Galway's Key to Winning: Two-Way Play

Galway boys basketball picked up their second win of the season with a 63-36 win over Wells. It's easy to see this is the earliest any Galway boys team has picked up 2 W's since 2008, save maybe the 2011-12 team. But, at 2-4, it's easily the nicest record the Golden Eagles have had in awhile. So, what's Coach Steven's group need in order to stockpile a few more wins? Better defense.

Four-year starter Dan Diaz is a prime example of how defense should be played. While Dylan Klock did go for 21 against Galway, Diaz played Klock tight, and had good spells of suffocating the WAC MVP candidate. Transfer Diaz's defensive mentality to the four other guys on the court, and the results should show more W's than losses, if not, at least closer games.

The guards need to do a better job of denying the ball to their man. Not asking them to be Richard Sherman, but a mentality of shutting down your man night-in and night-out will go a long ways in terms of defense and confidence.

Underneath, the forwards need to look to Diaz for aggression and physicality. Games aren't won by playing soft. The Golden Eagles big men need to become a little more physical and grind it out for boards, and inside layups. If they can pick up ten more rebounds per game, they'll come out on top. I guarantee it. 

It's no secret that Galway can't play up tempo games and expect to win. They need possession games in which they control the clock with a minimal amount of transition opportunities. The Golden Eagles will not win a track meet-style game.

The offensive side of the ball has had it's trouble with pressure and turning the ball over. If Hunter Roy and Thor White can limit turnovers, the offensive output will come. White and Roy can easily got for 10+ per night. Diaz can flash 10+ on any given night, and Taylor Hartman just needs one explosive game, to get out of his scoring slump. If George Flint can add six or eight inside, the Golden Eagles will have a well-balance offensive attack to match anyone in the WAC.

It's a long ways from over, and the schedule certainly doesn't get easier, but if Galway develops the correct defensive mentality, and controls the clock, they could find themselves in an unprecedented playoff spot.

If they want it. 

College Football Playoff: Things can happen if things are given a chance

The first year of the college football national championship will be settled by Alabama, Oregon, Florida State, and Ohio State. While all four are powerhouses in college football, let me break down who's really vying for the title this year.

A one loss Alabama team is seen as the elite of the college football world. Did I mention they have one loss? Ole Miss got the best of Alabama, and Ole Miss didn't even finish the season in the top 10 in the country, so is Alabama really the elite team in the country? I'm skeptical.

Oregon followed their typical script again this year, win a lot of games by decisive margins, and then falter in one crucial Pac-12 game somewhere along the way to tarnish yet another bid at an undefeated season. It's almost like Oregon football has their own definition that's so clear cut you can read it like a book. While their offense has looked impressive behind junior sensation, and Heisman hopeful Marcus Mariota, the Ducks have always lacked a defense capable of competing with the elites outside the Pac-12. However, they get a chance this year to vie for another title.

Florida State is the lone unbeaten team in college football that year. If that doesn't impress you, you're certainly not alone. The Seminoles have looked so bad in close games this year, that they could be in the running for the worst undefeated team in sports history. Not only have they struggled with poor teams like Miami (FL), Boston College, and Florida, but they got bailed out of a tight game in Notre Dame that should've cost the Seminoles any chance at a title. Not to mention the allegations against Jameis Winston, and numerous responses by head coach Jimbo Fisher have been enough to annoy anyone but the 'Noles faithful. Regardless, the unblemished record is the only thing that saved a mediocre team a spot in the playoff.
Coming off a blowout win over Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship game, behind a third-string quarterback, the Ohio State Buckeyes magically found their way into the college football playoff. Pay no attention that their lone loss on the season came to a mediocre Virginia Tech team that finished 6-6 on the season and 3-5 in ACC play. ACC play... as in the weakest power conference in college football! Hey, who am I to talk. Maybe the refs will blow a few calls, and the Buckeyes will win a championship in the same fashion they did roughly a decade ago over my beloved Hurricanes.... but I wouldn't hold my breathe.

Then there's TCU and Baylor. Two teams with prolific offenses, and highly touted defenses. TCU's blemish came to Baylor, and Baylor couldn't get the job done against West Virginia. A terrible Bears loss to West Virginia, makes the Horned Frogs loss in a 61-58 shootout look bad enough to keep both Big XII teams out of playoff contention. I'm sure TCU and Baylor will do just fine against Ole Miss and Michigan State, respectively. The mere fact that Ole Miss is seen as the same caliber as TCU and Baylor is a horrific joke, but that's how it played out.

Let's not forget Boise State, Memphis, Marshall, Northern Illinois, and Georgia Southern. All division winners with records good enough to be considered playoff teams, but aren't able to compete for a national championship since only the "top four" play for that honor. Look, I'm not ignorant, if either of those teams won the title, I'd run through my hometown in the sub-twenty degree weather in nothing but a jock-strap. But, let's not forget that Boise State pulled off the greatest upset in bowl history with their Fiesta Bowl win over an Oklahoma program that had Adrian Peterson as their starting running back.

