Basketball in the Cities: A day at Mac
Covering MIAC basketball over the years is a welcome change from pro hoops and big time college basketball as well. Each year I spend a day watching Division III hoops, and last Saturday we did just that at Macalester College in St. Paul in our annual “Basketball in the Cities.”
Both Peyton Starks (St. Louis, MO) and Sydnee Smith (Gainesville, Va.) both left their respective hometowns to attend Macalester for academics and athletics.
“Honestly the deciding factor for coming to Macalester for me was just how diverse and inclusive they were,” recalled Smith, now a sophomore. “Even though most of my friends I would say are at schools near my home, I still feel like I have my family here, and it’s just like a great environment to be a part of.”
The senior Starks, on the other hand, is seeing her days at Mac winding down.
“It’s definitely gone by fast,” she pointed out. “Earlier today we were watching film from our freshman and sophomore years, which is kind of funny, and it feels like so long ago. It’s been a really great experience.”
Both players are looking toward careers in medicine after graduation.
“I majored in neuroscience, and I have a concentration in community and global health,” noted the 5’10” Starks. “I’m looking to do some work in public health policy — we’ll see. I’m looking to apply to jobs here, Chicago, D.C.”
Added Smith, a 5’9” sophomore, “I’m probably gonna [study] biochemistry at the end of my sophomore year, the end of this year. I’m planning to go to medical school after I finish here. I’m really interested in dermatology or anesthesiology.”
After a close contest until the final few minutes, the Scots fell to Saint Mary’s, who outscored the hosts 19-6 in the fourth quarter to a 67-54 finish last Saturday.
Starks, who leads the Scots in scoring, finished with 18 points, and Smith added nine. Both are starters.
Finally …
St. Thomas senior guard Jade Hill (Minneapolis) last week broke the program’s record for career assists, becoming the all-time leader with 408. She also led the Tommies with 16 points in a 71-68 loss at Tulsa.
Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.