A sampling of stories throughout my career
College basketball players often make their biggest growth arcs between their freshman and sophomore seasons and Samuell Williamson plans to be no exception. The Louisville sophomore started becoming bigger and stronger at home in Texas during the pandemic by embracing creative ways to develop his physique. Except the push-ups. The push-ups were kind of the worst. Here's how he thrived in spite of them.
Carlik Jones came to Louisville as the country's No. 1 grad transfer but there's more than meets the eye with this sharpshooting guard. A neurosurgeon once said Carlik would never play sports at all - and yet he has, exceeding at every level. Get to know this former Radford star, the reigning Big South Conference player of the year, and find out what he can bring to the Cardinals this basketball season.
I can't think of a better transition to the Louisville beat than writing about a former Xavier standout who's joining the Cards' program as a grad assistant. James Farr recently retired after a five-year pro career and has reunited with Chris Mack, Mike Pegues and Luke Murray at U of L. Farr, a self-made player who became a tenacious rebounder by his senior season, opened up about this next chapter in his career.
Wally Szczerbiak has known since March that he was elected to the Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame but the public announcement was delayed due to, well, you know. (The pandemic.) The news finally was released. I tracked down Wally to find out his thoughts on that, hear some Charlie Coles stories and see how life is treating him 11 years after his 10-year NBA career ended. The college basketball and Knicks analyst (and father of five) had some fun answers in this Q&A. Photo / Associated Press
“Coming off the heels of ‘The Last Dance,’ he was Dennis Rodman. You look at recent teams like the Golden State Warriors, and he’s Draymond Green. He’s that guy that’s making a ton of plays that don’t wind up in the box score. Heart of a lion." Those words describe former Xavier standout C.J. Anderson, who helped Xavier to the 2008 Elite Eight and 2009 Sweet 16. A profile of life and basketball. Photo / Associated Press
More than 2 months have elapsed since Xavier men's basketball players scattered due to the pandemic. Although progress lies ahead in the form of NCAA-granted voluntary activities, Travis Steele is keeping players motivated from afar. Photo / Getty Images
What's in a number? Turns out, it's the culmination of a process. Most Xavier players have reasons for wearing the uniform numbers they do. We found out how those numbers are distributed, and what happens when someone - like Dee Davis or Tyrique Jones - wants to make a change. Photo / Getty Images
What's in a number? Turns out, it's the culmination of a process. Most Xavier players have reasons for wearing the uniform numbers they do. We found out how those numbers are distributed, and what happens when someone - like Dee Davis or Tyrique Jones - wants to make a change. Photo / Getty Images
Few know Cincinnati sports history in the last four decades better than John Popovich. The former WCPO-TV sportscaster recently retired after 40 years on the job. While he has enjoyed some time out of the spotlight, he remains a trove of Cincinnati sports stories. One of his favorite moments was interviewing Muhammad Ali at an Avondale barbershop. Enjoy this walk down memory lane with Popo. Photo / Provided
The NBA draft is slated for June 25 but with the league's suspension due to the coronavirus, there's no telling if the schedule will stay the same. In the meantime, Naji Marshall is working on his game and preparing for his future. We caught up with his agent, Nate Conley, to see what feedback Marshall has received, what he's doing now and where he might be selected. Bonus: Quentin Goodin has the same agent. Photo / USA Today
BOOMSHAKALAKA! Tim Kitzrow's unmistakable voice and exclamations helped loft NBA Jam to star status for decades. So when Xavier revamped its game-day social media posts last year, paying homage to the beloved arcade video game, there was only one thing missing: An authentic voice. Enter Kitzrow himself. More on this unique partnership and plans for the future. Photo / Xavier Athletics
Thad Matta left Xavier in 2004 after three years at the helm and three NCAA Tournament appearances including a program-first Elite Eight. He stopped by Butler, another former coaching stop, earlier in February to give VIP fans a chalk talk, I wondered: Would Matta ever return to Xavier for a chalk talk or as part of the 2004 team? He wasn't so sure he'd be welcomed back. So I asked fans. Photo / Associated Press
UConn's Big East return will increase men's hoops league schedules from 18 games to 20. How will two additional conference games affect Xavier's already jam-packed schedule, which is filled with long-term commitments and an annual multi-team event? Photo / Getty Images
Dana Gardens holds a special place in the Xavier community. It's where fans go to celebrate big Musketeers wins, drink Hershel Specials, eat Muskie Burgers and knock back orders of spicy balls. We featured the watering hole as part of an Athletic initiative to support local businesses. BJ Hayley (left), a Xavier grad and one of Dana's owners since 1995, provided some behind-the-scenes details. And we have to talk about the roof.
