BLEACHER TEACHER HARVARD-BOUND GOFFREDO THRIVING AS DAD/COACH LOOKS ON.

Byline: Rich Hammond  Staff Writer

Even when Jimmy Goffredo changes out of his Crescenta Valley High uniform and leaves the gym, the basketball game isn't finished.

It's not over until Goffredo, a 6-foot-1 senior guard, arrives home and has the game - every game - analyzed by his father, John, who takes copious notes of his son's play.

But this isn't the typical big-mouth father who sits at the top of the bleachers and espouses his questionable sports knowledge to his son. John Goffredo coached at Crescenta Valley of La Crescenta for 19 years, so Jimmy listens to every word. Perhaps in part because of that, Jimmy Goffredo is one of the area's best guards this season. He's averaging 33 points per game and scored 47 against talented Taft of Woodland Hills.

``My dad is my personal coach,'' Goffredo said. ``It's great to be able to sit down after games and talk with him. He watches my game closely and lets me know what I need to work on, and I also give him my opinions.

``Sometimes I feel like I wish he would step back a little and let me play, but then I realize how lucky I am to have him around and have his knowledge.''

The bond between John and Jimmy was formed at an early age, through basketball, and strengthened when Kathy Goffredo, John's wife and Jimmy's mother, died when Jimmy was 9 years old.

Jimmy dedicated himself to his father, and basketball, since the two went together so well. He served as a team ball boy for many years, and John watched with pride as Jimmy rounded into a solid basketball player and tremendous student.

``Did you know that he's never had a `B,' '' John Goffredo said, his pride obvious. ``He's such a great kid, he's never been any problem at all. When you think about what he went through, losing his mom, a lot of kids could have turned a different way.

``He always realized how important his grades were, and he turned down four or five (scholarship) offers to choose Harvard.''

Goffredo was named MVP of the Crescenta Valley tournament after he torched Taft in the championship game, and he has led the Falcons to an 8-1 record.

Goffredo reaffirmed his commitment to Harvard, which he visited in October, and it seems more than a little ironic his basketball skills are getting so much notice, since for so long he was underrated just because of his slight appearance.

``I think teams might have taken me lightly at first, but that's OK, it kind of played into my favor,'' Goffredo said. ``I can see, after we play a team a couple times, that they start to take me a little more seriously and try to deny me the ball.''

Of course, John Goffredo is there in the bleachers, watching teams try to defend his son and taking notes, trying to find a way to help.

``To see him passing some of the records of the kids I coached all those years ago, it's incredible,'' John Goffredo said. ``It's a lot of fun to watch him with a basketball in his hands, and of course I'm incredibly proud, but as good of a basketball player as he is, he's an even better young man.''

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Jimmy Goffredo's game has improved with help from his father, a former coach, who also guided him through a family tragedy.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News