Things can happen... if things are given a chance.

With losses abounding among this year's final four, is there really a national champion? Can any team truly say they've lost to nobody.... Okay, Florida State, I forgot your referee bailout still keeps a '1' out of your L column. The best team in college football should be able to hoist the trophy at the end of the season, and unfortunately, I'm skeptic of all four barring an impressive run in the two games it takes the champion hoist the title.

Maybe we should just add four more weeks to the college football schedule to accommodate a convincing 16 team bracket. Until then, we've got a playoff system that (when there's only one undefeated team) is more of a popularity contest than "whose better than who".

Golden Eagles look for winning season

It's been a long time since the Galway Golden Eagles varsity boys basketball team has played any meaningful postseason games. While the WAC does have crossover games, they've been meaningless for a program that's highest win total since 2009 is four in the 2011-2012 season. With Coach John Stevens guiding this team in the right direction here's some keys to Galway making Sectionals this season.

1. Guards need to limit turnovers.

It's no secret in the sports world. A team that limits their turnovers is hard to beat. Galway's backcourt has struggled with this for years. This season it'll be up to Hunter Roy, Thor White, and Taylor Hartman to force more turnovers than they give up. It's going to start with smart passes, not panicking in trap defenses, and not telegraphing passes. If the team can cut down their turnovers, it'll create more scoring chances and keep games close.

2. Leaders need to step up

Four-year starter Dan Diaz' experience is going to play a huge role this season. As a Freshman he was hounded by Coach Toby Youngblood to play with more aggression and determination. By the end of the season, Diaz earned a spot in the starting lineup, and contributed handsomely to Galway's most successful (if four wins is successful) team in recent history. Now, it's his turn to lead the team. While it's easy to say his experience already qualifies him, he's going to have to keep a level head, get his team through adversity, and not get into foul trouble early in games. Playing a forward spot won't be easy to avoid foul trouble, especially the way Diaz plays, but the longer he's on the court the better Galway will be.

3. Use the shot clock, run solid offenses, and have good shot selection

Galway is not a team suited to play up-tempo basketball. If they let opponents get easy transition points, they'll have a really tough time keeping up with the likes for Fort Plain, Canajoharie, and St. Johnsville. They'll need to slow down the pace by working possessions deep into the shot clock. If they can run offenses swiftly, defenses will tire, break down, and the Eagles will be able to get open men inside and on the perimeter. While height isn't an advantage for their guards, they'll need to do a better job of driving to the hoop for layups, or dish to open men on the perimeter and inside. Lastly, hesitation can't influence shots. If there's an open shot to be taken, they need to take it. Pump fake every now and then, but there's no better shot than an uncontested one.

Jets Need Franchise Quarterback Now

       With the Jets seemingly headed for a sub-.500 season, not only do they need to evaluate the organization as a whole from general manager-on-down, but the quarterback situation will also need to be addressed, which has become the status quo of the New York Jets. Geno Smith has proved he isn't worth the third round draft pick the Jets used on him in the 2013 NFL Draft. While Michael Vick has provided a spark for the Jets, he still isn't a playoff caliber quarterback, and is riding out a one-year, $5 million contract. While Vick could be an option for the Jets, he doesn't seem ideal for the longevity aspect.
       Which brings up the NFL Draft, and it's two high-profile quarterbacks. At this point, only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers seem to have a quarterback-need as large as the New York Jets. Which means the two teams will probably vie for first pick of either Oregon's Marcus Mariota or Florida State's Jameis Winston.
        Look at it anyway you want, Mariota has been the most consistent college football quarterback since his induction to college football in 2012. With 9,122 career passing yards, 92 touchdowns,  only 12 interceptions, and over 1,900 career rushing yards, Mariota could be the next run-and-gun style NFL quarterback. The only blemish on Mariota is the fact that he hasn't won a national championship with a highly-touted Oregon program.
         Seminoles' sensation Jameis Winston has turned heads in only two seasons at Florida State. As a freshman in 2013, Winston led the Seminoles to a national title in a win over SEC powerhouse Auburn, 34-31. Winston posted 4,057 yards passing, 40 touchdowns, and only 10 interceptions last year. However, in the middle of the season, Winston was accused in a sexual assault case, but he was never formally charged. In the offseason, Winston made headlines for stealing crab legs from a Tallahassee restaurant, and it seems like Winston's baggage has been growing ever since. From an on-campus BB gun incident to being investigated for receiving money in exchange for autographs, Winston's name has consistently gotten negative publicity. However, the sophomore has the Seminoles at 9-0, ranked second in the nation, and has 2,540 passing yards with 17 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
        Come April 30th, Winston and Mariota will both be first round selections. While the Raiders and Jaguars are struggling win, they've invested in Derek Carr and Blake Bortles, respectively, to lead the revitalization efforts of their franchises. The Texans are committed to Ryan Mallett after studying under Tom Brady for years, Cleveland has Brian Hoyer with Johnny Manziel in the waiting, and the St. Louis Rams have enough wins that they'd most likely have to settle until the later rounds to select a quarterback after the Jets and Buccaneers get first and second choice.
         For the Jets, this selection can be the difference between a franchise that continues to be the laughing stock of the NFL, or a team that annually competes as a playoff contender. Fans, as well as general manager John Idzik, drove Mark Sanchez out of town and instilled their trust in Geno Smith to lead the organization back to the playoffs. In return, Smith proved to be more inconsistent, unreliable, and worse than Sanchez ever was in his four years in the Big Apple. The Jets obviously need to be careful with this pick.
        While Mariota might be playing in an Oregon system that hasn't produced solid NFL quarterbacks, the consistency and awareness seems to all be there. He has a strong arm, and knows when to tuck the ball and run. He might just be the playmaker the Jets have been looking for.
         On the other hand, Winston's baggage and hype could lead him to be the next circus act in the Jets organization. Even his numbers this year are down compared to last year. That has to stick out to the scouts.
         Gang Green needs Marcus Mariota. Bring in a quarterback with everything to prove, that is a constant competitor, and is a proven commodity. Do not bring in a quarterback that is bringing as much negative attention to an organtization, as he is positive. If Mariota isn't on the board, maybe the Jets should consider sticking through another year with Vick. Whichever way you look at it, Mariota makes more sense for the Jets than Winston. 

