Tales from the Cincinnati Bearcats Basketball

FROM THE PUBLISHER

This chronicle of the storied history of the University of Cincinnati basketball program is filled with anecdotes from and about its star players, coaches, and colorful characters. The coaches include Bob Huggins, who took over the program in 1989 and led the Bearcats back to prominence with a 1992 Final Four appearance; his predecessor Tony Yates, a former star Cincinnati player who was eventually fired as the coach; Ed Badger, who went on to coach and scout in the NBA; Gale Catlett, who left UC for West Virginia; Ed Jucker, who coached the Bearcats to their two national championships; and Tay Baker, the only man to coach at both UC and crosstown rival Xavier University.Among the star players featured in the book are, of course, Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson and Jack Twyman; 2000 National Player of the Year Kenyon Martin, and All-Americans such as Nick Van Exel, Danny Fortson and Steve Logan. Author Michael Perry also recounts some of the program's most memorable games and moments, including recaps of the most exciting Crosstown Shootouts against the rival Xavier Musketeers. Tales from Cincinnati Bearcats Basketball will be a comprehensive trip down memory lane, providing insight into the Huggins era and, for those who did not start following the team until the 1990s, a nice history lesson about one of America's top basketball programs.

Author Bio:Michael Perry is the deputy sports editor of The Cincinnati Enquirer. He has won numerous writing awards while covering basketball programs at Purdue University (for the Lafayette Journal and Courier), Xavier University, and the University of Cincinnati. He has also been a frequent contributor to magazines, websites, and books. Perry is a 1984 graduate of the University of Cincinnati and a native of Cleveland. He lives in Cincinnati with his wife and three children.

SYNOPSIS

The numbers only tell a fraction of the story: 103 seasons, 52 NBA draft picks, 26 league championships, 23 NCAA Tournament appearances, six Final Fours, two NCAA titles, two National Players of the Year, and two Basketball Hall of Famers. It is the people behind the numbers who bring to life the University of Cincinnati basketball program. The history of Bearcat basketball is filled with charismatic coaches and colorful players, including Oscar Robertson, the greatest Bearcat of them all, and 2000 National Player of the Year Kenyon Martin.

Tales from Cincinnati Bearcats Basketball covers eight coaching eras, from former National Football League standout John "Socko" Wiethe (1946-52) to the driven and intense Bob Huggins, who took over the program in 1989 and led the Bearcats back to national prominence. Cincinnati Enquirer sports editor Michael Perry, a former UC basketball beat reporter, interviewed more than 75 former players, coaches, recruits, and basketball staff members to deliver a comprehensive look inside the Bearcat basketball program.

The book takes readers into locker rooms, practices, and game huddles as it recounts memorable moments and unforgettable games, including the Bearcats' record-setting seven-overtime victory over Bradley in 1981; UC's controversial 24-11 loss to Kentucky in 1983; and that fateful day, March 9, 2000, when Martin lay crumpled on the basketball court in Memphis, Tennessee.