Two grad transfers in two days? You got it. One day after landing guard Nate Johnson, Xavier's staff picked up Division II standout Bryan Griffin. The 6-foot-8 player from Mercy College in New York is a rebounding machine who should amplify the Musketeers' frontcourt depth. Find out more about this newcomer, who's friends with another former XU grad transfer - Malcolm Bernard. Photo / Mercy College
Xavier struggled mightily last season in 3-point shooting and free-throw shooting, but a freshly landed grad transfer should give the Musketeers a boost in both areas heading into the 2020-21 campaign. Meet former Gardner-Webb guard Nate Johnson, an answer to XU's shooting needs. Photo / Associated Press
How do Xavier's athletes stay fit during a pandemic? With a little self-motivation and a whole lot of support from afar. Strength and conditioning coach Matt Jennings shared his workout help, including Instagram-posted guidelines, for the Musketeers when their springtime schedule took an unexpected turn due to the coronavirus. Photo / USA Today
Jason Carter wanted to help others amid the coronavirus pandemic - so the forward and member of the Xavier Student-Athlete Advisory Committee joined forces with swimmer Riece Drew to organize a fundraiser for the Freestore Foodbank. More from Carter on that initiative in this Q&A, which includes life (for the moment) back in Johnstown, Ohio and meeting XU's new grad transfers over the phone. Photo / Getty Images
When editors at The Athletic asked us to write about the best NCAA Tournament game we ever saw live, the Xavier-Kansas State double-overtime thriller in the 2010 Big Dance in Utah was a no-brainer. I've never seen more drama or clutch shooting, from Tu Holloway's three free throws to send the game to overtime to Jordan Crawford's insane deep three to ensure 2OT. K-State won 101-96, but it was one hell of a game. Photo / Getty
Team 98's season ended in an unprecedented fashion after a grim loss to DePaul in a Big East Tournament first-round game in New York. That, obviously, wasn't the worst of it. The Musketeers were headed home when the tournament was canceled due to the coronavirus; the NCAA Tournament followed. A look what at Team 99 will look like when basketball resumes next season. Photo /Getty Images
Six-foot wing Kaelynn Satterfield has a passion for hoops just like her dad Kenny - a University of Cincinnati star who was taken in the second round of the 2001 NBA Draft. But she didn't want to follow his exact route through college. After a brief stop at Ohio State, she found a program that was the right fit. And it happened to be the Bearcats' biggest rival: Xavier. Photo / Getty Images
Bryce Moore could have finished his college career at Western Michigan.. He could have taken the court for the last 30 days and used his final season of eligibility after being cleared from ACL surgery. His father cautioned against that - and now Moore is using a grad transfer season at Xavier. The guard has had ups and downs thus far but believes he'll become his best through hard work. Photo / Getty Images
Bryce Moore could have finished his college career at Western Michigan.. He could have taken the court for the last 30 days and used his final season of eligibility after being cleared from ACL surgery. His father cautioned against that - and now Moore is using a grad transfer season at Xavier. The guard has had ups and downs thus far but believes he'll become his best through hard work. Photo / Getty Images
What do you do after you've won your first Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout? If you're Travis Steele, you head straight to Dana's with $1,000 in cold, hard cash to buy drinks. An inside look at Steele's post-victory initiative on the heels of a 73-66 triumph over Cincinnati at Cintas Center. Photo / Associated Press
Tyrique Jones said he walked off UC's court with a heavy heart after a Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout loss last year, his junior season. That made Saturday's victory over the Bearcats all the more sweeter for the senior forward. Jones rallied from a late ankle roll and helped propel XU to victory on a night Naji Marshall scored a career-high-tying 31 points and Quentin Goodin added eight assists. Photo / USA Today
Forty-two days after suffering a stress fracture in his right foot, Xavier freshman KyKy Tandy made his long-awaited Musketeers debut. He wasted little time asserting himself, burying a deep 3-pointer against Lipscomb. The rookie point guard from Hopkinsville, Ky. has made quite a journey to get to Cintas Center. His mother, Tonya, shared insights on an afternoon the 25th-ranked Musketeers rolled to a seventh victory.
Picture it: Your first game with a new basketball program. Make that your first game as head coach of a basketball program. Xavier's Melanie Moore made her debut in a 70-63 victory over Utah at Cintas Center and allowed us to tag along the entire day. She's bringing hustle and heart to the Musketeers, one X-Factor point at a time. What's that, you say? Read on to find out.
Leighton Schrand is a pure shooter who prefers not to shoot, at least not in Xavier basketball games. The senior walk-on turned scholarship player is all about setting up his teammates for the glory. His story is unlike any other player on the Musketeers' roster, which is why his first career start - Team 98's opener versus Jacksonville at Cintas Center - was so special. Photo / Associated Press
How well do you know Xavier guard Paul Scruggs? Could you pass a quiz about him? The junior is excited about his third season with the Musketeers after testing the NBA Draft waters last spring. Find out about that and more (like his favorite cartoon) in this different take on a traditional feature. Photo / Getty Images
This is a photo of the Akiachak varsity girls' basketball team in Western Alaska, but this story starts with Xavier men's basketball. In 12 years of covering the Musketeers, I've never found such an intriguing, far reaching tale. For years, the men's program has sent a newsletter filled with drills, plays and tips to thousands of coaches and students of the game. The finer points within that framework form a compelling story. From the newsletter's origins to a tie-in with former XU women's assistant Mike Neighbors and a reach in Akiachak, it's one wild ride. Photo / Provided
If you want to know the real story about football at Northern Kentucky University, dig right in. The Board of Regents approved it in 1997. The sport suffered a demise just months later. It was a polarizing time on campus amid a university presidential search, powerful figures, big ambitions and a near economic disaster that would have exacted a toll for decades to follow. Photo / Provided
Naji Marshall has garnered national buzz ahead of his junior season at Xavier and returns as the team's leading scorer. But what makes him tick? What's he like off the basketball court? Finding out required going right to the source - his family. Through the lens of his mother and father and two of his six siblings, a profile emerges. Photo / Rayna Whitted
Xavier introduced its freshmen players through a five-episode series called "The Arrival." Unique and compelling, each video produced by 4th Floor Creative told a different story with varied perspectives. This is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the videos that feature Dahmir Bishop, Zach Freemantle, Dieonte Miles, Daniel Ramsey and KyKy Tandy. Photo / Courtesy of Xavier Athletics
Hear ye, hear ye! Behold, a State of the Program series story focusing on Xavier basketball. The Spain trip is over, the seven newcomers are on campus, and questions loom large about what shall come for Team 98. There are big aspirations for Travis Steele's sophomore season as head coach. Photo / Getty Images
How do you live after your brother dies? How do you survive when you lose two brothers in 18 months? Cam Turner lived that devastation after his older brother Nick and younger brother Daven passed unexpectedly in 2016 and 2017. Cam, a Miami University defensive end, not only bore the pain of the twin tragedies - but almost lost his own life last year. His story is one of resilience and hope. Photo / Miami University
When you arrive at college at 6-foot-11 and 208 pounds, there is much work to do to improve your physique. Such is the case for freshman Dieonte Miles. He's up to 212 pounds and counting, but it takes a team of assistance to help him prepare his body for the college basketball game. Find out what he's doing to add muscle and strength - and how he'd regard a redshirt season, should that come to fruition.