Nicastro Marvels for Great Danes

Bob Ford Field isn’t Asgard, and Michael Nicastro is no superhero, but the Great Danes’ middle linebacker looks eerily similar to Marvel comic icon Thor. At five-feet-11 inches, Nicastro’s shoulder length blond hair and 210 pound frame could easily fill in for Chris Hemsworth if Stan Lee ever needed a stunt double.

Nicastro leads the Danes in tackles this season, and with a combination of strength and speed, it’s fair to say Nicastro could be Thor’s Hammer. Anything he can do to read a play before the snap, he does. From the quarterback licking his hands, to the running back looking towards the gap Nicastro is about to fill with his presence, Nicastro is always looking for an edge. After all, at his size, he’s not a prototypical linebacker, and he’ll be the first to admit he’s a small linebacker.

“I always try to look at the smaller linebackers,” Nicastro said. “It doesn’t matter who it is, I like to see how they play, because sometimes it’s harder. You can’t see much being a shorter linebacker.”

His grit and scrappiness is directly a product of the team he’s watched since he first followed football. His bedroom at his Albany apartment and his bedroom back home are both the iconic black-and-yellow of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Throughout the NFL, no franchise has produced better, more consistent linebacking corps than the team in the Steel City. From “Mean” Joe Green to Jack Lambert to James Harrison, Nicastro has had plenty of greatness to study.

Born the oldest of three boys to Maria and Glenn Nicastro, Michael was always getting shut down by his father whenever he inquired to play football. His dad, a former tight end at Ohio University and Cleveland Browns tryout, was always too worried that his son would get hurt or develop a head injury. It wasn’t until, through her excellent convincing skills, his mom opened his dad up to letting him play.

“My dad was a pretty good coach,” Mike said. “He taught me everything I know, up until college.”

In third grade, Mike got his first shot at football with the Columbia Ravens.

“Back then I was a fullback and linebacker,” he said laughing. “With a t-bone facemask, not knowing what to do.”

Mike’s dresser soon filled up with a trophy collection that he loved to show off. The bigger it got the more content he was, even if it meant borrowing a few from dad. Aside from the trophies, he collected McFarlane action figures of every football player he could get his hands on.

As Mike progressed each season, his father constantly convinced him the effort he would need to put into football. Games would get tougher, competition would get better, and talent alone wasn’t going to get young Mike everywhere he wanted to go.

“My dad always used to say, ‘your life is short so you have to love [football] to put all this hard work in’,” Mike recalled.

In high school, Mike made the transition to playing solely defense, being used as an outside linebacker, inside linebacker, and safety. Occasionally he’d take a few offensive snaps, but never for an extended period of time.

After his senior season at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, Mike had his own doubts that he’d ever see the football field again. He wasn’t being recruited heavily by any large schools. He constantly heard the opportunities to walk-on or become part of a D-II or D-III program, but none of those truly captured his interests.

“I was scared I wasn’t going to play football after high school for a while,” Mike said. “Signing Day was February 1^st when I was in school; Albany didn’t contact me until December or January.”

It might’ve been his only D-I offer, but what really sold Nicastro on becoming a Great Dane has been the team motto for the past few seasons, “Purple Fam”.

