Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Battling ‘Big Lurch:’ Boone’s unfinished business at OSU

team finished its trudge through the 2021-22 season, an office conversation pushed Boone and his dad, Michael, nearly to tears.

erything in his power the entire year to be the best version of himself?

Kalib Boone likes sitting in the spinning office chairs in his dad’s office.

Boone, Oklahoma State senior forward, checks in with his father often. He has always been wired that way. Whenever he goes back home to Tulsa, he sinks into one of the chairs facing his dad, swivels from side to side and just…talks.

One day, shortly after the OSU basketball

Boone told teammates and coaches he planned to return for his senior year but admitted he didn’t know if that was the truth. He sat in the office to discuss transferring.

“Nobody really understands how close (Kalib) was ready to bounce,” Michael said. “After that junior year I really thought, (Kalib) was going to transfer.”

Michael asked one question Kalib couldn’t answer. He continued to probe, not letting his son spin out of it. Had he done ev-

Kalib answered what he knew to be the truth. No, he hadn’t given everything mentally, in practice or in games to justify leaving.

“If I never had that talk with my dad I probably would have just said, ‘Yeah, I’m out,’ and I would have left with Keylan (Boone),” Kalib said. “Talking to my dad helped me lock in on that decision to stay.”

Mike Boynton, OSU basketball coach, owes Michael Boone big time for that.

After nearly transferring this summer and being told he may have to find a new team his sophomore year, Kalib emerged

as a driving force behind the Cowboys’ success his senior season. Kalib averaged 17.1 points during a nine-game stretch that ended with OSU receiving votes in the AP Poll.

In the last three weeks, Boone’s production slipped to 6.2 points per game and coincided with a five-game losing streak.

Now, with the Cowboys recoiling from a poor finish to the regular season and likely needing multiple wins in the Big 12 Tournament to secure a bid in the NCAA Tournament, OSU needs Boone to return to form in Kansas City, starting Wednesday against Oklahoma.

‘Spanish connection’ shines bright for Cowboys in singles and doubles

Garcia and Pini came up strong for Oklahoma State as the duo clinched the doubles point on court three.

PJ Tikalsky Staff Reporter

Francisco Pini and Alex Garcia were the stars of the day as the Cowboys tamed the Southern Methodist Mustangs 4-3 at the Greenwood Tennis Center on Sunday Afternoon.

Garcia, a senior from León, Spain, and Pini, a sophomore from Buenos Aires, have a bond stronger than simply sharing a native language.

“He’s like my older brother,” Pini said. “He’s two years older than me and like, we have a special bond. I mean, of course there’s the language but also we have a good relationship between each other.”

That strong fraternal bond between

Q&A: Speaking French, playing piano just some of Bryce Thompson’s talents

How many other college basketball guards speak French fluently?

Braden Bush Assistant Sports Editor

The O’Colly talked with Thompson about his immersion in a foreign language, his musical talents and other hobbies.

Q: What made you want to learn French?

A: “Actually, that was kind of what my parents had picked. So, my sister also speaks another language, and she didn’t want both of us speaking

the same language in the house. So, I spoke French and she speaks Spanish.”

Q: Have you ever had to use French in the U.S.?

A: “Yeah, a couple times at a couple of restaurants, couple of French restaurants. My parents will have me translating and ordering the food and just little stuff like that.” Thompson visited France through a foreign exchange program in the

fifth grade as part of his language immersion.

Q: What was that experience like?

“It was a great experience. I went over there for a month, got to see everything, got to eat the food – it’s really, really good. Great people. It was cool. I stayed in a city called Amiens, it’s probably about 15 or 20 minutes from Paris. So,

“In doubles play, it’s only like, 30-40 minutes that you just need full energy,” said Garcia. “It’s not always about the tennis, and I just couldn’t be happier playing with Pini, because I know that my energy is gonna be there, his energy is gonna be there and if someone is struggling, you’re gonna get [help from] the other one.” Dubbed “The Spanish Connection” by coach Dustin Taylor, the two hope to become a familiar pairing for the rest of the season, and Taylor seems intent on doing that. This afternoon was one of the most complete doubles performances of the season from the Cowboys, who had lost five of their last six doubles points before today.

See Connection on page 3

See Boone’s on page 2

Ben Hutchens Staff Reporter

Bryce Thompson has always been focused on basketball, but he’s branched out farther than that.