When you arrive at college at 6-foot-11 and 208 pounds, there is much work to do to improve your physique. Such is the case for freshman Dieonte Miles. He's up to 212 pounds and counting, but it takes a team of assistance to help him prepare his body for the college basketball game. Find out what he's doing to add muscle and strength - and how he'd regard a redshirt season, should that come to fruition.
Rose Lavelle (left) was small but mighty, creative but determined, and faster than anyone on any team she played. And that was in fifth grade. This Cincinnati native has risen to the highest echelon of women's soccer and is on the verge of the World Cup in France. We painted a portrait of Rose through her family and friends and found that her quirky personality and tough-as-nails resolve are as unique as her soccer skills. (She's quite the prankster, too. Check your shoes for pine cones.)
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Whether it’s herding bees, made-up mustaches or gold-chain swag, Derek Dietrich can find a way to make people smile. This new Reds fan favorite is making work fun for his teammates. Photo / Getty Images
Whether it’s herding bees, made-up mustaches or gold-chain swag, Derek Dietrich can find a way to make people smile. This new Reds fan favorite is making work fun for his teammates. Photo / Getty Images
'Toughness' is a rallying cry within Xavier basketball, the ultimate embodiment of resilience, hard work and diligence. The word has an even stronger meaning for Ann Mercurio, the mother of XU director of administration Mario Mercurio. Her toughness transcends sport as she battles cancer (a second time) and the effects of a motorized scooter accident. On Mother's Day, learn more about their special mother-son bond.
Darrin Horn was a head basketball coach for nine years - and then out of coaching for three - before joining Shaka Smart's staff at Texas. Now he's back at the helm of a program in his home state. Horn, 46, recently was named Northern Kentucky University's sixth coach in program history. Find out more about this former Western Kentucky star and his family.
Around 11 p.m. on a Tuesday, well after most Reds players had vacated the clubhouse, Yasiel Puig arrived at his locker and spoke about his milestone night. He'd hit home runs before, sure, but in this game - a 7-6 win over Atlanta - he made history with his first homer as a Red within Great American Ball Park. He was thrilled to finally get that hit, a two-run blast to left center, and semitruck driver Joe Brown from Dent was just as happy to catch the ball, which he stowed in his wife's purse for safekeeping. Photo / David Kohl
Shortly after the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout brawl in 2011, Xavier walk-on Landen Amos befriended a fourth-grader named Gabe Puthoff. Gabe, who has spina bifida, loved basketball and was a testament to perseverance and resilience. Fast forward to 2019. Not only are Landen and Gabe friends, but Landen flew across the country to watch Gabe compete in wheelchair basketball nationals. A story of abiding friendship.
One year has passed since Travis Steele was promoted to Xavier's head coach. It was a season of change in many ways, but perhaps no more so than for Steele himself. He recently discussed his evolution as a coach and adaptation to the role in multiple categories - how he handled officials, how he addressed lineup changes, how he responded to media obligations and more. An insightful trip through the mind of a coach.
It took a team effort for Xavier to defeat Creighton 63-61 in the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden, but grad transfer Kyle Castlin provided the icing on the cake with a game-ending block. A look at the defensive mastery through the eyes of Castlin and several of his teammates.
Kyle Castlin earned his undergraduate degree from Columbia University and played in the very gym Xavier has used for practice ahead of the Big East Tournament. He returned to his old stomping grounds before the Musketeers' quarterfinal win over Creighton. Ditto for Columbia transfer Myles Hanson, who paid his own way to New York to support the team's quest for Big East title.
Jim Schafer was an Illinois kid without a team to root for when he was dazzled by Xavier's 2004 Elite Eight Run. He adopted the Musketeers, but had never gone to Cintas Center for a game - until a chance meeting with XU Board of Trustees member Tim Schroeder.
All aboard! There's a new bus driver in town, and his name is Quinn Douglas. The Xavier basketball manager has propelled energy within the team by promoting one of coach Travis Steele's favorite books: "The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy." Douglas, outfitted with an $8 chauffeur's hat, has the team in high spirits. Get your fare ready, because this imaginative bus is leaving the station.
Kaiser Gates could have been a key cog on a Xavier team that underwent a typhoon of offseason change. He decided to pursue his professional aspirations instead, leaving a year of eligibility on the table, and now plays in the G League. What does he make of his decision to leave college some 8 months after announcing his plans on social media? Gates speaks.
