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Nick Allen predicts ‘electric’ atmosphere for OU-UTSA

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Nick Allen. St. Edward's beat UTSA 77-76 in men's basketball on Wednesday night, Nov. 8, 2018, at the UTSA Convocation Center. - photo by Joe Alexander

Nick Allen

Attendance at UTSA men’s basketball is notoriously modest.

Last year, the Roadrunners won 20 games for the first time in seven years, and the biggest crowd of the season was 2,210 for UTEP.

Historically, it’s a considered a good night when 1,200 or 1,300 fans turn out. Last year, the average was 1,146.

Crowd watchers will be on alert tonight when the Oklahoma Sooners tip off against the Roadrunners at 7 p.m.

Likely, Oklahoma is the most high profile program that UTSA has ever hosted at the Convocation Center, considering that OU plays in one of the major conferences and only three years ago was playing in the Final Four.

“It’s awesome,” UTSA forward Nick Allen said. “It’s a great opportunity for us to show that we can play at that level. There’s not really that much separation between these levels of schools.

“I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Allen can’t wait to see what the atmosphere will be like.

“It’s going to be electric,” he predicted. “It’s going to be big time. It’ll be a lot of fun. People are going to be really into it. We’re really, really into it.

“We’re super-duper excited. I can’t wait.”

Asked what it would be like to play in front of a full house of people every night, Allen’s eyes lit up.

“That would be amazing, he said. “I think that is such an advantage when it comes to any sport. You come into someone else’s home and you feel the energy.

“You feel … not only do you play against five peoople, but I can feel a whole arena of people that do not like me and do not want me to win.”

UTSA played well against OU last year in Norman, trailing by single digits until the last few minutes. The Sooners eventually pulled out a 97-85 victory.

“It was different,” Allen said. “They had Trae Young on the floor, so they played a very different style of basketball. They played very open. The court was very, very spread.

“I think this year, it’s going to be a little bit different because they’re not going to have that. I think they’re going to play with more strength than speed and open-ness.”

OU opened its season with a 91-76 road victory at UT Pan American, while UTSA surprisingly lost at home to a Division II opponent, falling 77-76 to St. Edward’s.

Allen said UTSA has been “locked in, really focused” in practices since the opener.

“We’re not exactly OK with what happened … it put a little taste in our mouth, and we came to work, so, practices have been really good,” he said.

UTSA didn’t shoot the ball very well and, at other times, suffered from too many possessions in which they didn’t get a shot because of turnovers.

“There was some youthfulness to it, definitely,”‘ Allen said. “It’s the first game of the season, so there’s always that …. It was just little things. Like, little wrinkles. Just, attention to detail.”

UTSA hopes to contend for a conference championship

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UTSA forward Nick Allen rises up to hit a corner three-pointer in practice. The Roadrunners open the season Nov. 7 at home against St. Edward’s.

Eight days before showtime, third-year UTSA basketball coach Steve Henson stopped to talk to reporters after practice Tuesday afternoon and said he wants his team to compete for a championship.

Since UTSA has been picked to finish fifth in the C-USA poll, reporters asked Henson if the goals are loftier than that, given all the talent returning from a 20-win team.

“We’re not talking about a number of wins or any of that,” Henson said. “But we’re moving in the right direction. We’re stronger than we were. We’re deep. We got some pretty good maturity, some good leadership. We’re trying to position ourselves to make a run at a league title.”

The Roadrunners kick off the season at home against St. Edward’s, an NCAA Division II team from the Heartland Conference, on Nov. 7. On Nov. 12, UTSA will welcome coach Lon Kruger and the high-powered Oklahoma Sooners.

A starting lineup could consist of Nick Allen and promising newcomer Atem Bior in the post positions, with Byron Frohnen at wing and Keaton Wallace and Giovanni De Nicolao at the guard spots.

UTSA is expected to have one of the better backcourts in the conference, especially when sophomore Jhivvan Jackson is cleared to play.

Jackson, UTSA’s leading scorer last year, is recovering well from a knee injury and is tentatively set to play in early December, Henson said.

A promising newcomer

Henson said he has been particularly pleased with the play of Bior, a 6-foot-7, 235-pound power forward from Brisbane, Australia, who will bring a physical style under the glass.

“He’s a strong guy,” Henson said. “He’s extremely quick, rebounds the ball above the rim. You know, we got a bunch of guys that box out and chase after rebounds, but you notice him getting rebounds up higher than the other guys.”

Bior, who played last year at New Mexico Military Institute, averaged 13.1 points and 8.7 rebounds in leading the Broncos to an 18-12 record.

He started 29 of 30 games, shooting 48 percent from the field and 76 percent at the free-throw line. Bior is classified as a junior.

UTSA power forward Atem Bior hails from Brisbane, Australia.