Chase Davis

Speaking French and playing John Legend songs on the piano are just a couple of Bryce Thompson’s abilities off the basketball court.

Continued from page 1

Kalib is no stranger to difficult conversations. After a promising freshman campaign where he started five games and scored 16 against Texas Tech, Kalib thought he knew how his career would lay out. His sophomore year he would be the first man off the bench and then his junior and senior years he would take off. But the plan changed.

Cowboy center Yor Anei hit the transfer portal, turning up the heat on Kalib before he was ready. Youth showed on the court and immaturity showed off it. It was a struggle. Kalib said he wasn’t the big his team needed.

One day after practice in Gallagher-Iba Arena, Boynton asked Kalib to follow him through Heritage Hall and up the staircase to his office. Boynton called Michael and put him on speaker phone.

“(Boynton) calls my dad and says this ain’t working,” Kalib said. “(Told me) I have two weeks to get (my) stuff together or I’m going to send him home.”

Kalib said he took it as he may not have a place on the team if things didn’t change.

“That’s exactly how I meant it, in fact, I may have even said that,” Boynton said. “It was never a you need to go because I don’t believe in you, it was you need to go because you don’t want to become what I know you’re capable of.”

What stung Kalib the most was hearing his dad agree. Hearing his father tell Boynton to follow through if things didn’t change turned his sadness to anger.

Kalib got home that night and called his father, telling him, he ‘Had something for him.’ Michael said when he hears that from one of his sons, he knows he will get results.

An angry Kalib developed a tougher mindset in practice and played harder. Results followed. In the month after the intervention, Kalib averaged 13.5 points raising his average by eight.

“Kalib is literally damn near in tears because he’s thinking, ‘Y’all out here trying to get rid of me, nobody believes I’m really out here trying,’” Michael said. “And I was like, ‘Quit talking about it, do it.’ And that’s when he really did it. That’s when he went on a serious tear.”

Kalib was a central figure in OSU’s 2021 NCAA Tournament appearance. Remember the picture-perfect college career Kalib had mapped out in his head? He began following it again.

Then the path got gnarly.

On the first day of official practices last season, his junior year, Kalib dislocated his shoulder. The injury cost him six weeks of practice and the first two games of the season. Maybe more costly was the mental challenges the injury imposed.

“That whole year I was playing basically catchup and at one point I just gave up fighting,” Boone said. “I was like, ‘You know what, I just give up.’ That was the one thing that made my dad so mad at me was I just gave up fighting cause he knows when I’m happy and I’m energetic and positive I’m going keep fighting. And that’s why last year was so hard.”

Michael Boone said last season for Kalib was the year of “Big Lurch.”

In “The Addams Family,” Lurch is a 6-foot-9 butler with a melancholy attitude. Michael said Kalib would probably be mad at him for sharing a childhood nickname, but it summed up the season.

The shoulder injury put him developmentally behind. A postseason ban loomed over the entire team. Kalib felt responsible for taking care of himself and his little brother, Keylan, who grew

increasingly unsatisfied with his role on the team and OSU.

Michael said when Kalib, who walks with joy in his stride and a smile on his face, has too much on his plate, he transforms into Big Lurch. Big Lurch is an extreme departure from Kalib’s natural personality. Bobby Allison, Kalib’s high school coach, said Boone is naturally happy had never met a stranger.

“I don’t think Kalib Boone’s glass is half full,” Allison said. “I think Kalib Boone’s glass is full.”

When Kalib taped up his shoulder and returned to the lineup he didn’t play well. Because of the ban and his injury, he was mentally checked out. That’s how Kalib found himself in his dad’s office chair, needing to be talked back into returning to OSU.

When Keylan announced his decision to transfer to Pacific last march, Kalib had already made up his mind to stay. He wanted to ride out his senior year, he felt like he owed a season of 100% dedication to his coaches, team and himself. Kalib needed to go all in on himself.

“Keylan leaving was kind of a good thing because I can finally focus

on myself and just grow,” Kailb said.

“And that was one of the main keys I needed to do in college and I’m happy in my senior year I figured it out.”

The physical changes came first.

Michael said he first noticed Kalib was physically stronger each time he would return home this summer, then Kalib started becoming more consistent in games. Those changes led to Kalib’s self-confidence returning. Michael said he now sees NBA-level confidence.