Xavier outlasted Creighton in an overtime thriller, snapping a six-game skid and avoiding the program's first seven-game slump since 1981-82. There were subplots aplenty in this February outing at Cintas Center, but none more lasting than the final 1.7 seconds in overtime. A look at that sequence from multiple angles. John Minchillo / Associated Press
Dieonte Miles is Gulliver on the shores of Lilliput, Paul Bunyan without his Babe. The 6-foot-11 Walton-Verona High School senior is head and shoulders above his competition - at least for now. Miles is headed to Xavier next season as part of a heralded recruiting class. He has a work to do to be college ready, especially from a physical standpoint, but his potential knows no bounds. Carla Martin / Provided
What makes a coaching debut a success? At Xavier, the formula has been depth plus seniors who have spent their careers in the program. Travis Steele has had his hands full since cobbling together a roster in the offseason and preparing newcomers for the rigorous Big East. A look at how Chris Mack, Sean Miller, Thad Matta and Skip Prosser fared in their rookie seasons at XU. Joe Robbins / Getty Images
Injuries and team inconsistency have made it an up-and-down season for Xavier and Quentin Goodin, but the point guard is focused on being a leader. A profile on Goodin and how his faith, family and friendships have guided him. Frank Victores / USA Today
AAU basketball didn't exist when Xavier all-time leading scorer Byron Larkin was a kid, but he didn't need organized offseason hoops to improve. He had a whole family to help with that, especially older brothers Mike and Barry. Stroll down memory lane to see how the Larkin boys honed their talents growing up. Photo / Byron Larkin
I spent a couple days in Greensboro, N.C. to catch up with J.P. Macura and learn about his life in the G League. The former Xavier standout signed a two-way contract with the Charlotte Hornets' organization and started his career with the Greensboro Swarm. From his relentless competitiveness and playful personality, the Crocs-loving guard shared a unique view into his post-college experience. Photo / Greensboro Swarm
Sometimes the sweetest stories come from the kids who idolize athletes. That was the case for Kilian Herppich, 7, who met his hero, Paul Scruggs, before a recent Xavier game. Kilian loved Scruggs so much that he implored his mother to fashion his birthday cake out of his two favorites: Scruggs and Batman. And she did.
Bet you didn't know Xavier's November trip to paradise resulted in a corn row emergency, but that's what grad transfer Zach Hankins faced after falling into the ocean and sullying his carefully braided locks. He found an answer to his coiffure prayers, luckily, and Xavier went on to post a 1-2 mark in the Maui Invitational. A behind-the-scenes look at the Musketeers' first trip to the prestigious tournament.
Bet you didn't know Xavier's November trip to paradise resulted in a corn row emergency, but that's what grad transfer Zach Hankins faced after falling into the ocean and sullying his carefully braided locks. He found an answer to his coiffure prayers, luckily, and Xavier went on to post a 1-2 mark in the Maui Invitational. A behind-the-scenes look at the Musketeers' first trip to the prestigious tournament.
Xavier's Travis Steele allowed unprecedented access before and after the first game of his head coaching career. While other coaches would keep that day private, Steele was an open book the day of the Musketeers' season-opening win against IUPUI. Photo / Getty Images
The Gold Jersey is the highest honor a player can earn in Xavier basketball practices. Introduced to the program during the Sean Miller era, the gold jersey competition relies on a formula to determine the best practice player each week. The winner may wear his gold jersey the ensuing week. Who has worn the gold jersey most in Xavier annals? What does it mean to players? Read on. Photo / Xavier University
Don't mess with Ryan Welage's sleep habits. The Xavier grad transfer has a very specific formula for determining how much recovery his body needs, and that is not to be trifled with - even if he retires before the sun does. This Musketeer is another unique addition to Travis Steele's first team as a head coach, and he's excited to play close to his Indiana home in his final season of eligibility. He's a vegan, a 3-point specialist and the record-holder for made triples at San Jose State. Get to know this well-rested 6-foot-10 sharpshooter, who scored 1,258 points in his three years with the Spartans. Photo / Xavier University
Meet Hanky MckSpanky, the basketball player Xavier fans will love and the guy opposing fans will love to hate. Zach Hankins, the defending Division II player of the year, is one of three grad transfers on the Musketeers' roster this season. From his Twitter handle (that's Hanky MckSpanky) to his unique hairdos (corn rows for now, a man bun later) there's a lot more about this newcomer than meets the eye. Photo / Xavier University
New Xavier men's basketball assistants Dante Jackson, Jonas Hayes and Ben Johnson have hit the ground running since joining Travis Steele's staff. The Musketeers have brought in a deluge of commitments since Steele's hire, but the process has not been seamless. Three players decommitted; one (Keonte Kennedy) came back. This snapshot of recruiting reveals the triumphs and devastations in the search for future scholarship players.
Take a walk in Kenny Young III's moccasins and find what it's like to overcome odds, handle one devastation after another and rise up to become a star running back on Miami University's football team. He left behind a rough life in Tallahassee to start anew in Oxford, where he's a fifth-year senior poised to have his best season yet. He'll graduate in December. He wants a better life for his daughter - and he's well on his way. Photo / Miami University
This Father's Day story is about Lance McAlister, a longtime sports radio host, and his son, Casey, who just celebrated his 15th year of being cancer-free. Casey overcame childhood leukemia - and long odds of survival. A sweet story about the power of family, love, health and extreme gratitude.
