Gordon Chiesa
A native of Union City, New Jersey,[2][3] he played prep basketball at St. Michael's High School in his hometown.[citation needed] Chiesa's career began as the athletic director and head basketball coach at his alma mater of St. Thomas Aquinas College, where he guided the Spartans to three 20-win seasons and several postseason tournaments.During his tenure, he helped guide Utah to a pair of Western Conference crowns, three Midwest Division championships, a regular season record of 809–471 (.632) and 14 consecutive postseason appearances, including 149 playoff games.Chiesa has also been an assistant coach with New Jersey, Seattle and Memphis, and was director of pro scouting for the Grizzlies.[citation needed] Chiesa was inducted into the Hudson County Sports Hall of Fame in January 2001 for his achievements as a college and professional basketball coach.