By: Chuck Miller
Basketball

My NCAA Tournament overall pick to win is… Kentucky Wesleyan!

In the past, I’ve avoided participating in the NCAA basketball tournament “bracket madness” game.  Personally, I think the setup punishes mid-majors who have to participate in “play-in” games just to make the round of 64 – especially when the SWAC and the MEAC conference champions have to play against each other for the right to be against Gonzaga.  Plus, the only person who ever wins those basketball tournaments is your office receptionist, who somehow morphs from answering the telephone with a cool and soothing voice to a “I told you that George Mason would advance to the Final Four that year, and you didn’t believe me…”

That being said, there are moments in time where I will actually break my long-standing boycott of the NCAA tournament, and this year contains one of those moments.

For I received news that Kentucky Wesleyan College has made the tournament, and is seeded 4th in their bracket with a monster 28-2 record.  It’s KWC’s first time in the tournament, and I’m picking them to go all the way to the championship.

You’re probably looking at me now and thinking, “Wait, Chuck, do you mean Northern Kentucky?  I know they just won their conference, but the NCAA hasn’t had their ‘Selection Sunday’ picks yet…”

Oh, I’m sorry… did I not mention that Kentucky Wesleyan College is in the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Tournament?  Golly, must have slipped my mind…

Of course, now you’re thinnking … “Chuck, why in the name of Churchill Downs are you focusing on some college nobody in the Northeast has ever heard of?”

Ah, you may not have heard of Kentucky Wesleyan College…

But one of their assistant coaches is an old friend of mine.  And if you’re an Albany Patroons fan … you’ll know him as well.

I’m talking about KWC assistant coach Chris Daleo.

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When the Patroons returned to the Washington Avenue Armory in the 2005-06 CBA basketball season, Daleo was the head coach of the Rockford Lightning, and he frustrated Albany Patroons head coach Micheal Ray Richardson seven ways to Sunday.  He played a tough offense and a stingy defense, and he exposed Albany’s flaws in nearly every game.  Micheal Ray was so upset after one game, he refused to shake Daleo’s hand in the post-game handshake line.  Next game they played against each other – Rockford beat Albany, and Daleo extended his hand to Richardson after the game, who walked by Daleo without even a glance.

Daleo would later coach the Minot (N.D.) Skyrockets after the Lightning folded, and again he had Albany’s number.  At that time, Vince Askew was the Patroons’ head coach, and Askew had no business coaching an NBA Jam team, let alone a pro basketball squad.  Daleo’s Skyrockets took advantage of Askew’s inexperience and naivete, and took some much-needed victories over the Pats – and eventually the Skyrockets, under Daleo, went to the CBA championship.

In that first year of the Patroons’ revival, I worked with the Patroons as their team photographer.  I often chatted with Daleo, who clearly but calmly showed me that I was rooting for a squad that – although they were a good CBA team – they had flaws.

“Your buddy T.J. Thompson has matador defense,” he told me.

Wait, what?  You’re telling me that the CBA’s most prolific scorer isn’t as good as I believed him to be?

“Yeah, he’s got those points, but he never gets back on defense.  He gives his opponent maybe one look and then lets the guy run right past him.  Matador defense.”

That stuck with me.  Especially when I saw T.J. Thompson step aside a few times when the opponent was charging the lane.

As much as Daleo was critical of some of the Patroons’ players, he was reverent about the team and the Armory.  “This is hallowed ground,” he told me.  “Playing in this building means a lot to me.  The Patroons are what the CBA is all about.”

And over time, we remained in contact with each other – a few phone calls here and there, a Facebook friendship, he went through various other college and semipro coaching jobs.  And as proud as he was of his players and their achievements over the years, he was just as proud of his two kids, who became high school and collegiate sports stars in their own right.

He’s currently working as an assistant coach with Kentucky Wesleyan College, and the school made the NCAA tournament for their first time ever.  I can’t call that a coincidence.  That’s Daleo for you.  He makes his players work harder and even every point, yank down every rebound, fight for every possession.  And now comes the reward.

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KWC’s first win will be this Saturday, March 11, against Quincy College of Illinois.  Somehow I have a feeling that KWC will take Quincy College apart so decisively, someone’s going to need to call a coroner.  Then up will be a victory over the winner of Wisconsin-Parkdale v. Bellarmine, and then survive and advance.

And after Kentucky Wesleyan wins the NCAA Division II championship … any pro or college basketball team in need of a head coach needs to give Chris Daleo a call.  You want to win?  He’s your man.  He’s done it in the college level, he’s done it at the pro level.

And he can do it with the next team of shooters and blockers.

Trust me on this.

And for the next few weeks… GO PANTHERS!!

UPDATE: Unfortunately, Kentucky Wesleyan failed to win their opening tournament game, falling 78-75 to Quincy.  I guess that happens when you miss twelve free throws and lose by three.  Oh well … next year for sure.