University of Cincinnati football star Mardy Gilyard lived a well-told tale in college. He ignored his academics, lost his scholarship and was homeless for 6-plus months while he worked to pay back tuition he owed the school. He made an illustrious return under Brian Kelly and helped the Bearcats to consecutive Big East championships and Orange and Sugar Bowls. He was drafted in 2010 by the St. Louis Rams. What happened next? We caught up with this standout wide receiver to find out. Photo / Massachusetts Pirates
Turning around Miami University's football program has been a monumental task, and it's not done yet. The team lost 16 straight games heading into the 2014-15 season and slipped into Division I anonymity. Enter Chuck Martin, who has made strides in his four seasons with the RedHawks. But football isn't his only love. Step into Martin's world to see how faith and family make him tick. Photo / Miami University
Bronson Arroyo is one of the coolest cats that ever pitched in Major League Baseball. The former Reds player made more than $96 million playing the game but was the kind of guy who used a vintage flip phone. He's enjoying every second of his retirement and plans to spend the next half of his life with people who mean the world to him. That includes the Reds' clubhouse guys. Arroyo promised he'd return to help them out and in July, well after this story ran, he did just that. Photo / USA Today Sports
Joe Zerhusen has been the Cincinnati Reds' public address announcer since Great American Ball Park opened in 2003. You may have heard him introduce lineups or make mid-inning announcements, but you probably don't know his journey in the last year. Zerhusen was diagnosed with throat cancer. Chemotherapy, radiation, faith, friends, and family helped him journey through the diagnosis and ultimately return to the booth.
Joe Zerhusen has been the Cincinnati Reds' public address announcer since Great American Ball Park opened in 2003. You may have heard him introduce lineups or make mid-inning announcements, but you probably don't know his journey in the last year. Zerhusen was diagnosed with throat cancer. Chemotherapy, radiation, faith, friends, and family helped him journey through the diagnosis and ultimately return to the booth.
Everyone can see Xavier senior J.P. Macura talking on the basketball court, but what is he saying? Turns out this loquacious guard wants to chat up most every player around him, and he usually wins them over. Glimpse life in the Macura lane as he helps the Musketeers to an NCAA Tournament first-round win over Texas Southern. You might be surprised by how the conversations of this fierce competitor unfold. Photo/Getty Images
The tattoo scrawled across his back says Fear None, and that's a good way to sum up University of Cincinnati guard Jarron Cumberland. The Wilmington, Ohio native scored a career-high 29 points with 11 rebounds in the Bearcats' NCAA Tournament first-round game win over Georgia State in Nashville. "Teddy," as his teammates call him, was destined for a big game. Photo/USA Today
Think you know what it's like to be a walk-on? Bet you don't. Through the eyes of these three Xavier walk-ons - Matt Singleton, Nick Vanderpohl and Leighton Schrand - see what it's like to practice with scholarship players, enjoy the fruits of a long season...and pay your own way. Room and board is nearly $50,000 a year. These walk-ons discuss why they pursue this labor of love.
Xavier's trip to the Big Apple for the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden started with a practice day ahead of two games in two days. Given an all-access pass, I followed the Musketeers all over town. There was live TV, practice at an Ivy League school, a video shoot, league awards and everything in between. Take a look at what it was like to be a XU player in the Big City.
Statistics reign supreme these days in college basketball, and coaches subscribe to different web sites and analytics to garner optimal production from their teams. Xavier has a stats program all its own. Created by alumnus and former player Steve Drew, it measures the Musketeers' Offensive Efficiency Ratio minus its Defensive Efficiency Ratio. How it works, and what it does. Photo/USA Today
Statistics reign supreme these days in college basketball, and coaches subscribe to different web sites and analytics to garner optimal production from their teams. Xavier has a stats program all its own. Created by alumnus and former player Steve Drew, it measures the Musketeers' Offensive Efficiency Ratio minus its Defensive Efficiency Ratio. How it works, and what it does. Photo/USA Today
Lavone Holland II has helped author a pair of historic seasons that will live on in Northern Kentucky University basketball annals. The senior point guard is an unassuming star, a reluctant player in the spotlight, and yet he has been a key cog in the team's run to a Horizon League regular-season title and last year's NCAA tournament berth. Get to know this sometimes-rapper, tattoo aficionado and skilled athlete before his days at NKU are over.
This edition of the Xavier Musketeers did what no predecessor had done before by clinching a share of a Big East regular-season title. A victory over Providence gave Xavier its first league title since 2011 in the Atlantic 10. Players past and present discussed the grind of winning a regular-season race, and how the season's work is not done yet.
For the first time since 1958, the Xavier and University of Cincinnati men's hoops programs cracked the Associated Press' Top 10 in the same week, giving every basketball fan in the Queen City ultimate bragging rights. Xavier ascended to No. 4 and UC to No. 5 in February of 2018. The dual achievement didn't last long, but it showed the country just what kind of basketball hotbed resides in Southwest Ohio. Photo / Cincinnati.com
Peek behind the curtain to see the inner workings of Xavier's No. 2 all-time scoring leader, Trevon Bluiett. The guy who loves SpongeBob, family and basketball has left an indelible mark on the Musketeers' program during his four-year career. There have been pristine moments (the Elite Eight) and tough ones (an arrest for marijuana possession) but through it all, he has simply stayed 'Tre.' Photo / Vincent Carchietta
Gary Clark is known as the nicest guy in college basketball, and there are plenty of reasons why. The University of Cincinnati senior takes time to visit fans in the hospital, drop by kids' birthday parties and serve as a program ambassador. He's also one of the best players on the Bearcats' team. This forward from North Carolina has come a long way since his arrival in Mick Cronin's program. Watch him while you can.. Photo / Aaron Doster
Gary Clark is known as the nicest guy in college basketball, and there are plenty of reasons why. The University of Cincinnati senior takes time to visit fans in the hospital, drop by kids' birthday parties and serve as a program ambassador. He's also one of the best players on the Bearcats' team. This forward from North Carolina has come a long way since his arrival in Mick Cronin's program. Watch him while you can.. Photo / Aaron Doster
Chris Mack and his childhood friends sojourn to Kentucky's Nolin Lake every summer for 72 hours of rest, relaxation and merciless ribbing. These former Knothole and youth buddies are the caretakers of each other's histories, the witnesses to the stories that came well before adult responsibilities, wives and kids. Take a look at the lighter side of Xavier's all-time winningest coach and the way his North College Hill friends shaped him then and now. Photo / Provided
Alexis Newsome discovered she was pregnant at 19 and thought her Xavier volleyball career was over. It wasn't. The birth of her son, Braylen, was simply the start of a new path that helped shape her into the person she is today. After juggling motherhood with college athletics and academics for several years, Newsome is about to finish her final volleyball season and graduate with a degree in public relations. Her family has provided her with strength and support on this remarkable journey. Photo / Doug Cochran
On Selection Sunday, ESPN.com was ready with in-depth biographies of every men's college basketball team that made the NCAA tournament. I wrote eight of those bios for Insider content: Xavier, Butler, Cincinnati, SMU, Minnesota, Purdue, Michigan and Northwestern. Each story included breakdowns on a team's strengths, weaknesses, best player, X-factor, statistics, best-case scenario in the Big Dance and worst-case scenario. Every analysis was all-encompassing.