UTSA basketball: throwing down a few dunks for the fans

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The UTSA Roadrunners showed off for the fans Tuesday night at the Convocation Center.

Coming off a 20-win season, UTSA will open the new year on Nov. 7 at home against St. Edward’s.

The Roadrunners host the Oklahoma Sooners on Nov. 12.

UTSA’s Jhivvan Jackson expected to return in December

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High-scoring guard Jhivvan Jackson’s return from a knee injury is now projected for “early December,” UTSA men’s basketball coach Steve Henson said Tuesday.

Late in the summer, Henson and his staff were hopeful that Jackson would be able to play in the Nov. 7 season opener against St. Edward’s.

Jhivvan Jackson

But the coach confirmed the new timetable after putting his team through its first official practice at the Convocation Center.

“The doctor, in studying that data, just changed his philosophy a little bit,” Henson said. “It pushes his return back. Which increases his chance for a full recovery, which is what we want.

“But we’ll miss him in some of those games now.”

The Roadrunners will play seven games in November, a schedule that includes a Nov. 12 home date against the Oklahoma Sooners.

They’ll play another six games in December, including a Dec. 15 game in North Little Rock against Arkansas.

Conference USA play opens Jan. 3 at home against the UTEP Miners.

Last season, Jackson set the school’s freshman scoring record with 534 points and led the team with 18.4 per game.

He suffered the injury on Feb. 24 in a home game against Louisiana Tech and sat out the remainder of the season, during which UTSA finished 20-15.

It was UTSA’s first 20-win season since 2011.

The former Puerto Rico junior national team guard had surgery in the third week of March.

High expectations

UTSA is expected to be strong again this season, with a backcourt including returning standouts Jackson, Keaton Wallace and Giovanni De Nicolao.

Before Jackson returns to the lineup, Henson could go with a starting guard personnel that would include Wallace, De Nicolao and Byron Frohnen, who swings between the wing and power forward.

Or, he could plug in one of his two freshmen standouts — Adokiye Iyaye or Tamir Bynum.

Senior Nick Allen leads a contingent of post players that include Adrian Rodriguez, newcomer Atem Bior and Toby Van Ry.

Giovanni De Nicolao. UTSA beat Lamar 76-69 on Wednesday, March 14, 2018 at the UTSA Convocation Center in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. Photo by Joe Alexander

Giovanni De Nicolao

Quotable

“We’re a veteran team right now. I think we can step up and show what we can do this year. Of course, we can still shoot from three. We can run. We just got to improve on some defensive things.” — UTSA junior guard Giovanni De Nicolao.

Calgary edges UTSA 70-69 in Costa Rica exhibition

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The University of Calgary hit a 3-point shot with seven seconds left Monday for a 70-69 victory over the UTSA Roadrunners. It is the first of three exhibitions for the Roadrunners in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Statistics

Guard Keaton Wallace led UTSA with 17 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. Wallace hit 6 of 13 shots from the field.

Guard Adokiye Ayaye scored 12 on five of 10 shooting.

Forward Atem Bior had eight points and 12 rebounds, including 10 on the defensive end.

The Roadrunners struggled from long distance, misfiring on 20 of 23 three-ponters.

Zach Yeadon places seventh in 800 freestyle at U.S. nationals

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Former Reagan swimmer Zach Yeadon beat his entry time by more than six seconds and placed seventh in the 800-meter freestyle relay Sunday on the last night of the Phillips 66 National Championships.

It was the third top-10 finish of the week for Yeadon, 19, a 6-foot-5 rising sophomore at Notre Dame. The meet was held at the Woolett Aquatics Center in Irvine, California.

Competing for Alamo Area Aquatics and swimming for coach Lou Walker, Yeadon notched a 10th-place showing in the 1,500 freestyle on Wednesday. He added a fourth place in the 400 free on Saturday.

Finally, he took seventh in the 800 with a time of 7 minutes and 56.32 seconds. It was a significant drop from his entry time of 8:02.52. Yeadon was seeded 15th coming into the meet.

Zane Grothe won in 7:44.57 for his second victory in two nights. Grothe claimed the title in the 400 free on Saturday.

Texas notables

Former O’Connor swimmer Mikey Calvillo was 16th in the 800 at 8:02.18.

Simone Manuel, who became the first African-American woman to win a gold medal in the Olympics two years ago, set a U.S. open record in winning the 50 free in 24.10 seconds.

Manuel, 21, from Sugar Land, also claimed first place in the 100 free last week. A swimmer at Stanford, she was fifth in the 200 after not competing in the event last year.

Evie Pfeifer, 19, a rising sophomore at the University of Texas, placed fourth in the 200 individual medley.

Yeadon races into conversation for Tokyo in 2020

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I first met Zach Yeadon three years ago.

He was entered in most of the freestyle races when the U.S. junior and senior nationals were held at the Northside Swim Center.

