February 21, 2019

Decoding Saul Phillips’ future P10

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019

A STORIED

SEASON

Erica Johnson’s road to stardom P14

When Led Zeppelin rocked The Convo P19

+

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Ohio’s team is our common ground

LAUREN FISHER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

I have a confession to make. I’m a terrible college sports fan. I leave at halftime, sometimes earlier, if the stadium seats are too cold or if I finish my popcorn too quickly.

Despite being a person who genuinely enjoys watching basketball, I haven’t been to a single Bobcats game during my college career.

I can’t help but feel a little guilty each time I pass by the corner of Court and Union and see Norm Emmets asking passing students if they’re planning to attend that evening’s game.

When I was first announced as editor of The Post nearly a year ago, I was met with an uncomfortable realization: I’d have to learn a thing or two, not only about sports, but also about sports writing. Although I regularly sat 5 feet away from the sports desk for about three years, I was hopelessly clueless about the inner workings of Ohio Athletics.

The sports staff spoke using foreign terms like “gamer” and “nonconference play.”

Meanwhile, I regularly confused Saul Phillips and Frank Solich, and I was guilty of skipping through the sports section each time I’d pick up

a copy of the paper (sorry, Spencer and Pete).

To my untrained eyes, sports journalism was an oxymoron of sorts. It was what my dad read over eggs and bacon on a Sunday morning while I did the crossword puzzle.

But taking on a leadership position in The Post’s newsroom meant I’d have to finally face my own ignorance when it came to understanding and appreciating sports journalism. So, on a Wednesday night during Fall Semester, I planted myself at a production computer to make my way through a volleyball story. And immediately, to my own surprise, I was hooked.

The writer wasn’t just regurgitating the facts or giving a play-by-play. Instead, the game came alive. The players were characters in a larger, dynamic narrative. My entire perspective on sports journalism changed with a single story.

Later that winter, when Ohio played San Diego State in the Frisco Bowl, I made sure I was front and center near the TV at my hometown brewery to watch the game. At

first, I was the only one watching. But soon, a small crowd began to build.

Most of them were middle-aged men, reminiscing on their own days in Athens, asking me if their favorite bar still existed Uptown or if their old residence hall was still standing. Others told me they had kids attending OU. Though we were strangers separated by age and experience, we found a sense of community as we cheered our team on to victory.

We may not be a Big 10 school. The crowd at the Convo may never look like it used to. But that’s OK. At the end of the day, our teams bring us together when it can be difficult to find common ground. And here at The Post, our talented team of sports reporters and photographers will always be on the sidelines to capture the action.

Lauren Fisher is a senior studying journalism at Ohio University and the editor-in-chief of The Post. Have questions?

Email Lauren at lf966614@ohio.edu or tweet her @Lauren__Fisher.

Cover by ‘Post’ Art Department

THE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LAUREN FISHER MANAGING EDITOR Maddie Capron DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR Alex McCann ASST. MANAGING EDITOR Jessica Hill CREATIVE DIRECTOR Abby Gordon EDITORIAL NEWS EDITORS Sarah M. Penix, Ellen Wagner INVESTIGATIVE EDITOR Bailey Gallion SPORTS EDITOR Spencer Holbrook CULTURE EDITOR Alexis Eichelberger OPINION EDITOR Chuck Greenlee COPY CHIEF Laila Riaz ART ART DIRECTOR Abbey Phillips GRAPHICS EDITOR Riley Scott DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Meagan Hall DIGITAL DIGITAL PRODUCTION EDITOR Megan Knapp SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Kate Ansel BLOGS EDITOR Georgia Davis DIRECTOR OF MULTIMEDIA Alex Penrose DIRECTOR OF PODCASTS Cal Gunderson

POST

ISSUE 20, VOLUME 109 1 PARK PLACE, ROOM 325 EDITOR@THEPOSTATHENS.COM PHONE | 740.593.4010 FAX | 740.593.0561

ONLINE POST BLOGS thepostathens.com/blogs FACEBOOK thepostathens TWITTER @ThePost

FRONT DESK HOURS 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

Monday through Friday.

Closed Saturday and Sunday.

1 Park Place Baker University Center, Room 325 Athens, OH 45701 (740) 593-4010

Send us your letters Do you ever find something in The Post thoughtprovoking, questionable or even infuriating? Let us know!

We are always interested in hearing about the way our readers respond to our content every day.

Your opinion is welcome. Letters should be fewer than 500 words. Longer submissions will be considered as guest commentaries, but space is limited. All letters must be signed by at least one individual; anonymous letters will not be accepted. The Post does not accept letters soliciting donations or news releases. Please include your year and major if you are a student. Letters can be submitted online at www.thepostathens. com, by email at editor@thepostathens.com or at The Post’s front desk in the media wing on the third floor of Baker University Center.

We reserve the right to edit submissions for clarity, vulgarity and Associated Press Style.

IN PERSON Baker Center, Room 325 ONLINE thepostathens.com/letters

BY EMAIL letters@thepostathens.com

The Post is an independent media outlet run by Ohio University students. We distribute the paper free of charge in Athens, Ohio, when classes are in session. Editorial page material represents the opinions of the editors, columnists and letter writers. Opinions expressed are independent of Ohio University and our printer.

Advertisement Policies The Post will not print advertisements that violate local, state or federal laws.

All advertisements must display good taste. The Post reserves the right to refuse any advertisement. If questions arise, the editor will make the final decision.

The Post will not run real estate or employment advertisements that discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, sexual orientation or national origin.

All advertisements are subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act. Phone numbers will not be printed in the Personals section.

If errors are found in a classified ad, please notify The Post by 4 p.m. the day the ad runs. Though The Post cannot be responsible for errors, a corrected ad will run free of charge on the next publication date. Cash refunds will not be given.

Notify The Post by 4 p.m. of cancellations for the following day.

CLASSIFIEDS

36 TH ANNUAL LEADERSHIP AWARDS GALA WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019 VISIT THE LINK BELOW TO PURCHASE TICKETS BIT.LY/OHIOUGALA

Join Chef Erik for a

Hands-On Cooking Demo TUES., MARCH 5 | 6–8 P.M.

$25/Ticket Learn more at bit.ly/OHIOCulinary

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 3

EDITOR’S NOTE

THE COMPLICATED CONVO ecember 1 seems like forever ago for the men’s basketball team.

That day, the Bobcats dismantled Marshall by 17 in The Convo, and they improved to 4-2 in the process.

Things were looking up for the young Ohio team, which was playing with confidence.

On that same day, the women’s team blasted Cleveland State by 18, which moved the Bobcats to 6-0.

Since then, the faces of those programs, Saul Phillips for the men and Bob Boldon for the women, have taken nearly opposite trajectories. The men are 7-11 since Dec. 1, including just three wins in conference play.

The women, meanwhile, have gone 14-3.

The state of Ohio basketball, both men and women, is in flux.

It’s no secret that Phillips is in the midst of his final season according to his contract, 4 / FEB. 21, 2019

which is set to expire in May. The downward trajectory of this season, after a quick start to nonconference play, hasn’t helped his case with the Ohio fanbase, either.

Boldon, meanwhile, is having a dream season for the Bobcats. Seasons like this are why Athletic Director Jim Schaus brought Boldon to Athens: To compete for MAC Championships. Of course, Boldon already has an NCAA Tournament appearance and a MAC championship to his name, but this season has felt different. The Bobcats have only lost three games all season and only one on the road.

Phillips’ Bobcats have come under the microscope due to their lackluster offense and confidence, Boldon’s for their offensive success — and some defensive shortcomings. Between the two teams, there is plenty of buzz around roundball in Athens.

Ohio is celebrating the 50th season inside The Convo, one of the hidden gems of college basketball. The Roundhouse on Richland has hosted some of the most storied bands, such as Led Zeppelin, showing that there are plenty of stories about The Convo that aren’t just on the hardwood.

But the teams that play in The Convo have interesting stories to tell as well. And my hope is that The Post tells those stories as well as it can.

Thanks for reading,

SPENCER HOLBROOK | SPORTS EDITOR

COLUMN

OPTIMISM FOR SAUL Ohio has a case for keeping Saul Phillips around beyond this season, but that’s Jim Schaus’ call SPENCER HOLBROOK | SPORTS EDITOR In the coming months, Jim Schaus has a decision to make: Re-sign Saul Phillips, the highest paid employee on campus, or let Phillips’ contract expire and search for a new coach.

Many around the Ohio basketball program are torn on the matter, especially with Phillips in the final year of his contract. There’s a case to let Phillips walk. His struggles during his time in Athens haven’t sat well with the fanbase. The 47-point loss to Buffalo on Tuesday night is rock bottom for the Phillips era.

But is there a case for keeping Phillips?

Of course there is.

The fifth-year Ohio head coach that piloted the North Dakota State basketball program to two NCAA Tournaments before arriving in Athens has taken his lumps at Ohio, sure. But it’s hard to blame everything that’s happened to the basketball program in the last five seasons on Phillips.

Can the fanbase actually blame Phillips for injuries, transfers and simply put, bad luck?

It could. But unpacking things might give Phillips a leash much longer than his current one is in Athens. It might cool his coaching seat down altogether.