“It felt like home,” Nicastro said. “When I visited, the whole UAlbany thing was ‘purple fam’ and it stood out to me that it held true. Even today, the older guys bring in the younger guys and no one looks down on anyone else. It’s all family oriented.”

Coming in as a freshman, it wasn’t a surprise that Nicastro barely saw the field. The first time he saw a depth chart, he was fourth on the list of outside linebackers. Following his first season, he heard over and over that it’d be tough for him to see the field with the amount of senior ahead of him. In a strange turn of events, injuries led to Mike seeing the field in his second year, and he’s held on to his spot tight ever since.

  This offseason, newly-hired head football coach Greg Gattuso named his pre-season captains, and Nicastro wasn’t one of them. Everything he ever heard growing up fueled a fire inside him to earn his way to being a captain.

“I knew I had to step it up a little bit,” he said. “It was definitely something I wanted. I had to start taking on more of a leadership role.”

Before the start of the season, Gattuso named Nicastro a captain, and his work ethic supports the decision. Nicastro loves watching film. Part of his pre-game ritual is making sure he gets a nap in, and watching film before every game. Every season Nicastro realizes that new recruits are brought in to replace the veterans. It’s up to the veterans to determine how soon they get replaced.

“I never feel like I’ve made it,” Nicastro said. “I’m always working to get to the next step. I have to get better, there’s always a next step to your game.”

The dream for Michael Nicastro is the same as any football player who lives, breathes, eats, and loves his sport. He wants to get that rare opportunity to play in the NFL. He can’t picture his life without football in it. If it all were to end tomorrow, he’d want to be a coach, or anything to stay close to the game.

He isn’t the best players in the CAA, but he’s one of Gattuso’s young stars, with an exponential amount of potential. With a large amount of freshman and sophomores in the starting lineup for the Danes, the ceiling has yet to be set. Nicastro is just another member of the Purple Fam trying to push that ceiling further and further upward. It isn’t going to happen overnight, but the change isn’t hard to see. The Danes were 1-11 last season, and are currently 6-3 this season, just their second year competing in the CAA, one of the FCS’ premier conferences.

With two more seasons left, Nicastro is expecting big things out of himself and his teammates.

“Individual honors are great,” Nicastro said. “But ultimately, I care more about what we accomplish as team.”

Suddenly Facing Death: The Tim Monette Story

Sucking down electric green Mountain Dew and enjoying every bit of a tangy buffalo chicken sandwich, Tim Monette is way more wired than the teenager will get from his mom’s mac and cheese that he has a true passion for.

            The senior at Northville Central School stands a gentle six feet tall, has one of the most contagious smiles a giant can have, and loves his sports. He’s your average teenage middle-class American boy, except for one physical trait no one can ignore. He’s bald at eighteen.

 At Recovery Sports Grill in Amsterdam, Tim can enjoy any game he wants to see. Anything from the Yankees battling the Red Sox, to his beloved hero Blake Griffin and the Los Angeles Clippers battling for the Western Conference title in NBA action, and he’s in front row seats to it all. With HDTVs, sports, Mountain Dew, and delicious food, Tim is in his sanctuary, his heaven. But, not the heaven he’s been avoiding for the past six months.

While Griffin and the Clippers battle in the toughest conference in the NBA, Tim has been having one hell of a battle himself.

Last fall in the midst of his senior-year soccer season, Tim battled stomach pains. Sharp stomach pains. As a goalkeeper, Tim had no choice but to ignore the searing pain in his abdomen to keep his opponents from scoring.

“I thought it was the flu,” said Shawna Monette, Tim’s mother. “During that time of year the virus was going around.”

The initial diagnosis by Tim’s doctors was similar. He was given pills to combat a stomach bug. Tim continued to play.

Two weeks later, Tim is on his back listening to the buzzing, and annoying click-clack of a CAT scan searching for a kidney stone. However, the CAT scan had a greater find, a large mass on Tim’s abdomen. Not something he could pass through with one trip to the bathroom. Tim continued to play.

Tim’s scan was sent to Albany Medical Center to be examined and answer the daunting question of whether or not the CAT scan found a cancerous tumor in his abdomen. One biopsy later, and Tim’s family is in a hospital waiting for the news.

It’s cancer. Burkitt’s lymphoma, a rare, highly aggressive cancer.

“I was scared,” said Tim.

Shawna said, “My whole world just ended.” Her seventeen year old boy may never graduate, never get married, and just suffered one of the biggest losses of his athletic career.

            Just two weeks earlier, Tim had eighty minutes for the rest of his life. The top goal for his senior soccer season was to come back home to Northville with a Sectional title. Eighty minutes for glory.

            “Fort Ann is a tough team,” Tim said. “It was one of the biggest games I’ve ever played in, and afterwards I was really upset. I was disappointed that I didn’t play better.”

            Tim’s world ended.

            Being a runner-up in Sectional finals for the second year in a row was the worst part of Monette’s high school career. Now comes cancer.

