Flyin' To The Hoop...

We had the best seats in the house for the best game of the night

The last time I visited Kettering Fairmont's Trent Arena for a high school boys basketball game was last year's D-IV regional final between Troy Christian and Delphos St. Johns. The place was packed and the game went down to the buzzer. Fast forward to this past Saturday. I returned to Trent Arena for the annual Flyin' To The Hoop high school boys basketball showcase. More specifically, I was there for the sold-out marquee match-up between HCYA (TX) vs Franklin (OH). It was a showdown between University of North Carolina signee Justin Jackson for HCYA and the guy every college in the country would like to have, Franklin junior Luke Kennard. Once again, the place was packed and the game went down to the buzzer.

Thanks to some basketball buddies, my son Ross and I had seats in the front row behind the scorers table directly at half court. The only other person with an equally better seat was the guy the building was named after, Mr. James Trent, who sat front row half court directly across from us. Oh yea, Kentucky coach John Calipari didn't have a bad seat either. He was front row too, about even with the foul line and in a good spot to watch Kennard, who Calipari has already offered a scholarship to. Kennard and Jackson didn't disappoint. Luke finished with 38 points and Justin 35. For highlight from both, see below.

The only disappointment came with 8 second left and Franklin down by three points. HCYA inbounded the ball and Kennard found himself as the lone Franklin player guarding the ball. Already with four fouls, Kennard looked around for a teammate to commit the foul and stop the clock. When nobody was able to step up, Kennard fouled out with four seconds left and sent HCYA to the line. HCYA missed the front end of the 1-and-1. Franklin brought the ball down court and got off a nice 3-point attempt that just missed as the buzzer sounded. Fans were left to wonder what might have happened if Kennard would have taken the shot.

The game lived up to the hype and Ross and I sure got our money's worth. Heck, our tickets were only $12 a piece, which included a few more games we watched as well. Perhaps I'll get to watch Kennard and Jackson square off again in the future, and it wouldn't surprise me if it was an NCAA tournament game. I'm just guessing I wouldn't get half court seats for $12 again.

After Coach Calipari watched Kennard's game, he gave a hug to 

the father of Kentucky commit Tyler Ulis who played in the next game

Going for #400...

Russia High School varsity boys basketball coach Paul Bremigan has accumulated 399 wins so far over 30 seasons with the Raiders. Below is a tally of his wins and the following is a link of career wins by OHSAA coaches before the start of the 2013-14 season - Click Here

Watching an All-American...

Katie Borchers battled course conditions and the best runners 

in the country at the NCAA National Championship

"Muddy. Wet. Cold. Awesome." That was the text message I sent to my friend, Ken, on Saturday from the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, Indiana. Those were the course conditions of the day and they shouldn't have bothered anyone that was a die hard cross country fan. They certainly didn't bother anyone that was there to watch 2011 Russia High School graduate and Ohio State junior Katie Borchers.

I'd never been to the NCAA Cross Country Championships before. Come to think of it, I'd never been to any national championship before. The Lavern Gibson Course just east of Terre Haute is referred to as Cross Country Town, USA and now I understand why. It's quite simply everything a cross country course should be, beautifully designed and spectator friendly in so many ways. A $5.00 entry fee per person for a national championship event wasn't bad either. The 38 degree temperature made it cold, constant wind made it even colder, and standing water hidden beneath the grass everywhere made my 13-year old daughter, Anna, tell me she couldn't feel her toes. However, we quickly learned to appreciate our extra layers of clothing after seeing many of the collegiate runners dressed in not much more than swimsuits. The men's race kicked things off at noon and a freshman from Oregon thrilled the fans with a come from behind victory, but the real reason Anna and I came was the women's race at 1:15pm.

The Ohio State University had just one runner in Tette Haute representing the Buckeyes from their men and women's teams. Katie Borchers wore the scarlet and grey for a student body of over 50,000 back in Columbus. The previous week the OSU men and women's teams competed in the Great Lakes Regional Championships in Madison, Wisconsin and both teams missed out on qualifying for nationals. Katie, however, ran a great race and earned one of four individual qualifying spots. I thought to myself before Saturday's race, even if she finishes dead last it's quite an accomplishment for a girl from small town Russia. Fortunately, Katie doesn't think the same way I do.  

My daughter and I ran from place to place on the course after the starting gun fired. "There's Katie!" and "what place is she in?" where about all Anna and I said to one another as we jumped over water and tip-toed through mud. My texting friend, Ken, was back home watching the race being broadcast on the internet. "Katie in 43" he texted after the halfway point. I learned from Katie's mom earlier in the day that the top forty finishers earned All-American honors. Not only was Katie running well, she was competing for All-American! Anna and I ran to the finish to watch the women come in. Somewhere between 20 and 30 I lost count. Here came another runner, and another, and another. Eventually there was Katie looking strong and passing one runner shortly before the finish line. Great finish regardless of whatever place she was in I told Anna. Then I received another text message from Ken..."40. Awesome". She did it! All-American!

Before Saturday's race the best finish ever for an Ohio State woman at the NCAA Championship was 73rd. Katie put her name in the record book and made a whole bunch of people back in Columbus and Russia awfully proud. She also set the bar really high for the next Lady Buckeye runner who comes along. On second thought, Katie's just a junior. Sounds like we'll be heading back to Terre Haute in 2014. Next time I'll pack warmer shoes for Anna.

Anna and I got this picture with The Ohio State University's

first ever women's cross country All-American