Phillips doesn’t dwell on injuries, but he could make an impressive Mid-American Conference roster of injured players he’s coached at Ohio. The most notable is Antonio Campbell, who was the MAC Player of the Year in 2016, but broke his foot early in a 2017 conference play, and just like that, Ohio’s season was changed.

Without Campbell, the best player in the conference, the Bobcats still nearly made it to the MAC Tournament Championship Game.

The laundry list of injured players includes stud guard Jordan Dartis, a chunk of time missed from Gavin Block through his career, the endless shoulder injuries of Mike Laster, and James Gollon, who could never seem to stay healthy for Phillips.

When adding up the injuries, depth has become an issue for the Bobcats over the last five seasons. Kick in the fact that Jaaron

Simmons spurned Ohio to spend his final year of eligibility at Michigan, and it’s easy to see how young Phillips’ rosters have been.

Teyvion Kirk and Jason Carter were both forced into larger roles, often starting spots early in their careers, in lieu of All-MAC performers such as Campbell and Simmons.

In a mid-major setting, those can weigh on a roster.

Even with the roster issues and disadvantages, Phillips has found success. He’s 7-3 against Miami in his time at Ohio, and the Bobcats have beaten Marshall twice in four tries since Phillips was hired.

He has plenty to show for with Ohio.

The other issue with burning down the Saul Phillips era and starting over is his potential successor. Who does the fanbase want? Various names have been thrown around Twitter and message boards for a better part of the season. But there seems to be no consensus pick among the fanbase as a coach who could appease it. Phillips was a hot name when he was hired in Athens. Is there a coach who would come to Athens from a smaller Division I program right now? No answers can be found yet.

Phillips is trying to resurrect a mess. He had a hand in creating it, but the man can’t control injuries and unexpected transfers.

This is a rich program with a deep-rooted tradition, and everyone involved with Ohio has high expectations, sometimes unattainable.

So is there a case for Phillips?

That’s for Schaus and the athletic department to decide. And decision time is rapidly approaching.

@SPENCERHOLBROOK SH690914@OHIO.EDU

Saul Phillips gives high-fives to fans in the O-Zone, Ohio’s student section, after Ohio’s game against Miami on Feb. 17, 2018. (BLAKE NISSEN / FILE)

Correction: The story titled “High-profile alumni scandals are helping change OU’s culture, years after initial reports” in the Feb. 14, 2019, edition incorrectly stated a professor’s department.

Correction: The story titled “Ohio hits low point in loss to Eastern Michigan” in the Feb. 14, 2019, edition misstated how Campbell reacted to his injury.

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 5

Ohio’s Teyvion Kirk drives to the basket during the Bobcats’ game versus Eastern Michigan on Feb. 12.

(ANTHONY WAGNER / FILE)

the eight-seed line, forcing them into a road game in the first round of the MAC Tournament.

7. AKRON (14-12, 6-7 MAC) The Zips are in a similar situation, but they don’t have quite the daunting schedule Miami has. They’ve lost their last three games by a combined 11 points, and the game with Miami looms large on the schedule this weekend. They’re getting close to a win, but it just hasn’t worked out lately.

8. EASTERN MICHIGAN (12-14, 6-7 MAC) If there’s a team with a chance to move up, it’s Eastern Michigan. The Eagles will host Western Michigan and Central Michigan in their next two games, and if they can win both, they’ll put themselves in control of hosting a first-round game.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

MAC POWER RANKINGS SPENCER HOLBROOK SPORTS EDITOR ith only two weeks remaining, the race for the regular season Mid-American Conference title is heating up.

As good as Buffalo is, the Bulls haven’t wrapped up the regular season title or the No. 1 seed in the MAC Tournament yet.

They actually aren’t even in first right now.

There’s also a logjam in the middle for the potential first-round home games in the MAC Tournament.

With only two weeks until the conference tournament arrives in Cleveland, The Post released its Feb. 20 power rankings: 1. BUFFALO (23-3, 11-2 MAC) The Bulls are a machine, and they take no prisoners. That was on display against Ohio on Tuesday night, when they beat the Bobcats by 47 and made 19 3-pointerss. They also went on the road last week and escaped Toledo in Savage Arena. If the

6 / FEB. 21, 2019

MAC Tournament started today, Buffalo would be the No. 2 seed, however, due to that loss to Bowling Green.

2. BOWLING GREEN (19-7, 11-2 MAC) Take the good with the bad when it comes to the Falcons. The good? If the season ended today, Bowling Green would be the MAC regular season champs for the first time since 2009.

The bad? The Falcons will have to go to Buffalo on March 8 to claim that title.

They’ll face Ohio on Friday night in The Convo.

3. TOLEDO (20-6, 8-5 MAC) The Rockets were 20-4 and they appeared to be up for the challenge of competing with Buffalo. But the Bulls went on the road and beat Toledo in the Rockets’ house. After a road loss to Eastern Michigan on Tuesday, Toledo could use a win to get back on track. Northern Illinois on Saturday seems to be just what the doctor ordered.

4. KENT STATE (19-7, 8-5 MAC) Kent State could have leapfrogged Toledo if the Golden Flashes beat Central Michigan on Tuesday, but the Flashes were upset by the Chippewas. Right now, they’re holding on to that No. 3 seed, but another slip-up could drop them from the top four.

5. CENTRAL MICHIGAN (18-8, 7-6 MAC) Speaking of Central Michigan, the Chippewas are inching their way toward a top-four seeding after the win over Kent State. They’ll have a good chance to beat Ball State and Eastern Michigan, both on the road, before hosting Toledo. That game on March 2 could determine a lot in the conference.

6. MIAMI (14-12, 6-7 MAC) The RedHawks are entering the toughest stretch of their season. They’ll go to Akron this weekend, then travel to Bowling Green before hosting Buffalo. If they go 0-3 in that span, they may drop below

9. NORTHERN ILLINOIS (12-14, 5-8 MAC) The Huskies are on a five-game skid, and it doesn’t get much easier. They’ll head to Toledo for a weekend game against the MAC West’s best. A reason to be positive?

At least Eugene German’s suspension only lasted one game. They’d travel to Eastern Michigan if the tournament started now.

10. BALL STATE (14-12, 5-8 MAC) The Cardinals nearly beat Miami on Tuesday, but came up just short. Their 5-8 record in the MAC isn’t the worst, but in a schedule littered with close losses, they seem to be near good enough to compete.

11. OHIO (11-14, 3-10 MAC) The Bobcats suffered their second-worst loss in program history against Buffalo on Tuesday night. The Bulls nearly beat them by 50, and it was ugly. Ohio hasn’t won a game since Jan. 26, and Bowling Green, who is up next for the Bobcats, isn’t a pushover. The losing streak may reach a month.

12. WESTERN MICHIGAN (8-18, 2-11 MAC) The only reason the Broncos are still in the basement instead of the Bobcats is because of the record. If the tournament started right now, Western Michigan would make the trip to Mount Pleasant, Michigan, to play Central Michigan.

@SPENCERHOLBROOK SH690914@OHIO.EDU

MEN’S BASKETBALL

OHIO

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

vs.

RECORD

11-14, 3-10 MAC

BOWLING GREEN

OHIO

19-7, 11-2 MAC

21-3, 10-3 MAC

KENT

vs.

RECORD

15-9, 8-5 MAC

69.2

POINTS PER GAME

78.9

80.6

POINTS PER GAME

67.1

37.3

REBOUNDS PER GAME

42.0

37.5

REBOUNDS PER GAME

37.9

14.0

ASSISTS PER GAME

13.4

15.2

ASSISTS PER GAME

11.2

42.9

FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE

44.6

44.7

FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE

38

29.3

3-POINT PERCENTAGE

37.1

37.0

3-POINT PERCENTAGE

JASON CARTER (16.9)

LEADING SCORER

JUSTIN TURNER (19.0)

CECE HOOKS (17.4)

LEADING SCORER

33.3 MEGAN CARTER (16.2)

BOBCATS LOOKING TO PLAY OHIO COMES OFF BYE WEEK SPOILER AGAINST FALCONS AGAINST KENT STATE SPENCER HOLBROOK | SPORTS EDITOR On paper, the Bobcats are outmatched by the upstart Falcons, who are having a season even they didn’t know was capable.

The Bobcats are riding the low of a sixgame losing streak, and they’ll welcome the Falcons into The Convo trying to spoil Bowling Green’s MAC regular season title hopes Friday night. The game will also be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.

After a lackluster 8-5 start to the season in a nonconference slate that featured losses in winnable games, the Falcons have caught fire. They’re 11-2 in conference play, highlighted by a home upset of ranked Buffalo in the Stroh Center on Feb. 1. Since then, they’re 4-1, the lone loss coming to rival Toledo. Even with the loss to the Rockets and an earlier conference loss to Miami, Bowling Green is on pace to win the regular season conference crown for the first time since 2009.

The Bobcats, meanwhile, have taken a nearly opposite course to where they are now. They finished nonconference play at 8-4, including wins over decent teams, but they’ve won just three games since then.

Ohio hit its low point Tuesday night against Buffalo, when it lost on the road by 47, the worst margin of defeat since 1998.