            The scoreboard clock on Tim Monette’s life is ticking.

            Doctors told Tim that because the cancer is aggressive, the cancer itself would respond quickly to chemotherapy treatments. Treatments consisted of Tim being hooked up to machines while a bag dripped fluid from a bag through a port, and to his abdomen.

            Tim did a little research on the cancer he was diagnosed with, and one thing stood out, the survival rate. “I saw there was over a ninety percent survival rate for patients with my cancer,” said Tim. It was just one stat, but more encouragement for the battle.

            Treatments and hospital visits weren’t easy for Tim or his family though.

            “I got miserable of being in the hospital, sometimes for a week at a time,” said Tim. “I hated not being able to hang around with my friends.”

            Tim’s best friend, Kalob Russell, shares Tim’s passion for sports. While Tim held down the fort all season in the goal, Kalob was the ball handler, a midfielder.

            “When I discovered he was diagnosed I was in school, and it was a text from Tim,” said Russell. Tim’s diagnosis meant that Kalob, the basketball team’s point guard, could be without his most reliable big man for his last season of varsity basketball. “He’s a phenomenal player at both ends of the floor,” said Kalob.

            Back in the hospital, Tim continued to battle with his mom by his side the entire time.

            “I just wanted to be there for him, it was a rough time, and he had to spend his eighteenth birthday in the hospital,” said Shawna. “As a mom, I just wanted to be there for him, his father and grandmother both offered to stay, but I just wanted to be there.”

            In fact, Shawna spent so much time in the hospital with Tim that she used all of her days off from her work for the Fulton County Lexington chapter helping children and adult with disabilities.

            “She stayed with me every night,” said Tim. “If I didn’t like the hospital food, she’d go get me Subway or something better.” Shawna recalls there was a lot of pizza during those hospital visits.

**

            Prior to basketball season, Tim was awarded the Western Athletic Conference MVP for the North division. Along with Northville, the North included rivals Mayfield and Galway, arguably the fiercest three-way rivalry in Section II.

            “Leaving the field with a victory over Northville or Mayfield always put a smile on my face. And to be honest, the smile does get bigger the more the fans get into the game,” said Galway coach Rob Martin.

            “Those are the biggest games of the year, no doubt,” said Mayfield coach Jon Caraco. “When the schedule comes out, they are the ones that all the players and coaches circle. A result against Galway and Northville is a reflection of the kids working hard and coming together.”

            Even with the stomach pains, he didn’t even know were cancer, the MVP award proved Tim worked the hardest.

            “I couldn’t have been more proud in that moment,” said Shawna Monette.

            Jon Caraco and Rob Martin each had a part in the voting for MVP.

            “To be named WAC MVP is a testament to hard work, dedication, and sportsmanship,” said Caraco.

            Martin agreed, “I think it’s a great testament to his playing ability and respect garnered by other coaches.”

            The recognition as WAC MVP for soccer was one of the biggest ups for Tim on the field. Basketball season was going to give Tim a lot of the downs.

            The doctors told Tim that he would lose his hair. Three months after treatments had started Tim still had his nicely cropped, Blake Griffin-like brown hair to adorn the top of his head. Maybe he’d be a lucky one who wouldn’t lose his hair. He thought it’d happen sooner.

            Walking around Price Chopper with his family, Tim noticed a substantial amount of hair had fallen onto the groceries that were in the family’s shopping cart. Tim wondered, “Where did all this dog hair come from?” With one run of his fingers through his hair, a wad of hair between his fingers was all the evidence that Tim needed to see. The moment he would hate most about cancer had now surfaced.

            “It was one of the tougher moments for me,” said Shawna. “There’s nothing I could say or do to fix it.”

            She couldn’t fix it, but Tim did. He went home and shaved all his hair. If it was going to happen, Tim made it happen faster. He had been so insecure about losing his hair, and now it was gone. The insecurity had reached its height. Until every varsity soccer and basketball player shaved their heads in unison with Tim. Afraid to be unlike everyone else with hair, suddenly everyone wanted to join the kid without hair.

            The entire team had come together in looking like high school Jason Kidds, but soon Tim would be taken away from basketball.

            Before one of the team’s home basketball games, Tim was pulled into Coach John Karbowski’s office and was told that because he hasn’t been attending school, he couldn’t play. Tim had been using a tutor to continue the work and studies of his senior year, but even that wasn’t acceptable for the school. He would go into the school and grab his homework and complete it at home. For gym class he would finish packets in order to get credit for the class.

            “Tim is one of the hardest working athletes I have ever had the opportunity to coach,” said Karbowski, who is also the school’s athletic director. “He does a lot of things that often go unnoticed to the normal fan, but as a coach, that I’d like to see all my players do every time they take the court.”

