Still dancing

SPORTS > FEATURES

As the field of 65 has dwindled to the Sweet 16, four area athletes remain in the hunt for a coveted spot in next week's Final Four.

By Anthony Love

Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Mar. 26, 2009

Rick Jackson and the Syracuse men's basketball team are in Memphis for the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Photo provide by Syracuse University Athletic Communications

The only thing that could compare to the weather in South Beach were the games played in Miami, Fla., March 20 and 22 for the opening rounds of the 2009 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament where Neumann-Goretti grad Rick Jackson (2007) helped Syracuse advance to the Sweet 16.

The 6-foot-9 forward, showcased some of his best moves in the March 20 59-44 victory over Stephen F. Austin with a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds to go along with five blocks. Two days later, in a 78-67 victory over Arizona State, he tallied 13 points and eight rebounds. Jackson and his team have landed in Memphis, Tenn., for tomorrow night's round-of-16 game against Oklahoma.

Prep Charter grads Marcus and Markieff Morris ('07) are no strangers to tournaments as they won two state titles during their high school years. Last week, they traveled to Minneapolis, Minn,, to open the tournament by taking a March 20 84-74 victory over North Dakota State followed two days later by a 60-43 win over Dayton. In the opener, Marcus recorded eight points and seven rebounds in 26 minutes of action. In the second round, twin brother Markieff tallied two points and five rebounds.

Their Jayhawks are four wins away from repeating as national champions. Up next is tomorrow's contest against Michigan State in Indianapolis, Ind. This is the program's third-straight appearance in the round-of-16.

Jason Love, of 22nd and Tasker streets, brought out his winter jacket and headed to Boise, Idaho, where the weather was cold but the forecast called for dancing. His Xaxier Musketeers opened the postseason with a 77-59 victory over Portland State. The junior forward did his part with a game-high eight rebounds. Sunday, the squad that calls Ohio home came from behind to defeat Wisconsin 60-49.

The road to the Final Four goes through Boston, where at 7:27 tonight Love's team meets Pittsburgh, the No. 1 seed in the East Region.

Unfortunately, Neumann-Goretti grad D.J. Rivera ('06) is watching the remaining rounds from the Binghamton, N.Y., campus, as his team's first-ever NCAA Tournament berth became bittersweet, losing an opening-round game to Duke, 86-62. The junior guard finished the contest with 20 points, five rebounds and two steals.