“I’m my biggest critic,” Kalib said. “I shoot myself in the foot at times and I will make it to the point where I will think less of myself or I just get really tired to the point mentally where I don’t want to do this no more. And that’s the thing that I feel like I’ve grown since last year…there hasn’t been any point this year where I was like, ‘I don’t want to do this no more, I want to get out of college.’”

Big Lurch is gone. Kalib Boone is back.

“Every day I wake up now I’m happy to be here, happy to go kick it with my guys,” Kalib said.

File photo

Kalib Boone (right) said his twin brother Keylan (20) transferring to Pacific last summer was a blessing in disguise.

Connection...

Continued from page 1

“We’ve been thinking about mixing up the pairings now for a week, week and a half, and we just felt like SMU’s doubles point actually has been really tough this year,” said Taylor. “we’re gonna we’re gonna move forward with these pairings for the foreseeable future for sure, especially with the energy and the excitement and the way they played their first doubles point together, all three teams as a collective unit.” Garcia and Pini continued their dominance on the day in singles play. Of the three singles points earned by the Cowboys, Alessio Basile’s 6-3, 0-6, 6-2 win on court six was sandwiched in between a 6-4, 6-4 win by Garcia and a 7-5, 1-6, 6-2 match-clincher from Pini. Pini wasn’t fazed about the pressure that comes with being the deciding point. “To be honest, I knew I wanted to be the last guy playing because I knew [opponent Julian Steinhausen] was getting a little nervous,” he said. “I just felt like I was down with my energy and I just needed that extra adrenaline from being the last guy.”

Having finished his match first, Garcia was happy to support his teammate and friend in the final moments of the dual, win or lose.

“Giving him the energy and trying to make him comfortable knowing that he wins or if you lose, we are there, It doesn’t matter,” Garcia said. “We are friends before tennis. That’s all that matters. Today we got a win, but I would be the same if we lose.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Mia Ledbetter

Alex Garcia (left), from Spain, and Francisco Pini (right), from Buenos Aires, enjoy being able to use their native language while playing doubles.

Thompson...

Continued from page 1

it was good. Went down there with my whole class for a month.”

Q: Did you play any sports in France?

“Yeah, basketball, but it was kind of just, like, in the park. So, it was fun, though, it was fun. They played a lot of soccer over there, but there were a couple that played basketball and we hit

it off pretty well.”

Q: What was your favorite part of visiting France?

“Probably seeing the Eiffel Tower, getting up and being able to go up and see it because, you know, you always see it online, but you don’t realize how big it is until you’re actually standing up on it.”

Thompson learned to play piano growing up.

Q: Do you still play?

“I play a little bit every once in a while. I have one at my house. I have a keyboard at my house that I’ll go and kind of play around with it whenever

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I’m bored. I’ll go in there and play a couple songs, me and my sister.”

Q: What’s your best song?

“Probably “All of Me” by John Legend. That’s probably one that I can kind of play off the riff. So, yeah, that’s probably one of my best, honestly.”

Q: Where’d the musical talent come from?

“That’s a great question. I actually don’t know. That’s just something my mom wanted to make sure I was in so many different things. So, I played saxophone all through middle school. So, I still know how to play the alto saxophone.”

Jaiden Daughty

Q: Any other hobbies besides basketball?

“I like to fish. In the summer, I like to go fishing with my family. We have a pond in our neighborhood. So, I’m able to go down there and just chill and just fish for hours, me and my friends. I like to do that, play video games, watch Netflix, just normal things.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Bryce Thompson played basketball in France as a fifth grader in a student-exchange program.

OSU surpasses fundraiser goal of $250K

Michael Clark Staff Reporter

With donations from OSU students, alumni and faculty, the university has surpassed the United Way Agency Campaign’s projected goal of $250,000.

Across campus, there are clubs and organizations dedicated to reaching this yearly fundraiser goal. These organizations host events and activities such as games, cook-offs and corn hole tournaments while raising money for important causes.

The United Way strives to achieve several goals such as benefitting education, reducing poverty and keeping

Payne County a safe place. They’ve partnered with 22 organizations including Wings of Hope, the Saville Center, the Red Cross, Stillwater Literacy Council and Big Brothers Big Sisters. With the money they receive through donations and fundraisers, The United Way provides food, electricity, running water, medical care, legal services and mental health assistance for Payne County residents who are struggling financially.

Because of OSU’s contributions, a quarter of The United Way’s $ 1 million overall goal has been reached. Jon Pedersen and co-chair Gina Peek, the ones who supervise OSU’s campaign, were both pleased by this exceptional development.

