Deer Lakes basketball coach awaits baby, WPIAL quarterfinal game on same day

By: Doug Gulasy
Sunday, February 17, 2019 | 4:21 PM

Maybe there’s something in the water when it comes to basketball coaches, babies and big games.

Deer Lakes coach Terence Parham and wife Leslie will welcome their fourth child on Thursday, the same day the No. 6 Lancers will play No. 3 North Catholic in the WPIAL Class 3A boys basketball quarterfinals.

“I couldn’t really ask for a better situation,” Parham said Sunday, one day after leading Deer Lakes to a first-round win over Charleroi, the program’s first postseason victory since 1985. “It’s a really exciting time for the program and our family.”

This birth will come just under two weeks after Leechburg boys basketball coach Corey Smith and fiancee Ashley welcomed a baby boy on the same night as the Blue Devils’ pivotal section finale against St. Joseph. Parham said he talked about the unique coincidence with Smith, a close friend.

“He said he had better timing,” Parham joked, because Smith’s baby was born during the regular season and not the playoffs.

Parham said he and Leslie are waiting until the baby is born to find out the gender, although “the track record would say boy.” The couple has three sons: Preston, 6; Kason, 3; and Roman, 2.

Doug Gulasy is a Tribune-Review Staff Writer. You can contact Doug at 412-388-5830, dgulasy@tribweb.com or via Twitter .

Tags: Deer Lakes