OCR Text |
Show 16 Hilltop i February 4, 1 999 , stantly something happening," McCleave by Steven R. Ford said. "It's crowded, packed. It's the murder capitol of the world. It's more HVfop Times staff Maturity sometimes comes through change and adversity. Through many ordeals, Hill Warriors guard Santea McCleave has watched his basketball skills mature nearly as fast as he has. Nicknamed "T" since childhood, McCleave played on several successful basketball teams for Episcopal High School of Alexandria, Va. A varsity starter from his sophomore year, McCleave helped Episcopal to the state semi-final- s in his junior year and the state regional finals in his senior year. d McCleave's teammates included Day-mon- senior guard Jackson, a now at Georgetown University, and Michael Horton, the starting point guard for the no. 3 ranked Cincinnati Bearcats. Even though he received several schol- arship offers for basketball, McCleave had a different field of dreams in mind for his life after high school. "Baseball was my first love," McCleave said. "I was really good at it. Basketball was there, but I wanted to pur- sue the baseball thing." McCleave was a Virginia e selection in baseball, garnering several scholarship offers from colleges nationwide. In the summer of 1996, vision. McCleave's game does seem to show signs of his early influences. The slick shooting guard plays with a great deal of emotion like Isaiah Thomas did with the Motor City Bad Boys. "My teammates are really patient with me, knowing I play with so much emotion," he said. He also has a large bag of tricks, handles the ball well and plays a very instinc-- . tive, game a la the Pistol. "I'm like a time bomb on the court," McCleave said. "I just explode." shooter has gone off on The shoot-from-the-h- all-stat- lW . ii Riilllltiilllil ' 1 r fa5-"- , " isiiiiilwi - ,., 1 A j'wm'Mmmmmm Mil ' Photos by Steven ip baselured by an offer to play ball in Australia, McCleave signed on the dotted line, but things didn't go quite as planned. He didn't play very well Down Under and was eventually cut from the team. "I came back to the states and joined the Air Force," McCleave said. "I have a lot of family in the Air Force. They influenced me. They said the Air Force was a good way to go, so that's what I did." Hill AFB is McCleave's first assign- ment, a different pace from what he was used to in the Washington D.C. area. "In Washington D.C. there's con A1C Santea "T" McCleave rises high to lay one off the glass during practice at the Hess Fitness Center gym. McCleave, a formidable shooting guard, is the captain and leading scorer of the Hill Warriors basketball team. many opposing guards this season, leading the Warriors in scoring with a 27.4 points per game average. This weekend, McCleave was right on his average, scoring 35, 18 and 22 points and helping the Warriors win the four at ountain team Home AFB, Idaho. In a game in early December, "T" exploded for 44 points against the Gunfighters of Mountain mini-tourname- nt Home. "He's quick and wiry," said Warriors coach, Vance Harris. "He gets into every crack you give him. He gets easy baskets in the open court, and he gets to the free throw line a lot, which is a big advantage for the team." play," Harris said. "It was what we needed at the time. We wanted to get fouled and stop the clock, but I didn't Against Mountain Home, McCleave used his main weapon, the lightning cross over to forge one of the most spectacular plays of the Warriors' season. With his team down by four points with the game clock under a minute, expect him to make a r ing the concentration to get fouled and what sort of make the shot just shows ' shooter he is." At 21 years old, McCleave still has all his college eligibility remaining. But though he still believes he can play at that level, he has matured into an individual who wants to put his education as his number one goal. He will be taking College Level Entrance Pro- gram tests and college courses, and he hopes to earn a bachelors degree. liilllllllli Air Force Base Air Show r . l r i ' i i - v w fr f r; n ri 1 June 12th, 1999 Learn a new skill at the Skills Development Center! The center is available to active-dutreservists, retirees, of Defense employees and their family Department members. All unaccompanied family members must be at ilililiiiS Uili Dili? 777-264- 9. mm There is a way to increase profits without counting on luck or chance... ADVERTISE! y, least 16 to use the facility. For more information, please call and get fouled from that far out. Just hav- McCleave took the opposing point guard right, crossed over to his left and lofted up a soft three point shot with the opposition stuck to him like a wet poncho. The ball settled gently into the net and the referee whistled the foul. McCleave calmly dropped the free throw, completing the rare four-poiplay and tying the game at a critical junction. "It was a very intelligent and athletic nt three-pointe- Utah ey-- ' R. Ford ot semi-pr- o AFB, peaceful here." At Hill, the Airman 1st Class was assigned to the 75th Communications Squadron as an information manager. And it was at Hill that McCleave rediscovered basketball as the captain of the Hill Warriors team. "I try to be a leader," McCleave said. "I try to set an example for my teammates." Growing up, McCleave watched the games of great playmakers like Isaiah Thomas of the Detroit Pistons, and the Jazz' own Pistol Pete Maravich. He says that he admired Thomas' will to win and Maravich's amazing court II j Call 625-43- 00 for more information |