            Tim admits that soccer is his sport. In basketball, he’s a rebounder, not a scorer. He compares himself to Blake Griffin, his Twitter handle is even @NextBGriffin_23, and loves doing the dirty work.

 He was even named to the all-tournament team during a Christmas tournament at Northville which he believes was because of his battle with cancer, and not supported by the stats he posted.

            “He plays so hard,” said Karbowski. “He would dive on the floor for every loose ball even if he was initially nowhere near the ball when it hit the floor.”

Call it a highlight of the situation, but Tim played that night. He wouldn’t after.

            “I wasn’t able to participate in practice or in games because of the school,” said Tim.

            While Tim sat on the sidelines, the nation joined him and his teammates. The hashtag, #LetTimPlay started trending on Twitter. Hundreds of people across the nation heard about Tim’s story and join the fight in getting him back onto the court again.

“It was cool to see people as far away as California, and all over the nation tweeting it,” said Tim.  

Through the thousands of tweets and critical response from the media and the community, Tim was reinstated to play for the basketball team. However, Tim believes it was more of a cover up job.

“They made it seem like that wasn’t what they said,” said Tim. “Made it look like they weren’t so bad.”

The support would soon become immense for Tim.

In Fort Ann, Chris Jackson worked to manufacture drink koozies with the phrase “Fort Ann/Northville United” . All the profits from the koozies were given to the Monette family. “I was grateful that someone went out of their way to help me and my family,” said Tim. “Someone I didn’t even know personally.”

Back home, Mckayla Fancher began to design t-shirts in support of Tim’s fight. Starting with the color representing Tim’s cancer, wouldn’t you know it, electric green. The shirts along with electric green Livestrong wristbands had the hashtags #WontBeBeat and #TeamMonette. Much like Jackson’s efforts, all the money went towards Tim’s bills and travel expenses.

“Donations have covered at least fifty percent of the cost of gas and other things not including medical bills,” said Tim.

Even opposing schools used different tactics to support Tim. Galway wore the electric green shirts during warm-ups, and wore green socks, in stark contrast to their royal blue and gold school colors. Canajoharie wore blue tape on their black jerseys, and a lot of people at the Mayfield game shook his hand.

“The support is very overwhelming, and I can’t thank the people enough”, said Shawna.

Tim is just as thankful. “It feels really good that the rivals and athletes you want to beat were giving donations and putting this stuff together just to help my family and I out.”

The true highlight of his basketball season was receiving the New York State 2014 Spirit of Sport Award from the New York Public High School Athletic Association for battling cancer and still competing at a high level on the field. Given a choice between the Spirit of Sport and the MVP award, Tim goes with the MVP.

“With the MVP award I proved myself,” he said. “It’s supported by my stats. The other awards aren’t really decided by my play or what I do.”

The media attention is a different story for Tim Monette. “I don’t like it. I don’t like talking on camera or in front of people,” said the camera-shy Tim. His shyness was put on display during an interview after a win in soccer over St. Johnsville when a reporter asked him what the defense had done to help win the game. Tim’s intriguing response? “Kicked the ball really far away from the goal,” he said laughing at himself. Something Tim isn’t shy to do. He keeps a picture on his phone of Galway’s Josh Bailey “nutmegging” him from thirty yards out with four minutes left to tie the game at one. A game, Galway would win in OT, 2-1. He still laughs about it.

“He’s optimistic,” said Kalob Russell. “That’s just the type of kid he is, always trying to be in a positive mood and brighten the mood of others around him.”

Throughout all the treatments, Shawna and Tim have said that the side effects haven’t been as bad as they thought.

Shawna said, “Treatments were hard, not as much as anticipated, but still hard to see him go through it. Thank God he didn’t have bad side effects, mostly the vomiting.”

Tim was more worried about the mouth sores that are common with Burkitt’s lymphoma. “I only got one, and it wasn’t that bad,” he said. Nausea only got to Tim once as well.

Tim’s biggest fear is still death. At eighteen, it’s hard to ignore the reality that Tim has been living with a disease that could kill him, and not allow him to see tomorrow. Every milestone a person can go through, Tim may never get the chance to enjoy.

“If I passed away, I’d want everyone to remember how hard I worked for everything,” said Tim. “I always gave one-hundred and ten percent. I’d want them to remember what I did.”

As Tim’s best friend, Kalob tried not to focus on it. “I always tried not to think like that. Although I always had the thought of, “My best friend has cancer, there’s a possibility something can happen to him.” It’s scary, but if he senses my fear, I wouldn’t want it to scare him.”

Tim’s last treatment isn’t until July, but Tim is convinced he’ll be a survivor. His last scan showed a mass, but the doctors couldn’t confirm if it was a cancerous mass, dead or scar tissue, or just his intestine.

On April 15^th, Shawna Monette posted via Facebook that Tim’s doctor said his cancer was in remission. A six-month battle that had costed Tim time on the basketball court, time away from friends, and too much time in the hospital seemed to begin to come to end with Tim the victor.