Yeadon, formerly of Reagan High School, has come a long way since then.

He placed a surprising fourth Saturday night in the 400-meter free at the Phillips 66 National Championships.

The U.S. summer nationals are being held in Irvine, California.

Trailing in third place early in the race, Yeadon made a move and surged into the lead at the 200-meter mark.

But in the final 200, the 19-year-old rising sophomore at Notre Dame couldn’t hold on.

Zane Grothe, who took the lead at 250 meters, went on to win in 3 minutes and 46.53 seconds.

Grant Shoults claimed second in 3:46.90. Chris Wieser swam 3:48.92 for third place, followed by Yeadon in 3:49.09.

Yeadon, known primarily as a distance specialist, placed 10th in the 1,500-meter free on Wednesday.

He entered the 400 on Saturday with the 22nd-best qualifying time — a 3:53.10 — and broke it twice.

First, he swam 3:51.01 in the morning preliminaries for the No. 8 time of the session to claim a spot in the championship finals.

Next, Yeadon competed against the nation’s best in the night finals and lowered his time by another two seconds.

In the first 200 meters, he had the lead at 1:52.81. In the second half, he faded. But, still, Yeadon had executed another 2-second time drop.

So, what’s in store for this young man?

If Yeadon gains enough stamina in coming years to kick at the end of the 400 as well as he starts it, he could challenge for a spot on the next U.S. Olympic team.

Notable

Yeadon is swimming the national meet for Alamo Area Aquatics under the guidance of coach Lou Walker (pictured in photo above).

Former O’Connor star Mikey Calvillo, 17, also made his mark in the 400 free. He swam 3:55.56 for fourth place in the ‘D’ consolation final.

Notre Dame highlights

Yeadon, a Reagan graduate, was named Notre Dame men’s swimming Most Valuable Swimmer in 2017-18.

He equaled the best Notre Dame finish at the NCAA championship, placing fourth in the 1,650-yard freestyle to claim first-team, All-America honors.

Yeadon established program records in the 500 (4:12.74), the 1000 (8:51.16) and 1,650-yard (14:34.60) freestyle.

Reagan highlights

Yeadon won a state championship as a Regan High School senior in 2017. Swimming the final individual race of his prep career, he claimed a gold medal in the 500-yard freestyle in 4:19.13. He also took third in the 200 free.

Gibson ties for sixth in 100 butterfly at U.S. nationals

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Former Reagan swimmer Sarah Gibson tied for sixth in the 100-meter butterfly Friday at the Phillips 66 National Championships.

Competing in her third championship final in the past three nights at Irvine, California, Gibson covered half the distance in sixth place and then was caught by Veronica Burchill in the final 50 meters.

Gibson and Burchill touched the wall in 58.59 seconds.

Kelsi Dahlia (formerly Kelsi Worrell) rallied in the last half of the race to win the title in 56.3.

She surged past second-place Katie McLaughlin (57.51) and third-place Kendyl Stewart (57.70). Stewart led at 50 meters in 26.46.

Gibson has been consistent at the national meet by reaching championship finals in the 200 (seventh place), in the 50 (fourth) and in the 100 fly.

But she has yet to win to lock up a berth at the Pan Pacific Championships, the major international meet of the season.

Gibson finishes fourth in 50-meter butterfly at U.S. nationals

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Former Reagan High School swimmer Sarah Gibson finished fourth in the 50-meter butterfly Thursday night to highlight standout performances from San Antonio athletes at the Phillips 66 National Championships.

Kelsi Dahlia (formerly Kelsi Worrell) won the event in 25.48 seconds to tie her own American record. Kendyl Stewart was second in 25.83, followed by Hellen Moffitt in 26.45 and Gibson in 26.65.

For Gibson, 23, a gold medalist at the 2017 FINA World Championship, it was her second appearance in a championship final in the past two nights at the national meet.

She finished seventh in the 200 fly on opening night. The meet opened Wednesday and is scheduled to run through Sunday at the Woollett Aquatic Center in Irvine, California.

The nationals are considered pivotal for elite athletes in the four-year cycle leading into the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

At stake this week are berths in the Pan Pacific Championships, set for Aug. 9-13 in Tokyo.

U.S. athletes’ performances at nationals and at the Pan Pacific meet both factor into selection of the team for the 2019 world championships.

Gibson, a former All-American at Texas A&M, reached the 2017 world championships and won gold in the 4×100 medley relay. She is training under coach David Marsh at Team Elite’s west coast site in San Diego.

Meanwhile, distance freestyle specialists Zach Yeadon and Mikey Calvillo are coming off strong performances at the nationals in the 1,500-meter freestyle.

Yeadon, a Notre Dame swimmer from Reagan, posted the 10th best time in the field Wednesday night. Calvillo, a former O’Connor student who has signed with Indiana, placed 13th.