Now, the Bobcats will try to pick up the pieces from that blowout loss and rebound against one of the MAC’s best. But it’s not crazy to think the Bobcats can pull off the upset. There have been bigger upsets this season in the conference, such as Northern Illinois defeating Buffalo in DeKalb, Illinois. Upsets happen.

When Ohio and Bowling Green met on Jan. 8, the Bobcats had a tie game at halftime and hung around for 30 minutes behind a big night from Jason Carter. But Carter didn’t score in the latter part of the game, and the Falcons ran away with an 82-63 victory.

Justin Turner went off for 14 of his 20 points in the second half to help the Falcons. In that game, the Bobcats were outrebounded by nine and couldn’t defend the Falcons late.

Saul Phillips will coach against Michael Huger for the eighth time, and he’s 3-4 when facing Huger since he arrived in the MAC from his assistant role at Miami (Florida). Phillips is 3-6 all-time against the Falcons.

@SPENCERHOLBROOK SH690914@OHIO.EDU

ANTHONY POISAL | STAFF WRITER At first glance, it may seem like Ohio should have an easy win Saturday when it travels to Kent State.

The Bobcats (21-3, 10-3 MAC) are sniffing first place in the MAC East Division.

The Golden Flashes are stuck in fourth place and have hovered around a .500 conference record.

But the last time the two teams met Jan. 16, it was anything but a close game. Ohio avoided an upset at The Convo in an 83-81 result and allowed 31 fourth-quarter points to Kent State. The Golden Flashes have won five of their last six games and will look to upset the Bobcats in the rematch.

Ohio will play its first game after its bye week, which included no Wednesday game for the first week since December. The Bobcats addressed offensive concerns on their off-week after they shot a combined 27 percent from the field in their last two games.

A resurgence from their offense will be needed if they want to maintain pace for a top 4 seed — which guarantees a firstround bye — in the MAC Tournament. The Golden Flashes have the No. 3-ranked defense in the conference, and the Bobcats recently lost to Miami and Toledo, who own the No. 1 and No. 2 defenses.

Kent State has played close games against Central Michigan and Miami, the current No. 1 and No. 3 seeds, respectively, but won over Western Michigan on Wednesday despite shooting an abysmal 33 percent from the floor.

Ohio could struggle against Kent State if it fails to fix its offensive issue, and the Bobcats will risk a fall from their current No. 2 seed with a loss, which would be their first to the Golden Flashes since 2017.

In the previous meeting with Kent State, Cece Hooks and Erica Johnson led Ohio with 22 and 16 points, respectively. The Golden Flashes were led by 22 points from Alexa Golden and 20 points from Megan Carter.

The Bobcats also forced 16 turnovers in that game, and if they repeat that performance, a win should be within reach. But in that same game, Ohio had 22 turnovers, a sure sign as to why the game was too close for comfort.

Bob Boldon will coach against Todd Starkey for the sixth time, and he’s 3-2 against Starkey since Starkey arrived at Kent State in 2016.

@ANTHONYP_2 AP012215@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 7

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

STILL BALLIN’ How Kiyanna Black learned to stop hesitating and love the game J.L. KIRVEN | FOR THE POST FIRST QUARTER

uly 1, 2016 — Kiyanna Black stands on the 3-point line with the ball in her hands. She sees an opening in the defense and doesn’t hesitate to attack it. She never hesitates. Swiftly, she drives past her defender and heads for a layup.

The next morning, Kiyanna wakes up in her house in agonizing pain. The pain resides underneath the big, fluffy comforter that rests on her queen-sized bed. As she rolls back her silk sheets, she spots the culprit — her aching, warm and badly swollen left knee.

As Kiyanna limps out of bed, she hobbles to her right, being careful not to place too much weight on the left side. It’s an exercise she’s done too often as a basketball player with bad knees.

Yet the agony of post-game aches, the soreness after hundreds of practices — even a torn meniscus suffered during her sophomore season — does not compare to this pain.

“I have to get this checked out,” she thinks, replaying the moment she landed awkwardly after the layup a day earlier at Dodge Recreation Center in Columbus.

Hours later, Kiyanna sits in an exam room at the Jameson Crane Sports Medicine Institute. She went there after her high-school trainer diagnosed her of the big one. As she waits for Dr. Christopher Kaeding to return with a second opinion of her knee, the clock on the wall ticks. And as time fades away, so does the vision she’s had for her life since she was 9 years old.

And now, for the first time since third grade, she’s envisioning life without basketball.

Basketball is everything to her.

“It was the first thing that made me feel alive,” Kiyanna later says.

One month earlier, Kiyanna traveled to Indianapolis for the WNBA Combine, where she showcased the skills that made her Ohio University’s third all-time leading scorer (1,774 points).

8 / FEB. 21, 2019

Kiyanna Black serves as an assistant coach on Ohio University Women’s Basketball team.

(KELSEY BOEING / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)

She’s one of the shortest players on the court.

Standing at 5-foot-5 with an afro puff that gives her an extra inch, Kiyanna’s ability to hook passes around defenders, shoot over opposition and drive through hordes of bodies on her way to finishing around the rim, gained her respect.

She left the combine feeling hopeful about her future and close to signing with Jeanne McNulty-King, the agent who could make her hopes of playing overseas come true.

As the excitement of professional basketball and big-time agents fades away, Dr. Kaeding returns with news. It’s the big one. A torn ACL and MCL in her left knee. As he explains the injury in detail, Kiyanna makes a silent proclamation. This is it.

No more basketball.

No press conference, no retirement tour, just an athlete tired of being broken and rebuilt.

SECOND QUARTER Eight months have passed since Kiyanna broke up with her first love. Surgery on her knee went well and now she’s a manager at Retro Lounge, an old school bar

on the Columbus’ Eastside with good food, big TVs and friendly bartenders. She’s living her life and even seeing basketball from time to time in the form of pick-up games.

It’s not the lift she imagined, but she’s making it work. She never had a plan-b to basketball, but she’s adapted to her new life well. Kiyanna is too optimistic to dwell on misfortune. She’s always been that way.

She’s a jokester with a huge personality that’s never wavered. She is content, but family and close friends wonder how she deals with it alone.

“She was still herself in front of people,” Andrea Black, Kiyanna’s mother, said. “But you couldn’t really tell how she was by herself.”

Despite carrying a smile, they know Kiyanna misses the game. That’s why four friends from high school — Columbus Africentric, an Ohio girl’s basketball powerhouse — invite her as they make a run at the Columbus Parks and Rec women’s league championship.

For the first time basketball wise, Kiyanna hesitates.

“We tried to convince her to join the team,” CharVonna Chandler, one of the team members, says. “But we understood what she was dealing with, and we felt like she would come in her own time.”

Time is what Kiyanna needs. She went from robbing defenders of their balance to having her balance robbed as she tries to stand in the shower on her good

leg. Basketball doesn’t get to decide anymore when she’s ready.

Because when she comes back, she wants it to be like she never left.

A few weeks later, Kiyanna dons a mesh purple jersey for the Retired Nubians. The team name is forgettable, but the way they play is not.

The Retired Nubians cruise to the championship game. Kiyanna, Chandler and the rest of the team dominate the league but are forced to forfeit the title game after Chandler gets stuck in Route 315 traffic, leaving the squad with four players at tip-off.

Again, Kiyanna is knocked off the court.

THIRD QUARTER Kiyanna sits in her 2013 silver Chevy Malibu, waiting for a friend to finish up at a hair salon. To pass the time, Kiyanna swipes through apps on her phone.

Suddenly, a message from an old friend appears.

It’s coach Bob Boldon, her former coach at OU. The message clutches her attention because she hasn’t seen Boldon in months; they have a ton to catch up on, but he’s not reaching out for that. He needs Kiyanna’s help.

He wants her to return to Athens to coach under him as a graduate assistant.

Boldon is in a bind. His assistant coach left him for a head coaching job at Valparaiso, and took his graduate assistant with her. Boldon’s staff is incomplete and after a subpar season, people who helped build his legacy at Ohio continue to leave.

There are plenty of former players he can call, but he wants the best.

“I like all my players,” Boldon says later. “But it’s easy to like one of the best alltime players.”

The thought of being back on campus entices Kiyanna. Basketball, though, makes her hesitate — again. Instead of accepting the job over the phone, they decide to meet for lunch in a week.

At the meeting, held at a Panera in Canal Winchester, Kiyanna listens and eats a Caesar salad as Boldon details the job description: Mentoring the players, helping to plan the team’s eating arrangements and running Ohio’s scout team.

“I was like the hype man behind the scenes,” said Bobcats’ assistant coach Tarvares Jackson, who attended the meeting.

“I was like ‘Hey, KB, it’s a great opportunity.

We’d love to have you back. We miss you.’ ’” Kiyanna needs to get to work, so the reunion wraps up. Boldon and Jackson don’t expect an immediate answer, but they want a decision soon.

Two days later, she texts Coach Bob. “Let’s build champions.”

”

YOU DID NOT WANT TO BE IN THE SAME ROOM AFTER (KIYANNA) LOST. WE USED TO TELL HER, ‘DANG, IT’S JUST A GAME. IT’S OK.’”

FOURTH QUARTER Kiyanna stands at half court, near a dozen former Ohio women’s basketball players.

It’s the 50th anniversary celebration of The Convo, and the arena is as full as it’s ever been for a women’s game. The applause for these all-time greats sounds like thunder.

