(CNN) Jordan Hawkins is a national college basketball champion. But he won’t be the only one with a new ring at his next family gathering.
Hawkins, who scored 16 points in the University of Connecticut victory 76-59 over San Diego State University in the NCAA men’s college championship game on Monday, and his cousin, the LSU star angel reesewho had his own success when the Tigers won their first NCAA women’s national basketball championship title on Sunday.
Both will receive commemorative rings to celebrate their respective titles.
Reese’s hometown is Baltimore, Maryland, while Hawkins was born 42 miles away in Gaithersburg. Dawkins says their title victories are the culmination of a long journey that the pair will celebrate in style in the coming weeks.
“This is for all the kids in Gaithersburg, Maryland who didn’t think they could do it. I did it. Now you can do it, man,” Hawkins told CBS television. “Angel and I paved the way. We did it.”
Asked if he had any contact with Reese over the weekend, Hawkins said, “I wished her luck. I’ll see her in Maryland soon. The cookout went off.”
Hawkins expanded on the duo’s journey at the news conference after UConn won its fifth men’s college basketball national title.
“It’s absolutely incredible, to show that kids who were our age at the time, we were dreaming of the same thing and we saw it was possible,” said the 20-year-old.
“We saw that as awesome… that we both get this opportunity and I mean the family reunion is going to be great, so that’s all I know.”
Hawkins celebrates during the second half of the men’s national championship college basketball game against San Diego State.
‘Keep calm and focused’
Hawkins and Reese weren’t the only family duo to rank high in the NCAA Finals.
UConn head coach Dan Hurley masterminded the team’s dominating streak through March Madness, in which they won each of their six tournament games by at least 10 points, and on the team, with him at every turn. On the way, was his son, Andrew. .
Andrew, a junior guard, appeared only sparingly during the team’s progression in the tournament, but his father says his son has a much bigger role outside of his contribution on the pitch, explaining to CNN Sport’s Coy Wire that he is as your “therapist”. , always staying calm and focused.”
Andrew himself says that he is happy to play a role however he can. “I just try to contribute in any way that he can and if that’s one of them, so be it,” he told CNN. “It means a lot to be around him every day.”
UConn entered the rarefied air as only the sixth team to win five NCAA men’s basketball championships, joining UCLA (11), Kentucky (eight), North Carolina (six), Duke (five) and Indiana (five). All UConn titles have come since 1999 with the most recent one before Monday occurring in 2014.
The university’s women’s teams have won 11 national basketball titles.
UConn head coach Dan Hurley (left) celebrates with his son Andrew after defeating the San Diego State Aztecs in the NCAA men’s national championship game.
“You’re so proud to be able to keep the promise you made to the university that we can get the program back and the promises you made to the players that we can do something special like this together,” Hurley said.
“I’m crazy. I’m a maniac just like our fanbase, so I think that’s why we fit so well with each other.”
