College Basketball is Back

I like college football..I watch/follow it closely when I get a chance, but in my opinion, it doesn't even come close to college basketball.  I'm a basketball junkie..have been and always will be.  Nothing compares to being in a gym full of fans on a cool Thursday night in December.  I grew up loving basketball as a player and now I love calling basketball and being the guy who describes the action as a broadcaster.  One week from tonight I'll be behind the mic for the first of many games in 2012-2013.

First off, my 60-plus game schedule had a great recent addition.  I'm excited to announce that Learfield Sports has hired me to call the play-by-play of the November 14th Toledo @ Northern Iowa Men's Basketball game in Iowa.  I'll be broadcasting for the Toledo Rockets Sports Network from Learfield Sports.  Can't wait!

For the second year in a row I'll team up with Joe Pott on the SIUE Cougar Radio Network.  Same as last year, I'll work with Joe as an analyst on the Men's games and serve as the play-by-play man for the Women's games.  I can't wait to work with Joe once again and continue to learn under one of the best broadcaster's I've been around and a guy who I've always considered to be a great mentor.

I'll have 43 games this season for SIUE.  This year's travel will take me to, most notably, Bloomington, IN where I'll get the chance to call the play-by-play of SIUE and Indiana in WBB @ historic Assembly Hall on December 16th.  The Ohio Valley Conference schedules take us to Tennessee and Kentucky for a good portion of January and February with some neat stops along the way.  Can't wait to call a full season of games once again for my alma mater!

I'll continue my role in the winter as the Public Address Announcer of McKendree MBB, but unfortunately due to my rigorous schedule with SIUE, I'll only be able to do half a dozen or so 'Cats games behind the PA mic.  It's always a treat watching 47th year McKendree head coach Harry Statham coach his team to victory.  My MCK schedule will take me on the road January 31st, where I'll be filling for the great Scott Cummings, calling the play-by-play of McKendree WBB and MBB @ Kentucky Wesleyan in a Great Lakes Valley Conference matchup.

I'll continue my work on 590 AM KFNS in the winter for the High School Sports Caravan with Jim Powers and his crew.  I'll be studio hosting/play-by-play for about 8 Friday's during the winter months when my college bball schedule allows.  Looking forward to seeing some of the great HS talent in the area.

It all starts this Sunday at the Hilton in O'Fallon with the McKendree MBB Tip-Off Dinner.  Can't wait to get the college basketball action started next Thursday @ the Vadalabene Center in Edwardsville.  This winter will include a lot of travel and will be extremely busy..my planner is packed, but in a good way..ready to get started again!

                                                                                                                                    -Adam Young