She’s the only former player dressed in fancy clothes. Her face brightens up from the new jumbotron, which was installed after she graduated. It’s showing a video of her hoisting the Mid-American Conference Tournament MVP trophy she won her junior year. After the recognition, she hurries to the locker room to prepare the Bobcats for the second half of a game against Ball State.

Junior shooting guard Amani Burke — she was a high school senior when Kiyanna graduated from Ohio — leads the Bobcats to a blowout win in record-breaking fashion. Burke makes 11 three-pointers in the game, breaking the previous mark held

by Kiyanna (10).

Players, fans and media who know how Kiyanna used to shut down after losses, wonder how she feels about watching her record fall.

“You did not want to be in the same room after (Kiyanna) lost,” Andrea Black says. “We used to tell her, ‘Dang, it’s just a game. It’s OK.’” But instead of being jealous, Kiyanna is elated for Burke and for the rest of the team for notching another win. She’s a coach now and when they win, she wins.

The team doesn’t see her as coach Black though, they see her as a big sister.

“It’s cool to have her here,” Burke says.

“She’s like a big sister to me, telling what I need to hear, what I don’t want to hear.”

At practice following the game, Kiyanna sits with players, talking life and her experiences. She’s known for memorable and funny quotes, none of which Burke said should ever be published.

But mainly Kiyanna speaks about how the team can experience the joys she did, and how they could avoid the sorrows.

Kiyanna saw Ohio struggle in her first two seasons. After six wins her freshman year to slightly improving to nine wins in her second, Kiyanna realized she had to be the Bobcats’ leader if they ever wanted to win. In Kiyanna’s final two seasons, Ohio won two MAC championships and the 2015 MAC Tournament. Those were the greatest teams in school history.

Now she’s back and teaching Ohio (213, 10-3 MAC) how to win.

- Andrea Black, Kiyanna’s mother

“When we came in (Boldon and Jackson), she was the foundation of what we had,” Jackson said. “Having her back and willing to mentor is great for our program.”

OVERTIME Kiyanna Black stands at the 3-point line with the ball in her hands.

Ohio’s practice is wrapping up with a scrimmage. Boldon tells everyone the next basket wins. “Sudden death,” he says.

Kiyanna starts to dribble.

The team knows how good she was. Defenders eyes are fixed on her.

They don’t know how to guard her. Give her too much space, and she’ll knock down the open shot. Play her too close, and she’ll make a move on you. That was during her playing days.

Can she still ball?

Players scramble to defend the former prep great, Ohio legend and short-lived rec league player with bad knees.

Kiyanna sees an opening in the defense. She doesn’t hesitate to attack it. She’ll never hesitate again.

She starts her favorite move, the step-back jumper that Erica Johnson calls lethal. The perfect choice for “sudden death.”

She drives hard, steps back, shoots the ball and then “swish.”

Game over.

While the other players look in disbelief, Kiyanna dances in celebration up the court.

She’s still got it.

@JL_KIRVEN JK810916@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 9

MEN’S BASKETBALL

SAUL PHILLIPS’ FUTURE Coach Saul Phillips and the Ohio Athletic Department

PETE NAKOS | ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

aul Phillips can’t run from history.

No matter how unfair it may seem or how long it’s been since Ohio has truly been a conference power, the NCAA Tournament banners will still be hanging in The Convo and the fan base will always have high standards. The tradition created by six Mid-American Conference Tournament Championships, 14 regular season titles, the 2012 run to the Sweet Sixteen and countless Convo legends — it’s all inescapable.

After five seasons, it’s hard to see how the partnership between Phillips and Ohio can last much longer.

There are two big questions that constantly hover over Ohio basketball: Is Phillips ever going to be the coach that leads Ohio to sustainable success at the top of the MAC again? And is there a better man to do it? After nearly five years, it’s hard to answer the first question. It might be even tougher to answer the second question.

Barring unforeseen events over the next month, this could be a partnership that has run its course. Phillips’ contract is set to expire on May 15. Whether Ohio Athletic Director Jim Schaus cuts ties early is still to be decided, but it’s hard to see Phillips brought back after back-to-back losing seasons, especially without an extension already in place.

That’s the state of Ohio basketball and Phillips: in flux without a clear direction of the future.

10 / FEB. 21, 2019

STATS

$550,000 SALARY

“If there’s a snap-your-finger solution to it, I think I would have told them by now,” Phillips said after Ohio’s fourth straight loss last week. “(My confidence) has to be good. I’m the leader of this team.”

On April 8, 2015, Phillips was introduced as the 18th coach of Ohio basketball.

Fresh off of an NCAA Tournament upset of Oklahoma, he made the decision to leave North Dakota State after seven seasons and two Summit League Championships.

In his introductory press conference in The Convo, Phillips was a ball of energy. He talked about the reasons why he left Fargo, North Dakota, such as the bigger budget for a coaching staff and the fertile recruiting land of Ohio. The reasons also included a better facility, The Convo and a strong fan base.

He spoke of how he wanted to put a team on the court that had fun playing the game of basketball and believed in one another.

But above all else, Phillips was blunt. He wanted to be in Athens until his daughter graduates from high school. In 2015, he had no intentions of leaving Southeast Ohio after his first contract.

“I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again,” Phillips said. “I’m going to be here for as long as I can win.”

Near the end of his press conference that day, he said he’s not a Rubik’s Cube, but a simple man who loves basketball.

Yet, his teams haven’t been easy to figure out.

Over five seasons his teams have had turnover and injury problems. He’s had eight players transfer. 2016 Mid-American Conference Player of the Year Antonio Campbell never finished his senior season due to injury. James Gollon has officially medically disqualified himself, he never played a full season as a Bobcat.

One of the top 3-point shooters in the country, Jordan Dartis, has undergone multiple hip surgeries and hasn’t played since last season.

As of late, Phillips has had to rely on teams littered with minimal playing experience and loads of youth.

The Bobcats, however, couldn’t build upon two-straight 20-plus win seasons in 2015-16 and 2016-17. Both times, Ohio finished as the No. 2 seed, but the second was a disappointment after Ohio lost Campbell for the season. It was the end of a frustrat-

78-73

OVERALL RECORD

6

LOSSES IN A ROW

Ohio head coach Saul Phillips argues with a referee during the second half of the Bobcats’ 85-70 win over Akron on Feb. 4, 2017 at the Convocation Center. (FILE)

ing season, capped off by Jaaron Simmons’ transfer two months after the end of the season.

Since then, Ohio is 25-30 and 10-20 in MAC play without small forward Kenny Kaminski, Simmons and Campbell. With them, Phillips was 42-23 overall and 21-14 in the MAC. After last year’s 14-17 output and now in the midst of a six-game losing streak, Ohio seems to be headed toward backto-back losing seasons for the first time since 2002-03 and 2003-04, when it was coached by Tim O’Shea.

There’s no doubt last year’s team was profoundly unlucky. Without Simmons, Teyvion Kirk was thrust into a starting point guard role he wasn’t ready for. Dartis missed significant time due to injury and was never his true self. Mike Laster’s shoulder was popping in-and-out almost every game, and Gavin Block’s stamina was at its lowest due to extensive playing time.

Put that on top of Ben Vander Plas and Jason Carter missing the year due to injury and the departure of three starters, and it becomes clear that a lot was working against the Bobcats a year ago.

This season, Ohio’s been bad. Its de-

“IF THERE’S A SNAPYOUR-FINGER SOLUTION TO IT, I THINK I WOULD OF TOLD THEM BY NOW. (MY CONFIDENCE) HAS TO BE GOOD. I’M THE LEADER OF THIS TEAM.”

”

- Saul Phillips, fense is one of the best in the MAC, but the Bobcats’ offense has struggled to average just 60 points in conference play. Their offensive efficiency ranks 319th nationally at .920 points per possesion. Currently, Ohio ranks 206th in NET rankings and 218 in KenPom rankings.

The Bobcats’ nonconference schedule left them with an 8-4 record and feeling relatively excited for conference play. Now, Ohio isn’t just losing. It’s losing in ways that direct contrast to what the program was built on, struggling to score the ball and knock down shots beyond the arc.

Not once in the Phillips era have the Bobcats reached the MAC Championship Game or won the MAC Regular Season title.

Almost five years after the opening press conference, Phillips’ once black hair has a few more touches of gray. There’s no question that his time in Athens has been taxing on the 46-year-old.

The family man who loves to coach the game of basketball may be out of a job in the coming months. He continues to stay positive amidst his team’s losing streak.

Still, it wears on him.

After Ohio’s past two home losses, he’s been stoic and short, not the cheery and energetic man he was earlier. After the beatdown from rival Akron on The Convo’s 50th birthday celebration, Phillips seemed defeated.

At the start of the season, he wouldn’t comment on contract matters — not to evade questions, but because he doesn’t want to speak about it openly.

That’s continued throughout the season.

If Ohio cuts ties before May 15, it will be contractually responsible to pay Phillips a percentage of $550,000 that’s equal to the number of days remaining in year five divided by the number of days in year five of the contract. He’s the highest paid employee on campus, and his base salary is the second highest of men’s basketball coaches in the conference.