“It’s amazing knowing it’s all gone, and I’m basically on a cruise control, and really don’t have to worry,” said Tim.

“It was so relieving to hear,” said Shawna. “It was one of the happiest days of my life besides him being born.”

Kalob was on vacation in Baltimore when he received the text from Tim. “Man was I excited! I actually started to cry happy tears,” said Kalob. “I knew he could do it. I told him from day one he was going to beat cancer.”

In June, Tim will be graduating alongside Kalob from Northville Central School. After that, Tim plans to attend Fulton Montgomery Community College and study criminal justice in the hopes of one day becoming a New York State Trooper.

Shawna is excited for Tim’s future, “He’ll be fulfilling at whatever he sets his mind to. He’s a strong, young man.”

Tim Monette’s entering another quarter of his life. The scoreboard clock has reset, and there’s no doubt the scoreboard says he’s in the lead. But, even Tim will be the first to admit it’s the hardest points he’s ever scored.

“I just want them to remember what I did.”

First Comes the Red Carpet, Now Comes the Dance

College basketball fans got quite the teaser with the First Four games of the 2014 NCAA Tournament. Eight teams got to open up the tournament with play-in games to get to the true dance floor. On Tuesday night,  UAlbany got it together late to defeat Mount St. Mary's, 71-64, to play top seeded Florida. North Carolina State routed Xavier, 74-59 to gain their admittance. Wednesday night saw the team with the worst record in the tournament, Cal Poly, defeat Texas Southern, 81-69. Hey, if they win the tournament, they'll finish with a winning record. To cap it all off, Iowa and Tennessee battled into overtime where the Volunteers got their dancing shoes strapped back on with a 78-65 victory.

Only the best dancers survive on this floor.

It all starts on a dance floor in Buffalo, and concludes on another in Spokane on Thursday. Still need help filling out your bracket? Here's a nice rundown of the games Thursday.

(6) Ohio State Buckeyes (25-9) vs. (11) Dayton Flyers (23-10), 12:15 p.m.

The Big Ten was arguably the toughest conference this season every team they sent is a reason why. Ohio State is no different. As for Dayton, the Atlantic 10 sent six teams, but still lacks respect from the other major conference. I'm not saying it's on the same level, but the A-10 is a tough conference. Dayton can play with the bigger programs, but their only game against a ranked opponent from a major conference was a 67-66 loss to Baylor early in the season. Ohio State hasn't been the same team Thad Matta used to coach in the past. However, his team has more experience in the tournament, and even if he has struggled lately, Aaron Craft is still one of the most clutch players in the nation. Ohio State moves on, 74-70.

(2) Wisconsin Badgers (26-7) vs. (15) American Eagles (20-12), 12:40 p.m.

The Badgers have been a consistent player in the tournament lately. Bo Ryan runs a solid program up there in cheese country. It's the tournament that seems to be Wisconsin's nemesis. As high as they're seeded, they never seem to live up to expectations. Coach Ryan's boys will look to break the spell. They won't slip up against an American team that won the Patriot League title. Wisconsin, 82-65.

(8) Colorado Buffaloes (23-11) vs. (9) Pittsburgh Panthers (25-9), 1:40 p.m.

Coach Jamie Dixon and the Panthers played well in their first season in the ACC. Coming from the Big East, Pittsburgh still proved they're a force in college hoops. As Stats Guy Cody Marshall would say, the Pac-12 is a weak league for major conferences. I like the style of play Pittsburgh has, and the momentum coming off the run they made in the ACC Tournament. In one of the best games of the opening roung, Pittsburgh, 69-66.

(5) Cincinnati Bearcats (27-6) vs. (12) Harvard Crimson (26-4), 2:10 p.m.

Harvard has a nice run in the tournament last year, and they became a team to watch. These boys aren't just brainiacs, they can play some basketball. However, Cincinnati is one of the most physical team in college basketball. Mick Cronin has kept his Bearcats in the picture the last few year in the Big East and American Athletic Conference. In fact, Cincinnati finished 15-3 in their new conference. The physicality on the boards and in the games overall will be too much for Harvard. Give me Cincinnati, 72-54.

(3) Syracuse Orange (27-5) vs. Western Michigan Broncos (23-9), 2:40 p.m.

Remember when we thought the Orange was a lock for a 1 seed at 25-0? Then came a 2-5 finish to the season, and stunning exit in the ACC Tournament. Their entire tournament will depend on which team comes to play. The team that can play lockdown 2-3 zone defense and score at will, or the non-chalant Orange that always seem to make an appearance late in the season. I like Syracuse as a tournament team, and they've got to prove themselves all over again. Syracuse, 69-60.

(7) Oregon Ducks (23-9) vs. (10) BYU Cougars (23-11), 3:10 p.m.