Both Yeadon and Calvillo are competing for Alamo Area Aquatics.

What handicap? Missions pitcher inspired by his older brother

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Lefthander Logan Allen has forged an 8-5 record and a 2.78 earned run average to emerge as one of the top pitchers in the Texas League. (Courtesy photo, San Antonio Missions)

Philip Allen can’t walk, can’t talk and can barely see. Afflicted with severe cerebral palsy since he was an infant, Philip has struggled physically ever since.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean that the older brother of San Antonio Missions pitcher Logan Allen doesn’t feel joy and can’t have a good time when the occasion calls for it.

Allen, one of the top pitchers in the Texas League, made sure of that on Saturday when he sent out a tweet directed to Philip.

“Happy 31st Birthday to the best big brother I could have ever asked for!” Logan wrote. “I thank God every day for you! I love you, Philip.”

Especially poignant in the tweet was a hashtag that said simply, “What handicap?”

A few days ago, Logan Allen, 21, sat in the dugout at Wolff Stadium and talked at length about his tightly-knit family, based in Asheville, North Carolina.

About how much he appreciates his parents.

About how he connects with his younger brother, Bryson, age 17. And about Philip, who has shaped his life in so many ways.

“He’s the best person in the entire world,” Logan Allen said last week. “He’s always happy. He’s never sad. Everything’s always great. He definitely is someone I look up to.

“He’s also an inspiration, a reminder every day, that you don’t get these opportunities (all the time), and there’s a million people in the world that wish they could be where you are.”

When Philip was diagnosed as an infant, physicians worried that he wouldn’t have long to live.

Even though the journey has often been painful, he has lived for more than three decades now and beats the odds on a daily basis.

A fighting spirit

It’s a fighting spirit that clearly drives Logan Allen, who leads the league in victories (eight), earned run average (2.78) and strikeouts (102).

Missions manager Phillip Wellman said he thinks his No. 1 pitcher draws strength from his older brother’s drive to survive.

“I think that’s part of his overall attitude about life,” Wellman said. “I think he understands how precious these moments are. He’s extremely grateful for the opportunity, and he goes about his business that way.”

Drafted by the Boston Red Sox out of Florida’s IMG Academy in 2015, Allen was one of several minor league prospects shipped later that year to the San Diego Padres for reliever Craig Kimbrel.

With the Padres, Allen has evolved into one of the organization’s top-rated prospects.

He is 15-13 over his last two years, including 8-5 in his first year with the Missions.

On his best days, he dominates, as evidenced by a combined no-hitter at Tulsa on May 31.

Pitching a no-no

Against the Drillers, he pitched seven innings and teamed with Jason Jester for just the 13th no-hitter in the ball club’s history.

Even on his bad days, Allen is pretty good. On Friday night, for example, he yielded three first-inning runs in a 3-2 loss to Northwest Arkansas.

But after the hard-luck first, he settled down to blank the Naturals over the next five innings, artfully painting a low-90s mph fastball on the corners and striking out seven along the way.

“The biggest attribute is his command,” Wellman said. “You know, he can hit a gnat in the rear end. That’s very good. And his changeup is outstanding.

“He gets lefthanders out. He gets righthanders out.

“You know, right now, it’s just a matter of him being young. He’s 21 years old. He lacks timing and experience. That’s what we’re here to give him.”

Some of his athleticism may be a family thing, as his father, Norman Allen, once played professional hockey.

Logan Allen said that Bryson, his teenaged brother, once played baseball and might have evolved into No. 1 talent in the family at that sport.

But with baseball in his rearview mirror, Bryson has since taken up “three-gun” competition shooting.

Grudgingly, Logan admits his younger brother is the best of the brothers when the two go hunting in the offseason.

“If someone’s got to take the shot, it’s definitely him,” he said. “He shoots a little straighter (than I do).”

It’s always a big day when Logan returns home to see Philip.

In an article published in 2016 in the East Village Times, a San Diego sports website, Logan said his parents have always “hyped” his visits to his older brother.

Grinning from ‘ear to ear’

“When I came home and he heard my voice, it was special,” he told writer James Clark. “Seeing his head whip around to look at the door when he heard me call his name. He was grinning from ear to ear and stomping his feet.

“It’s like that every time I walk in the door, and it gives me chills just thinking about it.”

Logan’s relationship has been chronicled in the media more than once, so he does get feedback from the public about it.

“When I talked to people about this, they say, ‘How’d you grow up with that?’ “ he said. “I don’t want people to feel sorry for me. This was never an issue. Yeah, you have people staring and stuff like that.

“But the lessons I’ve learned from him, and he’s never said one word to me, ever, you know. (Because he) can’t talk. But I’ve learned more from him than anyone, I’d like to think…

“Just by him sitting there, smiling, just going through his daily routine. That boy has been through more than I have — 10 times through. It’s incredible.”