggest struggle will be for wife and mother, Stephanie Timm.

'She's not sure where to sit, how to act or what to wear,” Ed said.

Stephanie most likely will be cheering for the Mustangs. She works at the high school and knows everyone on the court. In comparison, there is only one person on Assumption's bench, although an important person to her.

'I hope the Mustangs win, but it will be exciting for Jake, too,” Stephanie said.

She also believes communication post-competition will be very slim.

'I don't think they will talk to each other at the end of the game,” she said. 'It might take them a couple days to communicate again, but I hope they are both adults enough to handle it.”

Being the substate semifinal, one team's season will come to end after the game.

'The hardest will be going through the line at the end of the game,” Ed said. 'I want to win for our guys. I want them to play well.”

The Mustangs (9-13) will face the Knights (12-10) at 7 p.m. at Assumption High School.