BYU isn't the home of Jimmer Fredette anymore, he's in Chicago. Oregon had a solid in last year's tournament, and is looking to go further this year. BYU's inside presence needs to be physical and get their share of rebounds or Oregon is going to blow this game open. These two teams met this season to a tune of a 100-96 overtime win for the Ducks. It's hard to beat a team twice in the same season... especially in the tournament. Fredette about it Ducks! BYU, 84-83.

(1) Florida Gators (32-2) vs. (16) Albany Great Danes (19-14), 4:10 p.m.

The Gators are the hottest team in the nation entering the chaos of March. Their first task is an Albany team that has proven it can compete in the tournament. See 2006 vs. Connecticut and last year vs. Duke. Florida is one of the most athletic teams in the nation, and Albany has an average at best inside presence with John Puk. For a 6'9" he won't be able to compete underneath with the skill of the Gators. You need to beat the Gators inside or via the 3-ball. Albany isn't highly touted at either. Florida, 87-70.

(4) Michigan State Spartans (26-8) vs. Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens (25-9), 4:40 p.m.

ESPN analysts have already pegged the Spartans as their favorite to win the national championship. Delaware is first on that trek. Health is the only thing really standing in the way of the Spartans on their run. Health won't play much of a factor here. Sparty moves on, 83-72.

(7) Connecticut Huskies (26-8) vs. (10) Saint Joseph's Hawks (24-9), 6:55 p.m.

Connecticut enjoyed a lot of success under Jim Calhoun, and now those reigns have been turned over to Kevin Ollie. Ollie gets his first chance in the tournament, but it's not an easy path. Shabazz Napier continues to be a strong player offensively for the Huskies. The Hawks are looking to prove further that the A-10 deserves some respect. In fact, the Hawks won that tournament. Ollie's first tournament experience won't last long. In the best game of the day, St. Joe's, 81-79.

(2) Michigan Wolverines (25-8) vs. (15) Wofford Terriers (20-12), 7:10 p.m.

Runners-up last year, the Wolverines... enough said. Michigan, 90-63.

(5) Saint Louis Billikens (26-6) vs. (12) North Carolina State Wolfpack (22-13), 7:20 p.m.

The Billikens looked like they could match Wichita State step-for-step in mid-major teams making runs towards an undefeated season. However, Saint Louis took the Syracuse like approach, and stumbled hard along the way. North Carolina State comes into the game with solid momentum after knocking off Syracuse and Xavier. The 'Pack can play on big stages. Saint Louis needs to find their early season rhythm, or it'll be a final stumble early in the tournament. NC State, 75-66.

(5) Oklahoma Sooners (23-9) vs. (12) North Dakota State Bison (25-6), 7:27 p.m.

Oklahoma seems to have gone under the radar this year. The Sooners finished second in the Big XII this season, and they haven't lost a game to a team like the Bison. With solid wins over tournament teams like Baylor, Iowa State, and Texas, the Sooners could go under the radar in the tournament. Boomer Sooner, 75-69.

(2) Villanova Wildcats (28-4) vs. (15) Milwaukee Panthers (21-13), 9:25 p.m.

The Wildcats are coming off of the biggest disappointment of the Big East tournament. A loss to Seton Hall didn't help them with the seeding committee, and I'm sure that's translated over to a lot of fans' brackets. The Panthers have a history of upsets in the tournament, but Nova survives this round. However, I don't think they last much longer. Villanova, 81-70.

(7) Texas Longhorns (23-10) vs. (10) Arizona State Sun Devils (21-11), 9:40 p.m.

The Longhorns defeated Iowa State, Kansas State, Baylor, and Kansas consecutively at one point during the season. I like the Longhorns to do damage in this tournament. Another team that can go under the radar like Oklahoma. Arizona State is another under the radar team, but in another way. The Sun Devils' best win was an overtime victory over Arizona, but they're a weaker team from the Pac-12. Hook 'em Horns, 86-73.

(4) Louisville Cardinals (29-5) vs. (13) Manhattan Jaspers (25-7), 9:50 p.m.

Manhattan! You're playing the defending champions who got spurned by the committee. You're playing a defending champion with something to prove. Add that to Rick Pitino and "Rusdiculous" Russ Smith... Louisville, 95-65.

(4) San Diego State Aztecs (29-4) vs. (13) New Mexico State Aggies (26-9), 9:57 p.m.

If you want the best defensive basketball in college hoops, Coach Fisher and the Aztecs got it. If you want to see their defense face a unique challenge then Aggies center Sim Bhullar at 7'5" will give the Aztecs just that. Neutralize Bhullar, and the Aggies will be one dimensional. Fisher will figure things out. Aztecs move on, 79-75.


Get the markers ready to adjust your brackets, folks! Meanwhile, I'll hope St. Joseph's, North Carolina State, BYU, and Pittsburgh move on in my upset picks of the day. Welcome to the dance, partners!