Latest news with #NationalInvitationalTournament
USA Today
02-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
On this day: Hank Beenders, Eric Riley, Dontae Jones born
On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Boston big man Hank Beenders was born in Haarlem, the Netherlands in 1916. Beenders would later immigrate to the U.S. at age eight and won a National Invitational Tournament championship with Long Island University in 1942. He then would join the Providence Steamrollers as one of the first international players of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), a precursor league to the NBA. He would be traded to the then-Philadelphia Warriors in 1948, who would turn around and deal him to the Celtics in that same year with center Chick Halbert for big man Ed Sadowski. The Haarlem native would play just 8 games for Boston in 1948-49, his last stop in the BAA. He averaged 2.4 points and 0.4 assists per game -- rebounds were not yet being recorded. It is also the birthday of former Celtics small forward Dontae' Jones, born in 1975 in Nashville, Tennessee. Jones played his college ball with Mississippi State. He was drafted with the 21st overall pick of the 1996 NBA draft and then traded to Boston for Chris Mills shortly after the start of the 1997–98 NBA season. Jones would play 15 games for the Celtics that season, recording 2.9 points, 0.6 boards, and 0.3 assists per game before being waived by the team in January 1999. Finally, it is also the birthday of former Celtics center Eric Riley, born this day in 1970 in Cleveland, Ohio. A Michigan alum, Riley was taken with the 33rd overall pick of the 1993 NBA draft by the Dallas Mavericks. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle He would play for the Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Los Angeles Clippers as well as a stint overseas before joining Boston as a free agent in 1999. He would play one season for the Celtics, averaging 2.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 0.4 assists per game with the team.
USA Today
16-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Rhode Island came from NIT country to prove itself at the National Golf Invitational
Rhode Island came from NIT country to prove itself at the National Golf Invitational In the Northeast, the National Invitational Tournament – the annual men's college basketball tournament for Division I teams that do not qualify for the NCAA tournament – truly resonates. That's especially true for a guy like Gregg Burke, head men's golf coach at Rhode Island. Burke, who grew up as a Providence College and Holy Cross basketball fan (and attended the latter school), recognizes that any comparison to the NIT will be received in an enormous way. And now he's living it. Burke's Rams received an invitation to the third annual National Golf Invitational this week, the men's college golf equivalent of the NIT. It's the team's first postseason appearance since the NCAA stopped selecting teams for the postseason according to districts. The invite perked administrative ears on Rhode Island's campus all the way up to the university president's office. Every fundraising phone call that Burke made to get here was a pleasure. 'Any reference to this being like the NIT of golf is monstrous for a school like Rhode Island because we have such tradition with the actual NIT,' Burke said. Now imagine being a member of the Rhode Island team that won four times in the fall season, climbed inside the top 160 of the national men's golf rankings and then scored that NGI invite. 'Pumped' doesn't begin to cover it. When Burke found out that a spot in the NGI field was possible, he initially kept it to himself. When the invite came through, he presented it casually to the team. At first they didn't believe him. 'Once they took grasp of it, it was pretty cool,' Burke said. Burke's career in athletics is layered, with experiences in everything from sports information to administration to NCAA tournament management. And so he took the week one step further. 'I've seen how people do it,' Burke said, referencing the hype in which many programs surround their postseason squads. 'When we officially got the invite, I went to our athletic director, who was super stoked, and said I want to do this big time.' Ultimately, Burke's goal was to make this postseason start special for the players who made it possible. He had new uniforms printed with the NGI logo for all three tournament rounds. It's a big opportunity for Rhode Island, one of three Atlantic 10 Conference teams (George Mason, Richmond) in the field at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes in Maricopa, Arizona, and Burke wanted it to seem so for the players. The 10-team field also includes Ohio State from the Big 10, Oregon State from the West Coast and West Virginia from the Big 12. Rhode Island knows what it's up against but at the same time, this team came to play the golf course. And Burke loves a good underdog story – always has throughout his career. 