Rumors swirled throughout Xavier's Elite Eight campaign: Would Edmond Sumner return? Would he leave for the NBA? The 6-foot-6 point guard announced his intentions to fulfill his professional aspirations shortly after the season's end, leaving behind two years of eligibility. Sumner, who tore his ACL in January and underwent surgery in March, shared exclusive information about his decision-making process, the injury's impact on draft workouts, and the long road ahead. Photo/Getty Images
Meet Gerald Yearwood, Xavier men's basketball's life coach. Life coach? You bet. With an audience of 14 players, scholarship athletes and walk-ons, he broaches an array of social situations. One minute he's talking about San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's national anthem protest, the next it's Wisconsin forward Nigel Hayes' stand against discrimination. Probing and insightful, supportive and patient, Yearwood provides a special service to Chris Mack's team.
In the nine years I covered Xavier basketball as a newspaper beat writer, I booked my own travel and navigated road trips alone. As a WCPO.com digital reporter without a post-game deadline, I accepted the Musketeers' invitation to take a behind-the-scenes look at a road trip. From team buses to chartered planes, it was a unique (and fun) way to tell a story.
Fans of Xavier basketball are familiar with J.P. Macura's hustle and energy-infusing play, but what else is there to know about the Minnesota native? From his passion for basketball to a pants-dropping incident that landed him in hot water last spring, the guard talks about life, sports and moving forward. Photo/Jamie Squire/Getty Images
On the heels of his sophomore basketball season, Xavier guard Trevon Bluiett opted to test the NBA draft waters without hiring an agent. The goal was to gain feedback from pro teams' personnel, and the 6-foot-6 player did just that via workouts with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. Some critiques he expected. Others were wake-up calls. Photo/Cara Owsley
Xavier senior RaShid Gaston is terrified of flying and has a love-hate relationship with roller coasters because of their great heights, so no way was he going to zip-line from 200 feet above the Little Miami River when a friend suggested it last summer. After a bit of goading, Gaston relented. That, in a nutshell, is Gaston – ready for a new adventure and eager to challenge himself. Photo/Cara Owsley
If Buddy LaRosa had to pick his favorite memory of Hall of Fame boxer Aaron Pryor outside the ring, he said it would have to be one particular struggle with punctuality. LaRosa reminisced about his good friend at the Over the Rhine Boxing Center, just one day after the former world champion died at his Cincinnati-area home following an extended battle with heart disease. Pryor was 60. Photo/Amanda Rossmann
Making big plays and finishing right were post-game mantras for multiple Bengals players after Denver’s 29-17 win, and Cedric Ogbuehi was among them. The right tackle held off Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller for most of the game, but allowed a sack with just 74 seconds remaining at Paul Brown Stadium. Miller dropped Andy Dalton for a 5-yard loss. Photo/Kareem Elgazzar
Rain, anyone? More than 6.6 inches of water drenched the Lindner Family Tennis Center during the latest Western & Southern Open. Tournament director Andre Silva set up ancillary parking and free shuttles for fans and media when parking on the grounds became too muddy. He brought in mulch to absorb the soupy mess, and workers to tow cars stuck in the murk. The rain cost the tournament six figures. Photo/Sam Greene
Fifteenth-seeded Karolina Pliskova stunned World No. 2 Angelique Kerber in Sunday’s Western & Southern Open final at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. By orchestrating a 6-3, 6-1 victory for a career-first title in Mason, Pliskova foiled the week-long talk about Kerber’s chance to claim the No. 1 spot. Serena Williams’ early-week withdrawal from the tournament opened the door for the German to overtake the rankings lead with a title win. Photo/Cara Owsley
Andre Silva didn't have a minute to spare when he took over as the Western & Southern Open’s new tournament director. He started May 31, less than three months before the world-class event returned to the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason. There were people to meet, plans to organize, meetings to attend – oh, and a weekly commute from Cleveland, where his wife LeAnn and kids Tristan, 3, and Harper, 3 months, temporarily resided. Photo/Cara Owsley
The Reds may have won the weekend series against Oakland, but the Athletics had the last word in a 6-1 victory Sunday before 24,880 fans at Great American Ball Park. The sweltering outing had a different feel than the Reds’ 2-1 wins Friday and Saturday. The home team fell behind 4-0 early and never recovered despite amassing seven hits. The Reds also stranded six runners. Photo/David Kohl
Californian Sergio Reyes wondered whether his right foot would hold up for 26.2 straight miles after surgery derailed his defense of the 2014 Flying Pig Marathon title. He needn’t have worried. The 34-year-old flight test engineer won the 18th running of the marathon in 2:26:03 and secured his place in event history as the race’s first five-time champion. He also won the Pig in 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2009. Photo/Madison Schmidt
Californian Sergio Reyes wondered whether his right foot would hold up for 26.2 straight miles after surgery derailed his defense of the 2014 Flying Pig Marathon title. He needn’t have worried. The 34-year-old flight test engineer won the 18th running of the marathon in 2:26:03 and secured his place in event history as the race’s first five-time champion. He also won the Pig in 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2009. Photo/Madison Schmidt