“The generosity of our Cowboy family shone brightly this year, and our community is stronger because of it,” Pedersen said. “We are so grateful for the outpouring of support and commitment to the United Way of Payne County OSU campaign, helping us meet and exceed the goal.”

Peek is a new addition to the cochair position. She has discovered that Stillwater partners with United Way in many more ways than she had expected, and encourages students to get involved.

“If you want to get involved with the United Way campaign, consider volunteering for one of their 22 partnering agencies,” Peek said. “And if you want to get involved on campus, see your department head about what fundrais-

ing events are available in your college. Each college at OSU contributes in different ways, from chili cook-offs to corn hole tournaments. My favorite activity is participating in fun runs. It’s a small way to contribute to the community.”

Faculty and staff have the opportunity to take payroll deductions to donate to United Way, and can also set up their own fundraisers through kits provided by the OSU Campaign HQ website. These contributions have made OSU the single biggest contributor to United Way’s fundraiser goal. For more information about the campaign and how to contribute, visit https://www.unitedwaypaynecounty.org/ osu-campaign-hq.

Courtesy of OSU

OSU has contributed over a quarter of the $1 million campaign goal set by United Way.

Black hired as OSU veterinary college hospital director

Adam Engel Editor-in-Chief

After months of searching, OSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine found a new a hospital director.

The school named Kelly Black, a 2001 OSU graduate, as director of the Boren Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

“I am delighted to have Dr. Black join our college as hospital director,” said Dr. Carlos Risco, dean of the veterinary college. “Over the course of his 20-year career, Dr. Black has acquired many skills that will serve him well as he oversees hospital operations and encourages an environment of inclusivity and teamwork. His passion and commitment to veterinary medicine will have a great impact on our staff, faculty, students and clients, and we’re excited to have him as part of our team.”

Black returns to Stillwater from the Veterinary Technology Program at Dallas College in Dallas. He operates as a professor

and department chair. He also served as chair of the American Veterinary Medical Association Committee for Veterinary Technician Education and Activities and is board-certified in veterinary preventative medicine.

“My vision for the hospital is to restore and sustain crucial veterinary services to the Stillwater area,” Black said. “I am also committed to finding innovative ways to optimize student learning and to broaden our reach to underserved, rural regions of the state.

Black will oversee day-to-day operation of the facility. OSU does not subsidize the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital so it must generate income to cover operating costs. Black will start on June 1.

“I aim to assist in the recruitment and retention of veterinarians and staff, both at the OSU teaching hospital and throughout Oklahoma,” he said. “By working toward these goals, I hope to make a meaningful impact on the field of veterinary medicine in our state.”

news.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of OSU

Kelly Black, a 2001 OSU graduate, will become the director of OSU’s director of the Boren Veterinary Teaching Hospital, the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine announced.

Vikings wide receiver K.J. Osborn saves man from burning car: ‘This was life or death’

Joseph Wilkinson New York Daily News

NFL wide receiver K.J. Osborn rescued a man from a blazing vehicle Sunday night alongside three other heroes.

Osborn, 25, was riding in an Uber in Austin, Texas, when the driver suddenly stopped and pointed out a car on fire on the side of the road.

“I’ve never seen anything like

that,” Osborn said Tuesday on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football.”

“The airbags were out, and we didn’t see anybody,” he added. “At that moment, I was thinking the worst. I didn’t think this guy was alive.”

Osborn and the Uber driver ran over to the vehicle and were joined by two more passersby. The Uber driver opened the passenger door, and the group saw a dazed man still alive inside the vehicle.

“We all ran down and we pulled him out of the car,” Osborn said. “I

picked him up. He’s bleeding, his blood is on me, and we pick him up. I carried him maybe like 10, 15 yards, and shortly after the police came and the firefighters and everything like that.”

The man was taken to a nearby hospital, and first responders told Osborn and his fellow heroes that they had saved his life.

Osborn said Tuesday that he was shaken up and didn’t sleep well after the rescue.

“We’re professional athletes, but you know, I’m a regular person just like

anybody else,” he said. “That wasn’t a game, this is life. This was life or death.”

Osborn recently completed his third season with the Minnesota Vikings, in which he caught 60 passes for 650 yards and five touchdowns. His quarterback, Kirk Cousins, was not surprised by his heroics.