Some players have been asked about it, but none will say if its been talked about among the team. At the same time, none have acted like they didn’t know what was being talked about.

Still, no sides will talk. When contacted for comment or a word of confidence in Phillips, Schaus and the athletic department gave no comment. Phillips won’t talk about it as Ohio enters the last three weeks of play.

Thus, Ohio is at a crossroads.

The further the Bobcats’ favorable history recedes into the past, the more it hangs over the current state of the program. After five years of Phillips, the Bobcats don’t appear to be much closer to recapturing past glory, creating a situation that isn’t sustainable for much longer.

@PETE_NAKOS96 PN997515@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 11

OH BOBC

12 / FEB. 21, 2019

HIO CATS

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 13

SIDELINES TO STARDOM Two knee surgeries and a redshirt year haven’t stopped Erica Johnson from bursting onto the scene in her first full year with the Bobcats ANTHONY POISAL | STAFF WRITER

rica Johnson lowered the white leg sleeve on her left knee after practice Monday in The Convo.

She needed to let her body breathe after an intense 80-minute practice, but as she adjusted the white sleeve, she revealed a series of scars that hid the four broken screws still inserted in her surgically repaired knee.

Johnson, however, felt no pain. She’s proven to be one of the toughest players for Ohio this year, and after she endured two years without a single minute of game action, the redshirt freshman 14 / FEB. 21, 2019

has become one of the most lethal players for the Bobcats.

But it came with a price. The scars and screws, which safely remained in her knee after her second surgery in less than four years, are all she has left to show for the pain and patience she experienced before she was finally penciled into the lineup.

“I was a dog waiting in the cage to come out,” Johnson said. “It was extremely hard, especially mentally. It's great to finally see it all come together. This is what I've been working for.”

STATS

13.5

POINTS PER GAME

30

MINUTES PER GAME

”

“IT WAS REALLY MENTALLY TOUGH. THE ASPECT OF KNOWING I CAN GET THIS MANY POINTS A GAME. WE HAD A BIG REBOUNDING PROBLEM LAST YEAR. I CAN BE OUT THERE REBOUNDING. I CAN BE OUT THERE DOING THIS, DOING THAT — HELPING MY TEAM. THAT WAS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING. - Erica Johnson, point guard

Without Johnson, Ohio likely wouldn’t be atop the Mid-American Conference, and its offense wouldn’t carry the same punch that’s placed it No. 1 in the MAC. The 5-foot-11 point guard is second on Ohio with 14 points per game, first with six rebounds per game and fourth with a 40.4 percentage from 3-point range.

Her ability to shoot the ball from anywhere on the court was a weapon Ohio lacked last year when it went 16-15 and failed to make it out of the second round in the MAC Tournament. Johnson was eight months removed from a second knee surgery when Boldon decided to redshirt her before last season.

Johnson suffered from an osteochondral defect, which is when a joint suffers from a lack of cartilage support. It limited the growth of her knee and, after the first surgery, forced her to sacrifice her entire high school sophomore season at Mansfield High School and the last half of her senior year.

Doctors were surprised to see that Johnson, who began playing basketball in fourth grade, lasted until high school without suffering further pain. Johnson wanted to fight through it, however, and accomplish her biggest goal — eclipse 1,000 points. She was at 847 and was confident that she’d reach it in her final month in high school.

Her parents thought differently.

“It’s a blessing that she was even able to play,” said Katrina Douglas, Johnson’s mom.

“She had to let her knee heal, and just the fact that she was able to play was a miracle.”

73.1

FREE-THROW PERCENTAGE

Johnson accepted her offer from Boldon in her junior year, and her parents wanted her to focus on her future with the Bobcats. That meant forgoing the rest of the senior year for another surgery to address the pain.

Johnson begged her parents until her dad, Eric Johnson, told her about their decision.

“No. You’re done,” he said. “I went and told the coach that we would not allow her to play again, because she would have continued to play. Even though she was laboring real bad, we said no.”

Johnson shook her head and said she understood, but deep down, she was crushed.

“That was a tough pill to swallow,” Johnson said. “I had to think about my college career and about my life in general.”

Her next chapter was Ohio, where Boldon wanted to have Johnson play as much as possible. She could have played in small portions as a true freshman, but Boldon felt that was a waste. He needed four full years of Johnson, and he didn’t want to risk long-term damage to her knee.

So she sat on the bench and watched as her teammates struggled to accomplish what she could do best — rebound and score.

“It was hard sometimes watching her just kill us in practice and knowing that she could help us win games,” Boldon said.

“Whatever years I get to coach Erica, I want her to play as many games as possible that year. Whether it's 30, 32 or 35, however many we got to play this year. I didn't want it to be 12. That's not a good use of her skill set.”

Johnson hated the bench. She understood Boldon’s reasons for redshirting her, but she missed nearly half of her high school career nursing her knee. Ohio was supposed to be different.

“It was really mentally tough,” Johnson said. “The aspect of knowing I can get this many points a game. We had a big rebounding problem last year. I can be out there rebounding. I can be out there doing this, doing that — helping my team. That was extremely frustrating.”

She knew, however, that she would still play four years with the Bobcats if she found a way to stay healthy. Dak Notestine, Ohio’s women’s basketball and football strength coach, told Johnson her knee issues would vanish if she did something no other doctor mentioned before — build up her quadriceps.

Johnson was shocked. A stronger quad would soften the pressure on her knee,

40.4

3-POINT PERCENTAGE

but she didn’t know why it took nearly four years for her to learn the solution was that simple.

"Where I'm from, they really don't have the resources of other schools,” Johnson said. “I didn't know at the time that they weren't preparing me, but once I got here and saw I didn't have a quad muscle, I just realized that I wasn't prepared for what I was getting myself into.”

Johnson has devoted a full year to building her quad muscles. She’s taken advantage of her player-only 24-hour access to The Convo; she spends nearly three hours a day, from 7-10 p.m., doing her own workouts inside the arena.

It paid off.

It’s why she was able to zoom by a Western Michigan defender for an easy layup last Saturday. And a Purdue defender in December. And a Buffalo defender in January.

Johnson made those moves look simple, but it was her willingness to tolerate two surgeries and another painful year from the bench that she could even be on the court.

She’s averaged 30 minutes per game in her first full season and has shown Boldon a ceiling of talent he hasn’t seen since Kiyanna Black, who scored the third-most points in Ohio program history.

“I don't know where she will go,” Boldon said. “I think she'll make a run at some records here. I don't know what they'll be.

In that she'll be one of the best players to play here? I think so.”

For now, Johnson is just thankful to play. Her knee is healthy, and she’s on a team that could go from an early MAC Tournament dropout to an NCAA Tournament appearance in one year.

She still has scars that show the physical toll of her path to Ohio stardom, but the mental scars are long gone.

“Nobody knows the long nights and the long hours I put in the gym and what I did and what I went through during the redshirt season,” Johnson said. “I just waited for my time. This is what I've been working for, so to be riding this wave is great for me.”

The injury’s behind her. The time has been put in, and she has won over full praise from her coach.

Now, it’s Erica Johnson’s turn to be great.

@ANTHONYP_2 AP012215@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 15

MEN’S BASKETBALL

BOB BOLDON’S FUTURE The Bobcats are the perfect fit for Boldon J.L. KIRVEN FOR THE POST ob Boldon is a master of making the best out of a bad situation.

He did it at Youngstown State before coming to Ohio six years ago. Boldon helped the lowly Penguins win their first game in nearly two years.

The Penguins were 6-24 in his first season, but when he left, Youngstown State was 23-10 and the second-best team in the Horizon League.

Boldon’s heroics ended up catching the attention of another pitiful program, one that also needed a savior: the worst team in the Mid-American Conference.

The Bobcats were 6-23, deep in the pit of the MAC, under Semeka Randall before Boldon came in and saved the day. He improved the Bobcats to 9-20 in his first season. Absolutely remarkable.

All sarcasm aside, Boldon’s next five

16 / FEB. 21, 2019

years have been the best span in school history. He won two Mid-American Conference regular season titles (2014-2015 and 2015-2016) and a MAC Tournament championship (2015), and he turned Ohio from the worst team in the conference to one of the best mid-major programs in the country.

And in six years, he’s only three victories away from the most wins all-time in program history, 123.

Now that’s actually remarkable.

But how long will the Boldon era last?

Coaches don’t come to Ohio to finish out their careers — unless their names are Frank Solich — and soon, Power Five schools will call for Boldon’s services. Will the influence and money of Big Ten, SEC and ACC schools be too much for him to pass on?

It’s tough to say. Boldon has earned the right to be looked at by more prestigious schools, and many people would leave to advance their careers. But who

cares what other people think? You have to ask the source what’s going on in their mind. That’s what I did.

As Boldon hovered over the scrum during Monday’s media availability, I asked him point blank, “Why’d you take this job and what are you proud of?”

After Boldon’s eyes shrunk back to normal size, he collected his thoughts and answered the question, stunning reporters.

“I never wanted to take this job,” he said.

Boldon went on to say how he hates taking new jobs, which isn’t surprising. He doesn’t like change, or zone defenses, or Thanksgiving (a column for another time).

But ultimately, Ohio Athletic Director Jim Schaus won him over with a tour of the campus — which is much more serene than the concrete jungle of Youngstown.

