The King of the Preseason

Every year I have to tell myself not to get too excited about preseason games, to focus on individual efforts as opposed to just statistics. Of course, it can be easy to lose perspective sometimes, when the Bills are putting up eye-popping numbers against Division II and NAIA opponents. Heck, even the offensively-challenged squads of the Brad Soderberg regime used to occasionally drop 80-90 points on the opposition back in the day.

So, while I was fairly impressed with the play of new Billiken PF Barry Eberhardt vs. UMSL on Friday night (12 points, 5 rebounds), all I could think of was Vashun Newborne, king of the preseason. In four preseason games at SLU, Newborne put up the following drool-inducing figures:

11/6/04 vs. UMSL - 14 points
11/13/04 vs. Truman State - 14 points, 8 rebounds
11/9/05 vs. UMSL - 10 points
11/14/05 vs. Maryville - 10 points, 4 rebounds

How nice would it have been to have a PF with numbers like that in the regular season?

And of course, who can forget the play of Obi Ikeakor:

11/3/06 vs. UMSL - 9 points, 4 rebounds
11/8/06 vs. Harris Stowe - 10 points, 4 rebounds

Let's hope that Eberhardt turns out to be the real deal.

Kwamain Mitchell commits to the Billikens

6-0 Kwamain Mitchell verbally committed to SLU for the 2008 Class. Mark Miller of Wishoops.net was kind enough to post his story on Billikens.com here. Credit should also be given to Nate Latsch and p diddy who told us to anticipate good news.

Mitchell is the 3rd recruit to commit for the 2008 class.

The Fetz Required "Annual Donations"

Bill_Ken R posted the following on Billikens.com

Received my ticket renewal and announcement of the minimum required gifts for certain seats upon moving to Chaifetz. Required gifts are $3,500 per seat, per year, $2,500, $400,and $150. This leaves general reserved seats, which are basically the ends, for which no annual donation is required. Season ticket for 2008 will be $450 per seat. $50 deposit, per seat for 2008 required with this year's ticket renewals. 2007 ticket prices went to $391 per seat for my seats which are in section 104. More than likely I will sit in the end after this year.

Condolences to the Cusumano Family

SLU Alum and fan Frank Cusumano Sr. died yesterday. We send our thoughts and prayers to the family. Below is the obituary published in the Post-Dispatch

Cusumano, Sr., Frank J. Died Wed., May 15, 2007 at age 86. Baptized into the hope of Christ's resurrection. Best known as owner/ GM of Kemoll's Restaurant. Frank was one of nine children born to Sicilian immigrant parents. When his mother died, he went to St. Edmond's boarding school in Nauvoo, Ill., He had a classical education, and loved the Benedictine nuns who cared for him and who taught him school and the gentlemanly etiquette for which was known. He credited the nuns, his oldest sister, Phyllis, and his father for the foundation and guidance that enabled him to become a good student, and an honorable member of society. Frank graduated from McBride High School in 1938 where he was an honor student, member of the debate team, and winner of a composition writing contest about how the insurance industry contributed to the stability of American society. Immediately after graduating from SLU School of Commerce 1942, he was drafted into the US Army. He was sent to language school in NYC, then assigned to a POW camp in Watertown, NY where Italian POWs had been sent. He served four years and was discharged a Second Lieutenant Quartermaster. He returned to St. Louis, where he met Mary Grace Kemoll. They were married in 1949 and had six children. He worked with his father, Joe, in real estate and the wholesale fruit and produce business until 1952. When his father retired, Frank joined his parents-in-law, Dora and Joe Kemoll, managing Kemoll's Restaurant. Frank and his mother-in-law worked together 35 years until her death. Frank retired in 1992. Among his achievements, awards, board affiliations, and memberships were: Friends of St. Joseph's Shrine, The Legion of 1000 Men West, The White House Retreat League, Our Lady of the Pillar Parish Council member and past president, First Vice-President of the Board of Governors of the Missouri Athletic Club, Board of Directors St. Louis Variety Club, Board of the St. Louis Chapter of Missouri Restaurant Association, Board of Allegiant Bank; 1977 Missouri Restaurateur of the Year, 1997 Associates of the Archbishop, 1982 St. Louis Argus Distinguished Citizen Award, 1984 City of Hope Man of the Year (shared with Mrs. Kemoll), Ambassador and member St. Louis University Century Club, and life-long ticket holder and supporter of SLU Billiken Basketball. Frank is survived by his wife Mary Grace, four sons, Joseph Cusumano, Mark Cusumano, Doug Cusumano and Frank Cusumano, Jr., two daughters, Ellen Cusumano, and Laura Cusumano Silva, his sister Phyllis Cusumano, eight grandchildren, Adam Kustra, Michael Cusumano, Frank Kemoll Trampe, Alex Cusumano, Brooke Cusumano, Dominic Cusumano, Daniel Silva and Grace Silva, many dear nieces and nephews.Services: Visitation will be held Friday, May 18 at 2:00 p.m. followed by a Memorial Mass at 3:00 p.m. at Our Lady of the Pillar Church at 401 South Lindbergh in Frontenac. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Sisters of St. Benedict, 2100 88th Avenue West, Rock Island, Illinois 61201. Arrangements by the ORTMANN-STIPANOVICH Funeral Home.

Published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on 5/16/2007.

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Moser Named Assistant Coach

Reported by SLU

Saint Louis head men's basketball coach Rick Majerus today announced that Porter Moser will join the Billiken men's basketball staff as an assistant coach. The former Creighton guard was the head coach at Illinois State from 2003-04 to 2006-07 after a three-year stint as the head coach at Arkansas-Little Rock.

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