I love hoops

Although I was exponentially better at baseball than I was at basketball in my playing days, basketball has and always will be my love. The season really kicked into full swing the last couple of days and basketball season is really my favorite time of the year. Watching Mercyhurst practice and watching games on TV made me reminisce about all my favorite basketball moments. Whether its been through playing, watching or coaching, basketball has given me a ton of exciting times and memories that will truly last for the rest of my life. I started jotting down with some of these yarns and started to realize most of my childhood revolved around basketball. So...I am splitting these up into a two-part series. There's no particular order. No particular rank of significance. It's just a bunch of good times. I'm sure some of you will even remember these first hand. After you get finished reading, I'd love to hear some of your favorite basketball stories. Enjoy.

In Enemy Territory - My eighth grade basketball team was an amazing group of guys. A starting lineup of Tim Price, Trent Potts, Jeremy Lude, Bill Bradley and me and Adam as the key sixth man, we put together quite a year, losing only once in the regular season (overtime to Beallsville). Our big rival, though, was Hannibal. We went to play in their little bandbox gym (even smaller than ours!) and I wanted to be at my best because after all, I was “dating” a certain girl from Hannibal. I’m happy to say that we won that game. I’d have to say those Sardis/Hannibal games were as heated as a junior high game could ever get.

Finding the Right Spot - Playing on the outdoors courts of Sardis at recess, Adam found a little white rock on the right wing. Every time he shot from there, he sank it. It became the magic spot. I’m pretty sure he chiseled out that rock when we graduated.

Stars in the Making - I had the privilege of watching the McDonald’s High School All-American game in Pittsburgh in 1996. It was an OK game. But little did I know who I was watching in that game. Some of the players were guys named Kobe Bryant, Jermaine O’Neal, Stephen Jackson, Mateen Cleaves, Mike Bibby, Rip Hamilton and Tim Thomas.

In Your Face - It was my senior year at River and we were playing Magnolia at home. This rivalry is the Ohio State/Michigan of high school sports. It was especially tense my senior year because of the animosity between my friends and a certain ex-girlfriend that went to Magnolia. Boy, we hated Magnolia. And with the game tied and time running down, I got a rebound on a missed shot, put up a baby hook and sank it with just a tick on the clock. Nothing like beating your rival!

Shutting out Willie - We really prided ourselves on defense at River. We allowed only 39 points per game our senior year. We went up to Bridgeport and played against this kid who had just set the school record for scoring. They awarded him a special ball before the game. We shut him out for four quarters.

Finally - The Celtics haven’t given me much to cheer about. But this year, they traded for Kevin Garnett. I’ve always loved Garnett as he was a guy that could score, board, block shots, drop dimes and play with an incredible level of intensity. Plus, he is so unselfish and a great teammate. The only reason he wasn’t my favorite player was because he didn’t play for the Celtics. But then…the deal was made. It didn’t seem real until I watched the new big three play the Cavs in an exhibition. Garnett had a double double at the half. It’s going to be a great year. Just don’t pinch me. I don’t want to wake up.

Brush with Greatness - One of my cousins used to run the Worthington Summer League. It was big time back when I was a kid. All the Ohio State and UC players would come back and play in it. He invited me up one year when Scottie Pippen was actually a part of the league. But Nick Van Exel, who was a legend in my mind after taking UC to the Final Four just a couple years before was scheduled to play. I was only about 10 or 11 years old at this point. He came in late with his entourage, strapped it up and started a shooting exhibition like I’ve never seen before. He’d take three steps past half court and just drain it. By the time the game was drawing to a close, he was sitting at the end of the bench and I went down and sat right next to him for the final few minutes. I didn’t get his autograph, but what a thrill for me to be that close to my Bearcat idol.

Anyone out there? - Me, Adam and Chris Pyles went to a Cavs game in the pre-LeBron years. There might have been 500 people there. Really. This is when the Cavs’ star players were Ricky Davis and Smush Parker. All three of us made our own shirts for the game, sat in the upper deck and yelled at the players the whole game. It was so quiet, I’m pretty sure we could have carried on a conversation with DeSagana Diop.

Shooting the Lights Out - Seventh grade year at Sardis. At Beallsville. We run through the little cheerleader tunnel and the lights in the gym go out. Later in the game, just as Travis Dillon (I think?) shoots a free throw, the lights go out again. No one knows if he had made it. And a bat starts flying around the gym, buzzing the heads of the fans! I don’t even remember who won the game, but I willing to bet that hasn’t happened to many.

1,000 With Style - It was my first and only season as an assistant coach on the River bench, and we had a great year, 15-5 during the regular season, two wins over Magnolia and even set an OVAC record for 3-pointers in a game and a state record for foul shots made in a game. But the highlight of that year for me was Ryne Romick scoring his 1,000th career point. Not only was I his coach, I am his cousin and had been close with him since he was a little shrimp (he was real tiny before shooting up to 6-4). In my book, he’s the best player to come out of River since probably Jim Martin. Yes, better than Brandon Grimes, Mike Snively and that whole gang. Entering the game for his 1,000th point, you could tell he was trying to force it. He only needed three. The entire first quarter he struggled. But at the buzzer, he chucked up one from half court…and drained it. Now THAT’s making history in style.

Double Up - Our sixth grade team at Sardis was quite an interesting group of kids. The usual suspects of me, Adam, Tim, Trent, Bill and Jeremy. And then there was Nick Rice, Gerald Armstrong, Brandi Walker and Shey Morris. But hey, we were a pretty darn good team. I remember beating powerhouse Marietta Christian for first place at New Mat, then driving up to River an hour later to beat up on some poor helpless team (probably Lawrence). Two wins in about two hours. Not bad.

Cardiac Kids - To this day, this Archbishop Alter team is my favorite high school team ever assembled. They had two brothers, Adam and Keith Waleskowski, who both went on to play Division I ball. But these two brothers were about 6-10 each. They also had this puny little point guard with a red afro we called Jeremy. I don’t know if that was his name or not. But this team won its first game in double OT with Adam hitting two free throws WITH NO TIME LEFT in regulation to tie it. The title game against Philo went to overtime as well, with Jeremy hitting a running 3-pointer at the buzzer. Cardiac kids!

Upset Out West - Duke was a powerhouse back in the late 90’s and my team was the UC Bearcats. Duke was No.1 early in the year and I stayed up super late to watch UC play them in the Alaskan Shootout finals. With the game tied and just a couple seconds left, Cincy ran an out of bounds play the freed up Melvin Levitt, who dunked it just as time expired, giving UC the upset.

That's all for today. Don't worry, there's more to come.