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March Madness crosses paths with family time for High Point coaches with mom off to work

By The Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Family matters at High Point, enough that coach Chelsea Banbury has no problem with assistant Katie Clayman missing the Panthers’ last practice before their NCAA Tournament opener.

It’s March Madness, and Clayman got to watch her husband win his tournament debut Thursday as the High Point men upset No. 5 seed Wisconsin in Portland, Oregon. Clayman spent Friday traveling back across the country to Nashville for the 15th-seeded Panthers’ first-round game Saturday night against No. 2 seed Vanderbilt.

“There’s not any direct flights …,” Banbury said. “I’ve been in touch with her. She’s watching film. I’ve given her a task of what I want to see when she gets here and what to have broken down by the time she is, and we can go around tomorrow and shoot around with the team.”

Of 136 teams, there are 30 schools with both their men’s and women’s teams in the two tournament fields. Flynn Clayman and his wife get to juggle not only coaching duties during March Madness while managing parenting duties for 19-month old son, Quinn.

The High Point women should be done with their opener Saturday night when the High Point men tip off against No. 4 seed Arkansas with a Sweet 16 berth in the West Region on the line.

Banbury said watching the 12th-seeded High Point men pull off the biggest win in program history in the West Region was unbelievable. She watched while packing with her son jumping on the couch and yelling.

“It was awesome,” Banbury said.

The High Point women should be done with their opener Saturday night when the High Point men tip off against No. 4 seed Arkansas with a Sweet 16 berth in the West Region on the line.

Then again, Banbury had her son with her Friday at practice. At High Point, families are around for support.

“She should be there supporting Flynn,” Banbury said. “This was his first NCAA Tournament as a head coach. I couldn’t imagine what she’d be going through if she missed it. It was incredible. She was 100% where she needed. She’ll be here with us and where she needs to be tomorrow.”

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Cheryl Reeve steps away from the WNBA grind for a Hall of Fame induction

By The Associated Press
Cheryl Reeve is taking a break from her busy WNBA season to head to Knoxville this weekend and be inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. She's only the second WNBA coach to enter the Hall of Fame, joining former Houston Comets coach Van Chancellor, who was inducted in 2001. “(I appreciate) the magnitude of this recognition of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and the great work that has gone into this institution,” Reeve said. “To walk around and see the history of how much has been done years before I could ever have this opportunity to coach. Grateful to the WNBA because I think there was some consideration given schedule wise.” Reeve will be joined by WNBA greats Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne in this year's class. Parker and Delle Donne also will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame later this year. Other inductees include ESPN broadcaster Doris Burke, Kirkwood Community College coach Kim Muhl, Spanish star Amaya Valdemoro, French great Isabelle Fijalkowski and Clemson's all-time leading scorer and rebounder, Barbara Kennedy-Dixon.
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