Some people just think they’re Class D kids, so they can’t play against these kids from ‘AA’ schools – kind of like VCU and Butler – but these kids can play.” “This (tournament) just gives these kids from smaller schools a chance to show they can play on the same court. I mean, these two kids have won a state championship. “But afterwards, they were saying, ‘They’re basketball players!’ Now, everyone knows they can play. “Before the games, some people were saying, ‘Oh, they’re Class D guys,’” NAPA Auto coach Jeff Thrasher said. Russ and Welch are the only holdovers from a Utica-Rome team that last year lost to Coleman and eventual tournament champion John’s Auto Care 69-62 in the semifinals. NAPA Auto plays Syracuse PBA at 7:45 p.m.Īfter two more games Wednesday at Nottingham, the eight-team tournament moves to Onondaga Community College for Thursday’s semifinals and Friday night’s girl-boy championship doubleheader. In the opener, a B&R Glass team of Tri Valley League all-stars plays John’s Auto Care of Syracuse at 6 p.m. Proctor High School, Rome Free Academy, Westmoreland and West Canada Valley make up a NAPA Auto Parts team of Utica-Rome area stars that will play in the second game of Tuesday night’s quarterfinal doubleheader at Nottingham High School. Their coach says Russ and Welch proved they belonged in last year’s star-studded Zebra Classic.Īnd now, two weeks after leading unbeaten New York Mills to a Class D state championship, those two big men from one of the section’s smallest schools are on their way back to Syracuse for the 25th edition of the annual postseason tournament. All rights reserved.Just because they play basketball at a Class D school doesn’t mean New York Mills teammates Fred Russ and Matt Welch can’t match up with the best in all of Section III – even a Goliath like Jamesville-DeWitt’s 6-foot-10, 280-pound center Dajuan Coleman. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information / Your California Privacy Rights are applicable to you. ^ Back to Top ^ © 2023 ESPN Internet Ventures. He finished his career ranked in the top 10 in program history in points, assists, games played and free throw percentage.Īfter his career at Louisville, he spent 13 years playing professionally - including an NBA championship run with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1988 - and 14 years in college coaching, with stops at Memphis, UTEP and Auburn. He earned All-Metro Conference honors on three occasions and went to three Final Fours. Milt Wagner played at Louisville from 1981-82 to 1985-86 before becoming a second-round pick of the Dallas Mavericks in the 1986 NBA draft. "But I think that rivalry, just Kentucky and Louisville in general, the history behind it, it's a great rivalry." I'm still open to every college right now, I'm just enjoying the process," he said. "Just the Kentucky-Louisville rivalry, I feel like that's crazy. Wagner, who plays at Camden (N.J.) High School, said last month that Arkansas, Syracuse and Seton Hall are also involved but acknowledged the rivalry between the two intrastate programs. Kenny was there when we were going to the camps."ĭ.J. But Cal knows the relationship with Kenny. I'd take him to the father-son camp and all that stuff. D.J.'s been coming to his camps since he was 5, 6 years old. loves Louisville, too, because that's where his grandpa went. "It shouldn't take Kenny to get a job for my dad to be working for the university. Kenny, that's my uncle," Dajuan Wagner said last month at a Nike EYBL event in Indianapolis. I'm thrilled to be here with a terrific staff and help this program achieve at the highest level."Ĭalipari also hired Milt Wagner at Memphis in 2000, which led to Dajuan Wagner signing with the Tigers. "Louisville is my second home and I've always wanted to return here to work with this historic program that I contributed my blood, sweat and tears for as a student-athlete. "It's an honor for me to return to my alma mater and work alongside my brother Kenny Payne," Wagner said in a statement. Wagner's father, Dajuan Wagner, at Memphis, and new Louisville coach Kenny Payne played with Milt Wagner on Louisville's 1986 national championship team. Kentucky coach John Calipari coached D.J. Wagner, who is currently uncommitted but is the subject of an intense recruiting battle between Louisville and Kentucky. 1 recruit in the country, as the program's director of player development and alumni relations. Louisville has hired Milt Wagner, former Cardinals star and the grandfather of the No. Men's College Basketball, Louisville Cardinals Wagner, as director of player development Louisville hires Milt Wagner, former Cardinals star and grandfather of No. You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser
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