Boldon went on to say what his perfect coaching situation was: a beautiful campus, good people and sustainable winning.

Let’s see if Ohio checks the boxes.

Beautiful campus: While it’s cold and hilly and it’s really easy to slip on wet brick, Ohio has a beautiful campus out of a movie, so, check.

Good people: Boldon isn’t harassed by hundreds of media outlets, and the town is small but supportive, so, check.

Sustainable winning: Boldon constantly recruits the best freshmen in the MAC. He’s got one of the best teams in the MAC and only has to replace two starters next year, so, check.

Boldon has the perfect situation in Athens. The players love him, and so do the fans. It’s one of the few relationships still going strong in Athens.

Sounds like Boldon’s got what he needs to be happy in Athens for a while, but don’t get too optimistic.

@JL_KIRVEN JK810916@OHIO.EDU

MEN’S BASKETBALL

BVP’S JOURNEY Ben Vander Plas has grown in his first full season at Ohio, both on and off the court PETE NAKOS ASST. SPORTS EDITOR or a year, Ben Vander Plas envisioned himself playing for Ohio.

He sat near the end of the Bobcats’ bench next to Jason Carter and watched the Bobcats play basketball. Vander Plas felt helpless as he watched player after player fight through injury last year, but all he could do was wait and rehab from his own injury.

When he finally returned to practice in the last half of the season, it was obvious the forward from Ripon, Wisconsin, could play. His 6-foot-8 frame gave him the ability to outbound opponents, but it was his seamless shooting form that shined.

For much of this season, Vander Plas has shown off glimpses of what he can do in small spurts. But it was his performance Saturday at Central Michigan that culminated countless hours of rehab and work this season, as he scored 24 points and pulled down 13 rebounds.

“He’s been flashing that potential for awhile now,” coach Saul Phillips said Monday. “He played with absolutely no fear and apprehension. He was one of the best players on the floor the other night.”

There’s no question Ohio has struggled to win games this season. It has lost six straight.

Vander Plas has been one of the glimpses of a possible promising future. Saturday marked his second double-double of the season, and he’s averaging nine points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

Still, whenever Phillips sees him on the court, he always thinks of Vander Plas’ father, Dean. Dean coached Ben in high

”

“THAT’S REALLY ALL THAT MATTERS: SEEING YOUR SON COMPETE AND LOVE HIS TEAMMATES. AS HIS DAD, I’M PRETTY DAMN PROUD OF HIM. - Dean Vander Plas, Ben’s father

Ben Van der Plas dunks in the first half of the Bobcats game against Rio Grande on Nov. 3. (COLIN MAYR / FILE)

school and was a Wisconsin high school basketball legend.

As a college basketball player, he played at Wisconsin-Green Bay and helped the Phoenix to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 1991.

He coached Ben in high school at Ripon, and he had to watch his son go through a setback his sophomore season. Instead of using it as an excuse, Ben came back stronger and ended up as a Bobcat. After last season’s setback, Ben worked hard in the weight room, so he can now have control in the paint.

Dean retired from coach-

ing after Ben’s senior year and relocated to Minneapolis due to work, but he still makes it to games. One of his favorite things now is that he gets to be Ben’s dad, not Ben’s coach. His wife travels to the mid-week games, but he calls dibs on the weekend games.

“One of the great things about Ben playing at Ohio is I’ve gotten to be his dad,” Dean said. “That’s really all that matters: seeing your son compete and love his teammates. As his dad, I’m pretty damn proud of him.”

Ohio’s 87-80 loss to Central Michigan marked loss No. 5 of

the losing streak, but for Dean, it was an opportunity to watch his son play the game they both love.

Twenty four points was nice, but for the dad he takes more joy in seeing his son doing the small things right, things he used to always tell him to do.

Speaking candidly over the phone Wednesday, Dean said that sending Ben to Ohio was the best fit for the 20-year-old to grow from being a boy to a man.

In the Vander Plas family, basketball isn’t a game of wins or losses, it’s an opportunity to mature.

“We trust coach Phillips. I realize that for you covering a team

or people who are in administration that it’s about wins and losses,” he said. “Basketball for the Vander Plas’ family has always been part of the maturation process.

“I can say with no reservations, we trust coach Phillips and his staff in bringing about our son from being a boy to a man.

They have our full support at our house. He has a job to do, and we’re going to trust him to do it.”

@PETE_NAKOS96 PN997515@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 17

A DOME OF HISTORY A look at the history of Ohio University’s Convocation Center and how it came to be TAYLOR JOHNSTON | FOR THE POST rowning Ohio University’s campus, The Convo was not always a favorite building choice among faculty and staff.

“The faculty referred to it as the ‘big thermostat,’ ” Bill Kimok, university archivist and records manager, said.

One of the largest Schwedler domes in the U.S. at the time, The Convo was built to hold approximately 13,000 seats and host major campus events such as commencement, basketball games and other large gatherings, according to a 1968 report from Citizen-Journal.

The Convo celebrated its 50th anniversary on Feb. 2 and has seen several changes since its creation.

In 1965, Fred Beasley, an Athens car dealer and “president of the largest engine-rebuilding industry in the country,” pledged $1 million to construct The Convo. He requested that the building bear his name, according to a 1979 Post article.

After former OU President Vernon Alden announced the construction of the building, plans were delayed, according to Ohio University: Change, Confrontation, and Crisis.

In 1966, the sign announcing the “Fred Beasley Center” was covered, and Alden and other faculty members began calling it The Convo.

“No formal statement was issued as to the whereabouts of the car dealer,” the article read.

Beasley had “become aged, his judgment became clouded and he couldn’t make the deals,” the 1979 Post article read.

The prosperity of the 1960s collapsed into a recession in the 1970s, and the debt on the building would become a “debilitating burden,” according to the book.

But, in 1968, The Convo was completed for $8.5 million and other universities were completing their own arenas at lower costs. Miami University’s Millett Hall, for example, cost $6.5 million, according to a Post article.

The Convo, however, hosted its first game Dec. 3, 1968, against Indiana. Prior to the building, basketball games were held in Grover Center, which had 6,800 seats, according to a 1979 Post article.

18 / FEB. 21, 2019

(PROVIDED via Ohio University Archives)

According to a 1969 Post article, it was estimated that the center would lose about $400,000 a year. At the time, OU had a population of 13,000 and Athens had a population of 18,000, and The Convo was built too large to accommodate those factors. In its first 10 years of existence, the center was only filled once, which was during a 1970 conference basketball game against Bowling Green.

The Convo was not designed to be a “multi-purpose” facility. Originally, the Ohio Athletics director at the time, William Rohr, wanted The Convo to include an indoor track, an Olympic-sized swimming pool and an indoor field house that extended outside for football practices.

Many architectural mistakes are apparent in its construction. For example, the press box at the top of the west side

stands does not allow for broadcasters or members of the press to see the court, only the seats on the opposite side of the arena.

Today, The Convo houses basketball games, as well as volleyball and wrestling matches. There are offices inside for athletics, including the baseball, basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, soccer, softball, track, volleyball and wrestling programs, and classrooms for the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. It is also a residence hall.

One of the most recent upgrades to The Convo included an upgrade to the video board that was completed before the Fall Semester 2018. The roof was reinforced to hold a four-sided display of screens, according to an Ohio Bobcats news release.

Future plans to upgrade the residence

hall portion of the building are planned for the summer, and $3.5 million will go to upgrading the bathrooms.

“This summer we are going to completely redo the 36 bathroom facilities in the residence hall section. The budget for the project is $3.5 million, and the scope of the project includes new finishes, fixtures, plumbing, HVAC and electrical in the bathroom areas,” Pete Trentacoste, executive director for Housing and Residence Life, said in an email.

The project will provide additional showers and water closets from the original building design, Trentacoste said in an email. The construction is anticipated to be completed this summer by the 2019 Fall Semester.

@TF_JOHNSTON TJ369915@OHIO.EDU

THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME In 1969, Led Zeppelin rocked The Convo — as the opener for “Feliz Navidad” singer José Feliciano ALEX MCCANN | DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR hen he heard Led Zeppelin was coming to Athens, 19-year-old Steve Shanesy knew he had to see the band that he and his friends had been raving about for the past few months.

It was 1969, and Led Zeppelin’s self-titled debut album was the hottest record in rock music. The band was scheduled to perform as the opening act for folk-pop singer José Feliciano. Shanesy, a Post reporter at the time, quickly made it known to his editors that he wanted to cover the show.

That’s how he and his then-girlfriend (now wife), Kit Anderson, wound up in The Convo’s locker room with Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham on May 17, 1969.

Shanesy and Anderson spent about an hour prior to the show backstage with the band members, who he described as “mellow and somewhat quiet.”

Well, mostly.

“They were not shy about saying, ‘Do you have any pot to smoke?’ And we sort of anticipated that and said, ‘Well, yes we do,’ ” Shanesy said. “I guess that was the other interesting thing: smokin’ a joint with Led Zeppelin in the Convocation Center locker room.”

‘THEY WERE REALLY CHEAP’ José Feliciano was a star in 1969, though the song for which the blind singer is now most widely known, “Feliz Navidad,” wouldn’t come out until 1970.