'I kind of cut my teeth on the mentality that there's nothing that's insurmountable,' he said. '. . . We're here to try to play up and really prove to ourselves, as much as anyone else, that we can compete.' Freshmen Luke Stennett and Tyler Bruneau anchor Rhode Island's lineup. Stennett finished in the top 10 in all 10 tournaments he appeared in this season. Graduate student Sean Magarian has been a newcomer to this level of golf after transferring in from Assumption, an NCAA Division II school in Worcester, Massachusetts. Many coaches might not travel a senior to a postseason event like the NGI, choosing instead to use it as development for returners. Burke, however, looks at it as a tangible reward for all the work put in throughout the year, and so Magarian, who helped the Rams get to this point, completes the lineup. 'I'm really, really, really old-fashioned,' Burke said. 'My team has won like 28 times in my 14 years, it's not because I'm a swing coach. We have won on discipline and pride.' Burke's men studiously poured over their yardage books as they flew around the course with the first practice-round tee time of the day on Thursday. Only, Burke doesn't call it a practice round. 'We call it the pre-tournament round,' he said. 'We're here to see where we have to respect the golf course and where we can take advantage.' The major adjustment for his team on an unfamiliar desert layout has been in carry distance, especially off the tee. Only one player on Burke's team has played desert golf, so the sheer aesthetics – mountain views beyond the greens – only adds to the excitement. 'There's so many fairway traps, you really have to dial in your driver or, we're hitting irons off tees because it's flying further, so that's a change obviously but the climate is spectacular.'
Indianapolis Star
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
'He's a winner.' Attucks' Mr. Basketball finalist Dezmon Briscoe makes college choice
Dezmon Briscoe is leaded to Kent State. Briscoe, the 6-9 Crispus Attucks star and IndyStar Mr. Basketball finalist, was previously committed to Iowa before former coach Fran McCaffery was let go. Briscoe took official visits to Kent State and College of Charleston earlier this month. Briscoe averaged 15.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 5.1 blocked shots in 19 games as a senior for Crispus Attucks after returning from an ankle injury. He helped the Tigers to a 22-7 record and Class 3A state finals appearance. The two-time City Player of the Year finished fourth on Attucks' all-time scoring list with 1,181 points and had 953 rebounds, 375 blocked shots, 158 assists and 61 steals over his four-year career with the Tigers. Briscoe led Attucks to two City tournament championships. 'Dezmon has had considerable growth this year,' Attucks coach Chris Hawkins said. 'He missed double-digit games but became a coach on the bench in order to help us get through those games. His passing, shooting, defense and talking gave us a big lift in the second half of the season and throughout the state tournament. He's a winner and does it the right way and has been a great ambassador for our school and program. It will be hard to replace him.' Kent State, coached by one-time Indiana assistant Rob Senderoff, is coming off a 24-12 season and National Invitational Tournament semifinal appearance. The Flashes made NCAA tournament appearances under Senderoff in 2017 and 2023.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former UD starting point guard signs with UConn
Former UD starting point guard signs with UConn A former University of Dayton starter has signed with a men's basketball powerhouse. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Malachi Smith has signed with the University of Connecticut. Advertisement The men's basketball program welcomed the Bronx, NY native on social media. 'Welcome to the Basketball Capital of the World, Malachi,' they said. TRENDING STORIES: Smith played at UD from 2021-25. He averaged a career-best 10.4 points per game and had 174 assists last season. Malachi Smith is the younger brother of former Flyer Scoochie Smith. He is one of three Dayton players to enter the transfer portal. Isaac Jack entered his name on March 24 while freshman forward Hamad Mousa submitted his name on April 13. UD went 23-11 last season and advanced to the Second Round of the 2025 National Invitational Tournament (NIT). [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former SEC guard transferring to Dayton
A former SEC men's basketball guard has announced he will be transferring to the University of Dayton. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] De'Shayne Montgomery announced on social media that he has committed to the University of Dayton. Advertisement TRENDING STORIES: He played his freshman season at Mount St. Mary's and then last year at Georgia. Montgomery will have two years of eligibility remaining. He missed the first nine games of the season to complete academic requirements, according to his University of Georgia bio page. Montgomery played in 17 games and averaged scoring over six points, just over two boards, and one steal per game. His last game at Georgia came on March 20 in a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Gonzaga. Dayton went 23-11 last season and advanced to the Second Round of the 2025 National Invitational Tournament (NIT). [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