“This is totally on-brand for K.J. Osborn,” he wrote on Twitter. “Just a tremendous person and teammate.”

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Courtesy of Tribune

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver K.J. Osborn,(17) caught the winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter in Minneapolis., Minn. on Sunday, September 25, 2022. (Jerry Holt/Minneapolis Star Tribune/TNS)

U.S. postal worker robbed at gunpoint

Michael Clark Staff Reporter

At 2:07 p.m. on Saturday, the Stillwater Police Department was alerted to an armed robbery outside of the Apex Apartments at 1822 N. Perkins Rd.

While a United States Postal Service was delivering mail to the apartment complex, a male perpetrator approached the scene with a gun and ordered the worker to give him the keys to his vehicle, a white Toyota Corolla with a dent in the passenger’s side door. When the worker complied, the robber drove off and is currently at large.

The suspect has been described as about 5 feet 7 inches tall, Black male, roughly 130 pounds with brown eyes. The suspect seemed to be between 16 and 20 years of age as well as wearing a dark mask, a long-sleeved T-shirt, dark sweatpants and shoes with white and blue socks. He was armed with a black semi-automatic handgun and fled the scene in the vehicle.

The Stillwater Police Department urges anyone with information to contact them immediately. They can be reached at (405)-5338477 or at (405)-3724171. The SPD is currently working together with the U.S. Postal Inspector’s office to get information on the case.

entertainment.ed

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Learn the facts and protect those you love.

Courtesy of Stillwater Police Department

A male perpetrator threatened a USPS worker with a gun and robbed his vehicle on Saturday.

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Lewis

Come check out the wide variety of elegant clothing at Formal Fantasy!

Located on

121 E. 9th Ave, Downtown Stillwater

The best selection of beer, wine and li quor that Stillwater has to offer! Perfect for all your game day needs, come to Brown’s Bottle Shop located on 128 N. Main

“The Original Hideaway, located on the corner of Knoblock and University. Serving quality pizza and more since 1957.”

Murphy’s Department Store

815 S Main, Downtown Open 10-6 Monday thru Saturday

Business Squares Business Squares Company Coming?

Check out “Cowboy Cabin” 550 steps east of Boone Pickens Stadium

Daily Horoscope

Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency

Linda Black Horoscopes

Today’s Birthday (03/08/23). Take advantage of lucrative conditions this year. Steady practices maintain your health, happiness and harmony. Winter rearranges a creative project, leading to a springtime of extra bounty. Explorations take a new turn this summer, before autumn brings rising family fortunes. Catch coins and invest wisely.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 7 — Work together to get farther, faster. Don’t depend on luck. Avoid stepping on each other. Obligations could preempt romantic plans. Discover shared efficiencies with teamwork. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Prioritize your health and wellness with work demands. Allow time to rest and recharge. Good food supports your busy schedule. Take one step after another.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is a 7 — Have fun without expensive risks. Clean messes. Avoid arguments or complications. Enjoy your favorite games, hobbies and sports. Create something beautiful. Relax and recharge.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 6 — Patiently manage domestic matters. Family or housemates may not all agree. Make repairs, clean and organize spaces. Adapt with changes. Listen more than speaking.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is an 8 — Dig deeper into your subject. All is not as it appears. Listen to all sides of an argument. Reserve judgments. Patiently unfold the story.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 7 — You can scrape together the necessary cash to reach your objective. Resourcefulness and creativity serve you well. Study to get it right the first time.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is an 8 — Pamper yourself with small luxuries and personal favorites. You’re adapting and developing, despite challenges and changes. Ignore negative internal chatter. Indulge in something fun.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 6 — Guard private time for yourself. Appearances can deceive. Maintain objectivity as you make plans and preparations. It’s emotion versus reason today. Rest and recharge.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is an 8 — Confusion or indecision could affect team meetings and efforts. Take the time to clarify. Make sure that everyone is on the same page.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 7 — Adapt carefully with changes to a professional project. Polish presentations and clean up messy details. Don’t share unfinished work now. Prepare, edit and refine.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 7 — Slow down to get there faster. Obstacles and pitfalls line the road. Take a break to refine the route and itinerary. Study options.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is an 8 — Collaborate for common gain. Keep contributing to shared finances. You can find the resources you need, despite unexpected expenses. Review and revise budgets. Pull together.

By Beth Rubin & Will Nediger

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk

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