At first blush, Hannah Helmers seems like any other 19-year-old University of Cincinnati freshman, eager to run her first Flying Pig Marathon half-marathon in just a few days. But she's unlike most everyone else. Her legs hurt all the time. Once a three-sport athlete at Anderson High School, she now takes 15 pills daily and undergoes physical therapy and pain psychology to combat Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Photo/Meg Vogel
Xavier’s record-setting season ended late Sunday night on a buzzer-beater by Wisconsin junior Bronson Koenig, who buried a 3-pointer before time expired for a 66-63 Badgers victory at the Scottrade Center. Myles Davis fell to the floor, James Farr hugged teammates and other Xavier players looked on, stunned, as Wisconsin celebrated its NCAA tournament second-round win and Sweet 16 bid. A review by officials upheld the score. Photo/Cara Owsley
Xavier’s record-setting season ended late Sunday night on a buzzer-beater by Wisconsin junior Bronson Koenig, who buried a 3-pointer before time expired for a 66-63 Badgers victory at the Scottrade Center. Myles Davis fell to the floor, James Farr hugged teammates and other Xavier players looked on, stunned, as Wisconsin celebrated its NCAA tournament second-round win and Sweet 16 bid. A review by officials upheld the score. Photo/Cara Owsley
Xavier’s reputation as a college basketball fixture has been entrenched in 25 NCAA tournament bids and seven Sweet 16 appearances, but the program’s the twin trips to the Elite Eight – in 2004 and 2008 – count among its finest moments. As the tournament approaches once more, a question about the current Musketeers looms large: Do they have what it takes to match, or surpass, the feats of their high-reaching predecessors? Photo/Cara Owsley
When the final buzzer sounded, Edmond Sumner and Trevon Bluiett screamed at each other in jubilation and a record crowd of 10,727 erupted into pandemonium – and with good reason. No. 5 Xavier’s 90-83 victory over conference rival No. 1 Villanova will go down as one of the biggest wins in Musketeers history. Chris Mack’s team clinched the program’s first victory over an Associated Press No. 1 team since 2004 and secured at least a No. 2 seed in the Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden. Photo/Meg Vogel
There isn’t much Edmond Sumner remembers about his horrific fall at Villanova. Making a 3-pointer – well, that’s the last memory he can retrieve of the Dec. 31 game. The basket came just 39 seconds into Xavier’s 31-point drubbing by the then-No. 16 Wildcats at The Pavilion. The rest is a patchwork of recollections by friends and family. They start with Remy Abell’s steal and bounce pass to Sumner on a fast-break shortly after the 3-pointer. Sumner went up for a shot against two defenders and was knocked down awkwardly. Photo/Jeremy Brevard
This victory was especially sweet. No. 23 Xavier won its first exempt event since 2008 by blowing out rival Dayton 90-61 in Sunday’s AdvoCare Invitational basketball championship at HP Field House. The Musketeers mobbed each other in celebration and hoisted the trophy before 4,633 fans. Photo/Kim Klement
Casual hoops fans might not know much about Ty Sampson’s duties, but his role is significant within Xavier's program. The job, done by graduate assistants in the past and added as a full-time position just this year, is a reflection of the relevance of video in the sport. Photo/Pat Reddy
On the eve of the 86th Major League Baseball All-Star Game, Reds closer Aroldis Chapman said he greatly anticipated the moment he would race from the bullpen to the mound before a roaring crowd in his home stadium. That reception came in at 11:21 p.m. Tuesday in the Midsummer Classic at Great American Ball Park. Chapman received a standing ovation from fans when he emerged between the eighth and ninth innings. Photo/Cara Owsley
How Sweet it is. Xavier knocked off Ole Miss and then Cinderella team Georgia State in the NCAA tournament to clinch a fifth Sweet 16 appearance since 2008. The Musketeers entered the tournament as a No. 6 seed - much higher than Bracketology experts anticipated - and took their game to Jacksonville, Fla. for second- and third-round victories. The reward? A meeting with second-seeded Arizona and former Xavier coach Sean Miller. Photo/Cara Owsley
What a win. What a night. Xavier's men's basketball team overcame a late-game field goal drought and Cincinnati's comeback bid to pull off a 59-57 victory in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout. Senior Dee Davis played the game of his life, scoring 16 points to lead the Musketeers to another victory over their archrival - this time at Fifth Third Arena. Coach Chris Mack said it was Davis' best game in a Xavier uniform. Photo/Cameron Knight
Matt Stainbrook's 6-foot-10 frame, rebounding chops and ability to pass out of traps made him a sought-after prospect after he transferred from Western Michigan. Now a fifth-year senior at Xavier, Stainbrook wanted to share his good fortune with his brother, Tim, a Xavier walk-on. So he gave Tim his scholarship and picked up a part-time job as an Uber driver. Said Matt: "I was like, 'OK, I haven't had any student loans in the past four years. Tim has worked hard. It's not like the guy doesn't deserve it.' It made sense to me," Photo/Tony Tribble