Steve Bossin, the head of OU’s

campus entertainment board at the time, didn’t think Feliciano was a big enough draw to fill The Convo.

After two weeks of ticket sales, only about 1,500 people had shelled out $2.50 to see Feliciano, Bossin said.

“No one wanted to go see José Feliciano,” Bossin said. “So we needed an opening act.”

The two leading candidates were Three Dog Night and Led Zeppelin, both rising bands at the time. Bossin’s group eventually decided on the latter.

“We thought we’d take a flier, couldn’t do any worse, and they were really cheap,” Bossin said.

That flier paid off. On a Monday, Bossin was notified that Led Zeppelin could be added to the bill. A few days later, Bossin opened the box office at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium for the first time since the announcement.

“And by the end of the day, there were no tickets left,” Bossin said.

THE LEVEE BREAKS About 14,000 excited concertgoers packed the seats and the hardwood floor of The Convo on the night of May 17. When Led Zeppelin took the stage, the soldout arena practically exploded.

“They had everybody on their feet from the first minute they came out,” Bossin said.

Smashing through tracks like “Communication Breakdown” and “Dazed and Confused” with a signature allure, Zeppelin blew away the audience.

“Part of what made their sound seem fresh and interesting

From left to right, Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones sit in the locker room of The Convo ahead of the band’s performance May 17, 1969.

(PROVIDED via Steve Shanesy)

is how they would just explode with stuff onstage,” Shanesy said.

“They’d go from kind of quieting down to just ramping up a sound that just totally let loose.”

The fans went crazy, screaming and banging chairs, demanding more, more, more. Zeppelin played two encores — unheard of for an opener — and would’ve played longer if José Feliciano’s road manager hadn’t demanded his headliner be allowed to take the stage.

By the time Feliciano’s guide dog led him to a stool in the middle of the stage, The Convo had emptied drastically — Bossin estimates that only about 3,000 of the 14,000-plus attendees remained.

A comment posted by Jim Copacino, then an OU student who was present, on Led Zeppelin’s website reads, “Poor José. ... It was like a sad little rainbow following a hurricane.”

‘IT WAS A GREAT TIME’ With his platform shoes off and his Converse All-Stars back on, Jimmy Page hung around Baker Center after the show as the band waited to head to the airport — next stop, Minneapolis.

For Led Zeppelin, Athens was just another stop on the tour.

But for The Convo — and for those who filled it to capacity — May 17, 1969, still holds a signifi-

Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, left, and vocalist Robert Plant perform during the band’s show on May 17, 1969.

(PROVIDED via Steve Shanesy)

cance. The concert helped establish The Convo as a premier music venue in Ohio.

“It was important for The Convo, also, which was brand new,” said Robert Williams, a professor of biomedical and mechanical engineering at OU and the author of A Bulleted/Pictorial History of Ohio University.

Later in 1969, Bossin booked The Who. He was offered the Rolling Stones but had to decline due to a conflict with another show.

Bossin, now a political consul-

tant, looks back fondly on the time.

“I love talking about it,” he said. “I love reliving that. It was a great time.”

Shanesy still gets a kick out of telling people the story of the time he hung out with Led Zeppelin at Ohio University.

“It’s a great story to tell people,” Shanesy said. “It’s like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ ” @ALEXRMCCANN AM622914@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 19

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

A LITTLE ‘STITIOUS Each player has their own routine, but the team has collectively developed a few habits this season ALEXIS EICHELBERGER | CULTURE EDITOR ame day goes a little differently for everyone on the Ohio women’s basketball team.

Before each game, the team will shoot around and eat a meal together, but from then on, each player has their own routine to follow, some more specific than others. Some are superstitious; others simply enjoy regularity.

Despite individual differences, players of the Ohio women’s basketball team have developed some game day traditions they follow collectively, and the players are perhaps just a little more eager than usual to adhere to an established ritual as they continue to pursue a top rank in the Mid-American Conference.

Senior forward Dominique Doseck is almost always the first to step on the floor before a game — and if she’s running late, her team still ensures she takes the first shot of the warmup. While she shoots around, she wears her silver Beats headphones, which play what some might consider an unconventional playlist.

“I’m a big country music fan, which is odd obviously,” Doseck said. “Not a lot of people like listening to country to work out or warm up. But I do.”

Doseck doesn’t mind the music that’s played over The Convo speakers, but she prefers her own selections. Lately, her pregame jams of choice have come from her Spotify-made Top 100 of 2018 playlist and songs by her favorite country artists like Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs.

“I like music that’s gonna make me happy and get me excited to play,” Doseck said. “So

20 / FEB. 21, 2019

(From left to right) Ohio’s Amani Burke (#3), Gabby Burris (#41) and Alexandra Antonova (#35) celebrate a 3-pointer against Akron on Feb. 6. (KELSEY BOEING / FILE)

I’ll play my country music while we shoot around.”

The rest of her warm-up is mapped out by the minute. She knows exactly what the clock should read — 36 minutes — ­ when she starts to jog across the court and stretch. At 30 minutes, she’ll head to the locker room for a few minutes before her teammates to put on her jersey. At 26 minutes, the rest of her team will join her.

“I like having my set schedule,” Doseck said. “I’m a big planner. That’s just my personality.

I like being on a schedule and knowing what’s going on.”

Junior guard Amani Burke

”

“SOME OF MY TEAMMATES ARE SUPERSTITIOUS, BUT FOR THE REST OF US, JUST HAVING A ROUTINE IS REALLY HELPFUL IN GETTING THE SAME OUTCOME. - Amani Burke, Ohio guard

has a few important elements in her pregame routine, too. Like Doseck, she chooses a playlist of music that’s upbeat to listen to while shooting around. But before she gets to The Convo, there are a few other important items on the agenda.

“I kind of just always have to take a nap before the game and always rejuvenate in that way,” she said.

Since her freshman year, Burke has also prayed three times on game days: once before she goes to the gym, once during the national anthem and once before tipoff for the five starters.

That routine began in college,

but her pregame prayers have roots that trace as far back as her high school basketball career.

“I’m huge in my faith,” Burke said. “And my brother was also a basketball player, and he talks about the power of it and meditation and stuff. He’s definitely a big influence but also my family.”

Burke’s teammates embrace her habit, too. Someone always reminds the group about the pregame prayer, and they always choose Burke to lead them.

“They definitely are into it,” Burke said. “We always have to take time to do that first, when we play.”

It seems that most of the Ohio women aren’t overly superstitious, but the team has a few quirks it feels the need to follow. Some players insist on always standing in the same spot in the huddle, and it’s imperative everyone makes their last shot during the pregame warmup.

Burke isn’t sure why, exactly, they feel the need to stick to their habits. She knows it won’t really have an effect on the game’s outcome, but they do it anyway. Especially this year. The Bobcats are currently 21-3 overall with 10 wins in the MAC, putting them in second place in the conference.

“Some of my teammates are superstitious, but for the rest of us, just having a routine is really helpful in getting the same outcome,” Burke said. “We’ve had a great season, so when we’re winning, we’re like, ‘We gotta keep this up. We gotta keep doing this every game.’ ”

@ADEICHELBERGER AE595714@OHIO.EDU

NEWS BRIEFS

Construction costs raise concerns; student trustee candidates announced MADDIE CAPRON MANAGING EDITOR CONSTRUCTION PROPOSAL RAISES CONCERNS OVER CITY COST ESTIMATES Several city council members said Monday they were concerned with the city’s inaccurate cost estimates on projects.

The concern emerged during conversations regarding the construction of the Richland Avenue Pedestrian Passageway Project, which would connect West Green and Baker Center. The project was originally estimated to cost about $3.4 million. Now, the project will total about $3.6 million, Councilman Peter Kotses, D-At Large, said at the meeting.

Councilman Pat McGee, I-At Large, said he is more concerned with how much the city spends on construction projects.

“One of the things I’ve noticed when I’ve come to council is how we tend to throw lots of money at rather small projects, or large

projects, making them larger,” McGee said.

OU CHILLICOTHE DEAN ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT The dean of Ohio University Chillicothe campus announced Tuesday that he plans to retire in June.

Marty Tuck has been the dean of the Chillicothe campus since 2011 and will retire on June 30, according to a university news release. Tuck plans on returning to the College of Arts and Sciences to teach in OU’s early retirement program.

“It has been a pleasure to serve the Chillicothe Campus as its dean for the past eight years and work with the very talented faculty and staff of the campus,” Tuck said in the news release.

Tuck is the current chair of the Executive Board of the Ross County United Way and is a member of the Chillicothe Rotary Club, according to a news release.

FINAL EIGHT CANDIDATES FOR STUDENT TRUSTEE ANNOUNCED OU Student Senate announced Wednesday the eight candidates for next year’s student trustee. The trustee will serve on the Board of Trustees for two years.

Student trustees are selected by Ohio’s governor and must be in good standing with the university. Student Senate will vote for the final five applicants at Thursday’s town hall.

The eight students include: Adam Boesinger, a sophomore majoring in marketing and economics; Sam Carryer, a freshman studying applied mathematics; Ellen Gill-Franks, a freshman studying English pre-law and criminology and sociology; Justin Kelley, a sophomore studying accounting, financing, marketing and business pre-law; Ryan Steere, a sophomore studying biology; Levi Toback, a first-year student in the clinical psychology doctorate program; Eli Wanner, a sophomore studying history in the Honors Tutorial College; Daniel Warmke, a graduate student studying media arts and studies and who will

be in the doctoral program in the fall.

