By Rick Teverbaugh, Herald Bulletin Sports Editor
It was a day late but it was definitely not a dollar short.
On Wednesday morning I settled in to watch the St. Francis men’s basketball team win the NAIA Division II national title.
I certainly knew the outcome and had written the story that appeared in Wednesday morning’s edition. But I still wanted to see the performance of Anderson’s DeJouvan Sawyer-Davis and Frankton’s Austin Leisure.
It was a rewarding experience.
Sawyer-Davis battled through an ankle injury he suffered in the semifinal game Monday. He didn’t participate in Tuesday’s walk-through and shoot-around. But he played the entire 40 minutes in as gutsy a performance as I’ve seen on a basketball court this year.
His play was so impressive that he won the tournament MVP award on the same day that it was announced that he was NAIA First Team All-American. So national title, All-American and MVP all in the same 24-hour period. How many athletes can match that?
The only downside now is what can that junior do as a senior for an encore?
Certainly Sawyer-Davis earned the lion’s share of the plaudits and deservedly so. But I was also impressed with the play of Leisure even though he didn’t break into the scoring column.
Leisure helped keep the Cougars’ offense aggressive by pushing the ball up whenever it came to his hands. He made very few mistakes.
The proof of his quality was found in the game’s final, critical moments when he was on the floor instead of the team’s starter. At a time when an error might have kept St. Francis from winning a championship, the team was most comfortable with the ball in Leisure’s hands. It was well-placed confidence.
I applaud the Cougars and their accomplishment. I was proud of them and especially our two local players.
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Pendleton Heights graduate Becca Butler has gotten her 2010 softball season off to a roaring start.
On Sunday Butler tied a Morehead State record by hitting a three-run homer in both games of a double-header at Ohio University. The junior has four dingers for the season and now 17 for her collegiate career.
Both her blasts cleared the left field fence and pounded the top of a storage shed. No word on the possible damage to the shed.
The 17 career homers ties a school record. It won’t be long, I’m sure, before that mark falls.
Butler added two hits in a double-header split Tuesday against Butler. Morehead State will next play today against Kentucky.
All of this news has gotten me so ready for the upcoming softball season.
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This is a plea to parents and sports information directors. If there’s a local athlete doing well in a spring sport somewhere in college, please let me know at the below address and I will check it out.
Contact Rick Teverbaugh: 640-4886, rick.teverbaugh @heraldbulletin.com.