Just who is Dallas Latos? Reds fans grew very familiar with her husband, Mat, during his stint in Cincinnati as a pitcher. Dallas Latos was always in the social stratosphere, though, making a name for herself through her irreverent and funny Twitter feed. After she said she was threatened by a Pittsburgh fan and attacked by his female companion in the Reds National League Wild Card loss to the Pirates, she was thrust in the limelight. Photo/Enquirer file
Lauren Hill touched a nation with her desire to play for Mount St. Joseph's women's basketball team, even as she battled an inoperable brain tumor. Her resolve, spirit and courage were celebrated Nov. 2 when she realized her dream at Xavier University's Cintas Center. Cheered on by a sold-out crowd of 10,250 and a television audience, Hill scored the first and last basket of the Mount's 66-55 victory over Hiram College. Lauren passed away at the age of 19. Photo/Andy Lyons
Soon after choosing Mount St. Joseph to continue her studies and basketball career, 18-year-old Lauren Hill was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. The NCAA allowed the Lions to move up their season opener against Hiram College so Lauren could play. Less than a year later, she realized her dream of scoring in her first collegiate basketball game. There wasn't a dry eye at Cintas Center when she achieved her goal. Photo/Liz Dufour
Kayla Harrison is an athlete, fiancée, future firefighter, daughter, sister, friend and forgiver, but on Aug. 2, 2012 she became known as something else: The United States’ first Olympic gold medalist in judo. Harrison overcame sexual abuse by a former coach to become the world's best judoka in her class in the Summer Olympics in London. She didn't hesitate to tell her story in hopes of helping others in her situation. Photo/USA Today
Xavier center Kenny Frease was the face of the 2011 Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout brawl. He was punched by Cincinnati's Yancy Gates at the end of the Musketeers' 76-53 victory and needed seven stitches around his eye. While the city - and nation - was in an uproar over the bench-clearing fight between archrivals, Frease tracked down Gates to let him know he didn't harbor a grudge. Photo/Enquirer file
Serena Williams has won most every tournament in her storied tennis career, but it took multiple tries before she added a Western & Southern Open title to her resume. Top-ranked upended Ana Ivanovic 6-4, 6-1 in just 62 minutes to clinch a $467,300 purse and 900 ranking points at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason. Said Williams: "I feel good. I didn't expect to come here and win or have such a good summer." Photo/Cara Owsley
There aren't many names as renowned as Sergio Reyes when it comes to the Flying Pig Marathon. In 2014, the 32-year-old Californian won his third straight Pig and record fourth overall. He said the most recent win was the most special because of a prior hamstring injury. "I...just tried to get to the starting line and run the whole marathon," Reyes said. "The fact that I was able to do that and get the win, I'm really grateful." Photo/Liz Dufour
Left-handed pitcher Tony Cingrani made an extended introduction to Reds fans in 2013 by filling in for the injured Johnny Cueto, but on April 1, 2014 the 24-year-old garnered his first start at Great American Ball Park as a member of Bryan Price's rotation. It was a big step for the up-and-coming player with the dominating fastball. Photo/Gary Landers
Griffin McKenzie was looking forward to playing Xavier basketball and starting his college career when he was beaten so badly at a summer party that he lost consciousness and needed surgery to repair a jaw broken in three places. His jaw was wired shut for weeks, his weight dropped and he never fully distanced himself from pain. But the forward plowed ahead with his life and hoops, determined to let the legal process play out. Photo/Enquirer file
The Division I state softball semifinals were heartbreak central for an undefeated Lebanon team that fell to North Canton Hoover. Kelly Dillow's three-run double in the bottom of the fifth inning vaulted the Vikings ahead 5-3 and the Warriors never recovered at Akron's Firestone Stadium. Lebanon finished the 2014 season 32-1. "There aren't many words you can say after a season like this and a team like this," senior Mikala Bonny said. Photo/Jeff Swinger
When the Bengals' mini-camp rolls around, reporters are looking for, well, anything interesting to fill stories and notebooks. Wide receiver A.J. Green's dedication to healthful eating - and affinity for hot dogs - caught my interest. He hired a personal chef in the offseason but said he still couldn't kick the hot dog habit. Said Green: "I love hot dogs. That's the one thing I can't get rid of. Ketchup, chili and onions." Photo / Cara Owsley
I detailed my first trip to the Kentucky Derby for The Enquirer, and it was a doozy.
From the hour-by-hour account: "Now it must be said that I’m a rookie* because I did go to the Derby eight years ago. But I didn’t drink a mint julep. I didn’t wear a hat. I don’t think I even bet on the race. I was, in a word, lame. I completely forgot this tragic episode until a kind friend reminded me and threatened to tell all. So there it is. I’m a rookie* and I’m not afraid to admit it. I put on a straw hat because a.) it’s tradition and b.) it’s a bad hair day. I’m off." In the end I lost $41 but had a fantastic day. |
Seventy-one days from now, Chris Simon will slide into the red Mustang parked in his parents’ Alexandria driveway. He’ll coax the engine to a low purr, dip the gas pedal like a dance partner and, as the wind ruffles his reddish hair and Walnut Park Drive fades, he’ll remember what it’s like to be 17. Where he’s going won’t matter. That he’s driving at all, will.
This story detailed Simon's long-time battle with epilepsy, and his ability to play baseball (and drive) despite it. |