LANCASTER WOMAN ARRESTED IN ONGOING DRUG INVESTIGATION A woman was arrested last Wednesday in connection with multiple felony charges by the Athens County Major Crimes Unit.

Jessica Morris, 39, of Lancaster, was arrested on a nationwide felony arrest warrant by the Major Crimes Unit. The warrant had been issued by Athens County after she was indicted on Monday for four felony charges, according to a Major Crimes Unit news release.

The charges included one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a first degree felony; one count of having weapons while under disability, a third degree felony; one count of money laundering, a third degree felony; and one count of obstructing justice, a fifth degree felony.

@MADDIECAPRON MC055914@OHIO.EDU

POLICE BLOTTER

Student sleeps on sidewalk; man denies urinating MEGAN CARLSON FOR THE POST After a long week and a night out, it can be hard to make it all the way home before falling asleep sleep.

At about 11 p.m. Saturday, the Ohio University Police Department found a student laying on the sidewalk at the intersection of Union Street and College Street.

He appeared to be asleep and did not respond to verbal commands. Once the individual was awake, he was found to be highly intoxicated and unable to care for himself, according to the OUPD report. He was arrested for underage consumption and possessing a fake ID. NEED A BAND-AID? OUPD responded to a report of an unconscious woman in front of the third floor elevator of Bromley Hall on Sunday at about 1 a.m.

The student had abrasions and blood on her elbows, knees and ankles. She could not stand or keep her eyes open. The student also had slurred speech and smelled like al-

cohol. She was transported to OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital and issued a citation for disorderly conduct by intoxication.

BOYS WILL BE BOYS The Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to the State Route 682 overpass on Friday for a report of a juvenile throwing rocks off of the bridge.

Deputies made contact with the juvenile who said he was throwing rocks at the ground. The juvenile said he would be go home for the night. No further action was needed.

URINE TROUBLE The sheriff’s office responded to Dollar General in Albany on Saturday to a report of a man urinating in the parking lot.

Albany Police Department made contact on Route 50 and conducted a traffic stop. The man was told he was stopped due to the complaint. He denied urinating in the parking lot but said he did state that he dumped some liquids out that might have caused someone to believe he was

urinating,” according to the report. No further action was taken.

HIT AND RUN The sheriff’s office responded to Vore Ridge Road for a report of property damage on Friday.

The complainant advised that a vehicle struck his fence last week. The driver of the vehicle was supposed to come back and repair the fence but did not. The case is pending further investigation.

port of an injured K9.

Deputies found that the K9 was not injured, and an intoxicated woman had locked herself out of the house. The woman said she would wait until the landlord was awake to contact him.

TURN IT DOWN Deputies responded to Vanderhoof Road in Coolville on Monday for a loud noise complaint.

Deputies went to the residence and made contact with the homeowner but determined no crime had occurred. Deputies advised the owner to be courteous of other neighbors. No further action was taken.

WATER YOU DOING? The sheriff’s office responded to Main Street in Chauncey on Thursday for a report of a vehicle driving through high water. Deputies contacted the owner, and it was determined that the vehicle was safe.

The driver was released with a warning, and no further action was taken.

Deputies observed another vehicle drive through high water on Main Street in Chauncey on Thursday. Deputies spoke with the driver and told her it was unsafe to drive through the high water. Deputies issued a citation to the driver for driving on a closed roadway.

WHO LOCKED THE OWNER OUT? On Thursday, deputies responded to Depot Street in New Marshfield for a re-

@MEGCHRIISTINE MC199517@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 21

the weekender OPEN MIC NIGHT TO PROMOTE DIVERSITY HANNAH BURKHART FOR THE POST Students Teaching About Racism in Society (STARS) is hosting Black Magic Open Mic Night on Friday at 8 p.m. The event will feature black poets, musicians and singers sharing their work.

The open mic night will be held at Donkey Coffee and Espresso, 17 W. Washington St., and is part of Ohio University’s celebration of Black History Month. Any black artist interested in sharing their work will be welcome.

Chris Pyle, co-owner of Donkey Coffee and Espresso, said he is proud that a venue he owns hosts the event. He said this

will be the third or fourth consecutive year in which the event has taken place in his business.

“The open mic night fits really well with doing justice in the community,” Pyle said.

“We truly love that our space is used to do it.”

Pyle said he has attended a Black Magic open mic night before, and he thought it was wonderful.

“People enjoyed the event,” Pyle said. “It not only encouraged the audience, but also challenged their thoughts and opinions.”

Craig Jenkins, a senior studying women’s, gender and sexuality studies, is the president of STARS and said the group would like to attract more activists to join

WHAT

Opening Day of Reservations for the 2019-20 academic year.

WHEN

March 20, 2019 at 9 a.m.

WHERE

Make event requests by calling 740.593.4021, by visiting the reservations office in 419 Baker University Center or online through Virtual EMS.

22 / FEB. 21, 2019

and be part of events like the Black Magic Open Mic Night.

“Activism on this campus is interesting because you hear about it a lot, but you don’t get specific details of where it’s from,” Jenkins said. “We’d like to attract activists to join who want to be part of something.”

Rasmia Shraim, a sophomore studying communication sciences and disorders, is the vice president of STARS and plays a significant role in making the Black Magic event happen.

“I joined this small group because as a Muslim-American student, I wanted to be a part of something promoting diversity,” Shraim said.

Shraim expressed that STARS is imple-

menting more strategies to promote the group because much of the student population is unaware of its existence.

However, STARS holds diversity training sessions in the classroom to educate faculty and students on racism and how to discuss it despite how difficult of a conversation it is.

“Being vice president of this group makes me feel proud of myself and more confident in my ability to advocate not only for myself, but for other people of different minority groups,” Shraim said. @HANNAHNOELBURK HB239417@OHIO.EDU

WHAT’S GOING ON? MEGAN GORDIN FOR THE POST

FRIDAY Grasspartame at 6 p.m. Jackie O’s

Taproom, 25 Campbell St. Listen to this Cincinnati-based duo play both original and cover songs.

Admission: Free Winter Dance Concert at 7:30 p.m. in the Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium. To celebrate 50 years of OU’s Dance Division, enjoy a performance of dances choreographed by university faculty members. The show will also be performed on Saturday.

Admission: Free with OU ID; $12 general admission

Holly Down in Heaven at 8 p.m. in the Elizabeth Evans Baker Theater in Kantner Hall. See Holly, a pregnant 15-year-old, transition from child to adult in this dark comedic play performed by the OU Theater Division. The show will also be performed on Saturday.

Admission: Free with OU ID; $10 for adults; $7 for students and seniors

SATURDAY Greg Bikowski at 7 p.m. at Little Fish Brewing Company, 8675 Armitage Road. Bring your friends and enjoy music from an Athens resident. When not performing solo gigs, Bikowski is the bassist in The Bob Stewart Band, another local group. Admission: Free Kelly Hoppenjans with Colleen Carow at 8 p.m. at Donkey Coffee

and Espresso, 17 W. Washington St. Enjoy a night of alternative-folk music while sipping on your favorite Donkey drink. Admission: $5

Prime Campus Locations

Alexa Play Some Bangers: Basshead Edition at 9 p.m. at The Union Bar

Now Leasing

and Grill, 18 W. Union St. Experience how rhythm meets melody with Cryztal Grid, a Dayton-based duo. The two perform electronic music. Admission: $5

for 2019 - 2020

SUNDAY

1-6 Bedrooms

Inclusive Science Day at 2 p.m. at

the Athens Community Center, 701 E. State St. Bring the whole family and dive into science, with special opportunities provided for future teachers. This event is hosted by the Ohio Valley Museum of Discovery. Admission: Free University Jazz Night at 8 p.m. at Athens Uncorked, 14 Station St. Listen to jazz tunes performed by OU students and drink your favorite wine in preparation for a new week. Admission: Free

Palmer, Hocking, Stewart, E. Union Milliron, West Washington, Coss West State, Franklin

740-594-4441 www.BobcatRentals.net

info@BobcatRentals.net

86 North Court Street

MOVIE TIMES The Athens Cinema movie times Animated Oscar Shorts: Friday, 7:20 and 9:55 p.m.; Saturday, 2:35, 6:20 and 9:55 p.m.; Sunday, 2:35, 6:20 and 9:55 p.m.

Live-Action Oscar Shorts: Friday, 5:15 p.m.; Saturday, 4:10 and 7:50 p.m.; Sunday, 4:10 and 7:50 p.m.

The Favourite, R: Friday, 5, 7:25 and 9:30 p.m.; Saturday, 2:40, 5, 7:25 and 9:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2:40, 5, 7:25 and 9:30 p.m.

Green Book, PG 13: Friday, 8:55 p.m., Saturday, 4:55 p.m., Sunday, 4:55 p.m.

Stan & Ollie, PG: Friday, 5:05 and 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 2:55, 7:30 and 9:50 p.m.; Sunday, 2:55, 7:30 and 9:50 p.m.

@GORDINMEGAN MG525717@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 23