Everything changed for Eran Ganot on Sept. 5, 2012.

He’d always talked of family in expansive terms. It usually applied to his basketball life, where he considered each player and staff member of Saint Mary’s tight-knit program — and by extension, their families — woven together in the same tapestry. He thought of the Gaels players as his children to shepherd, even as just an assistant.

If they were good, he was good.

Then the crash happened, and fatherhood was instantly real for the University of Hawaii’s future head coach.

UH graduate Barbea Duffy was a P.E. teacher at the time. She knew Ganot was a workaholic. To make matters worse, he had a well-earned reputation for keeping things close to the vest. But they both loved basketball.

"He’s a hard guy to crack. He’s impossible to even go on a date with," she said. "He’s so focused on work and being successful. One day I went into his office and wrote, ‘DINNER WITH BARBEA’ right on his practice board. That’s gotta do it."

It did. They both came from big families — he from New Jersey, she from Oregon. Ganot had three siblings, Duffy seven. In Barbea’s family, she felt the closest affinity with her sister Chelsea, younger by two years. Chelsea was a former multi-sport standout, was in pre-med at Oregon State and in the process of applying for med school.

Chelsea also had an 18-month-old daughter, Zeza, and was raising the child by herself.

On the fateful September day, a Wednesday, Chelsea was traveling east on Oregon’s Highway 34, about 2 miles out from Corvallis. According to a state police account obtained by the Albany Democrat-Herald, a woman driving next to Chelsea’s vehicle attempted to change lanes in front of her. The woman’s vehicle struck the right front of Chelsea’s car, forcing her into oncoming traffic. Chelsea’s Pontiac Vibe collided head on with a Jeep Liberty.

Chelsea Duffy died at the scene. She was 22.

Prosecutors said road rage was behind the incident. The other woman, Valorie Carrigan, eventually pled guilty to criminally negligent homicide and third-degree assault. She was sentenced to two years in prison in April 2014, per the Democrat-Herald.

"Chelsea was awesome and is awesome and we think about her all the time," Ganot said softly. "The only fortunate thing was that Zeza was not in the car."

Just a few months before, Chelsea had a strange premonition that something might happen to her, Barbea said. She made out a will and even wrote her daughter a goodbye letter, just in case.

Chelsea had approached her sister and Ganot — who did not have any children — about becoming godparents.

"I told her, ‘This is crazy, nothing’s happening to you,’ but of course I would raise Zeza," Barbea said. "I have seven siblings, so for her to think we would be the best parents for her daughter, is very touching, actually.

"Worst came to worst, and we became parents in an instant."

They’d thought about having kids someday, but not right away. Fortunately, there was an outpouring of support from the Saint Mary’s community for the grieving couple who’d been together a little less than two years.

"From our players as well, which (was) great to see," Ganot said. "(Zeza) basically gained about 15 older brothers. So that was pretty cool."

The boundlessly energetic child became a regular sight running around the court after Gaels games at McKeon Pavilion.

"We were lucky to be part of her life and watch her grow," Gaels coach Randy Bennett said. "It was special to see that, and what they’ve done there is pretty selfless and pretty emotional, really."

Ganot was elevated to associate head coach at Saint Mary’s last season. Another successful year in Moraga, Calif., combined with his three seasons and past connections as a full assistant at UH, meant he was a prime candidate for the Rainbow Warriors’ head coaching job in the spring of 2015.

Athletic director David Matlin decided to grant the New Jersey native’s "dream job" wish of returning to the islands. Of course, Duffy, with an affinity for Hawaii, and Zeza happily came, too.

In a moment of levity at his introductory press conference in April, Ganot mentioned he’d put off a wedding with his girlfriend until further notice because of the demands of running his own program.

But not for long. The famously low-key 34-year-old wed Barbea in a private ceremony on Oct. 21. Zeza, now 4 1/2, was a witness. The Ganots plan a larger ceremony after the 2015-16 season, which begins today against Montana State at the Stan Sheriff Center.

No one knew about the wedding until after the fact. Not his mentor Bennett. Not the UH players.

As Bennett put it with a chuckle, "He’s always under-promised and over-delivered."

Despite all the increased demands of his new position, Ganot, forever consumed by the details, found the time to be a father. A pretty good one, at that, even if father and daughter look little alike.

"It’s unbelievable. Gosh," said Barbea Ganot, who is going into real estate locally. "When I see them together, all the time it makes me smile."

The new coach rarely betrays his emotions, but on this occasion, telling the story of Zeza just a couple of days before his official UH debut, his eyes well up.

"She’s a blessing and she’s special," he said. "And anyone who’s come around her knows that. She’s our daughter and we do everything in our power to make sure she has a great life."

Ganot hasn’t mastered everything about being a head coach yet, but feels pretty good about his progress.

"This world is always about people, and I’ll say one thing: I’ve got a lot to work on, but I’m glad I’ve figured that part out."