A family affair

Deborah Dominguez woke up her son, Jeremiah, Tuesday morning with an admonition and a simple request: Get out of bed and go punch your ticket to the NCAA Tournament.

“I said, Jeremiah, are you awake? Get your lazy butt up. You’re going to do great. Good luck,” Deborah said. “It’s like deja vu from his high school days [at South Salem], when they won state champion and he was player of the year.”

Jeremiah did his part, pouring in 16 points in front of his mother and father, Daniel, during the Vikings’ 72-61 win over Idaho State Tuesday night. Jeremiah shared a quiet moment with his father during the Weber State-Northern Arizona game earlier last night, when the elder Dominguez passed on some sage advice to his son.

“I sat there and I looked at him as my child and I told him to get in the zone,” Daniel said. “The only way he can get in the zone is to go back in time and remember all of the three-on-three tournaments that he’s had and some of the memorable moments. He’s been a clutch player.”

For Jeremiah, the sight of his parents in the stands is not foreign, as they have been regulars at the Stott Center this season.

“It’s fun,” he said. “They’ve been here all year, so it’s kind of natural now.”

Dominguez punctuated his penultimate game in front of his parents–unless the Vikings make it to the NCAA Tournament with a win tonight over rivals Northern Arizona for the Big Sky Championship-with a flurry of spectacular plays, including a sequence in the first half, when he hit a three, stole the ball and nailed another three from the corner.

“He’s reaching a dream. Now that he’s conference player of the year, he knows he can do it. He’s basically shown to himself and the world and his faith what he can do,” Daniel said. “He has a strong heart, and I believe that with his big heart inside, he’ll accomplish what no one else has done and go to the big dance.”

Alex Morrison, father of starting center Scott Morrison, was at the Vikings’ tournament loss in Ogden, Utah last season as well as the disappointing semifinal loss to Weber State at Memorial Coliseum in 2005.

“I was in Ogden a year ago and that was really hard to watch. They were so upset. I think it’s different this year, touch wood, I really do,” Alex said.

Unlike Dominguez’s father, Alex offered Scott no advice other than to, “Go hard, kick butt. Win.”

The Vikings won despite a sub-par night from Morrison, who finished with a point, a rebound, a block and a steal in 17 minutes. Of course, for the only player left from the 20-win 2004-05 team, redemption does not come in the form of an impressive stat line.

“It’s fantastic. It’s what he’s always wanted, right from his first year. Four years seems a long time when you start, but it goes by amazingly fast,” Alex said. “It’s so exciting for him. He wants the championship so bad. As a parent, you just really want to see that for your child.”

Morrison’s stepmother, Jean, was also at the game and noted the difference four years has made for her stepson.

“He’s come so far in four years,” she said. “He’s grown into a wonderful team player, and I’m really, really proud of him.”

Players can usually expect some familial support at big games, but it was not just parents of athletes on hand to cheer the Vikings, and their sons, on. Assistant coach Eric Harper’s parents, Paul and Barbara, drove down from Roslyn, Wash., to watch the semifinal matchup against the Bengals.

“This would be a great deal if they could get to the NCAA Tournament. He’s living out his dream,” Paul said.

Eric started his career as a biology major at Central Washington and intended to go into sports medicine before he caught the coaching bug by volunteering with a boys high school team. He coached men’s and women’s basketball at Yakima Valley Community College for eight seasons before making the move to Portland State.

“I played basketball when I was in high school. I was never as good as Eric was. To see your dream perpetuating through him is kind of cool,” Paul said. “That’s a parent’s thing and it’s a good thing.”