Update: This article was initially published prior to knowledge of Xavier and DePaul Basketball’s game being postponed. The article has been updated with more information on this development.

In this week’s review, Xavier Basketball bounces back after their pandemic pause. Remembering legendary college basketball coach John Chaney. Plus, the Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies have a busy weekend making deals with shortstops.

The local College Basketball roundup

After a nearly three-week long pause in play due to COVID-19. Xavier Basketball returned to familiar form last Saturday. Beating Butler Basketball 68-55 at the legendary Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Xavier’s next game was supposed to be Wednesday at DePaul Basketball. That game is being postponed due to a positive COVID-19 test within Xavier’s program.

Xavier’s next game will be a Super Bowl Sunday showdown. In what is shaping up to be Xavier’s toughest conference game of the regular season. Xavier will face the Big East Conference’s leading team Villanova Basketball in Philadelphia. Villanova will go into the game ranked third in this week’s AP Top 25. Sunday’s game is set to tip-off at 2:30 PM Eastern on FOX.

Northern Kentucky Basketball swept UIC Basketball this past weekend. Winning 72-68 last Friday and 69-67 last Saturday. Wrapping up January with back-to-back weekend sweeps. After being swept in back-to-back weekends earlier in January. Only Wright State Basketball is having a hotter stretch in the Horizon League at the moment.

The NKU Norse have won four straight and Wright State have won five straight. NKU ranks third in the Horizon League standings going into this week. Trailing Wright State and conference leading Cleveland State Basketball. NKU will face Milwaukee Basketball on the road this weekend. Playing at 6 PM Eastern on Friday and 3 PM Eastern on Saturday.

Cincinnati Basketball is returning this week but one player isn’t. Rapolas Ivanauskas is leaving Cincinnati and going pro in his native Lithuania. Ivanauskas announced his signing last week; wrapping up a short stint with Cincinnati. He transferred to Cincinnati from Colgate Basketball last year. Ivanauskas opted out after Cincinnati’s first seven games of this season.

Cincinnati’s first game since January 10th will be Thursday on the road. The Cincinnati Bearcats will play Temple Basketball at 7 PM Eastern on ESPN2. Both teams were originally supposed to play each other Thursday in Cincinnati. Instead, both teams will effectively make up a game originally scheduled for January 20th. That was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns within Cincinnati’s program. Cincinnati will face Tulane Basketball on the road Sunday. With tip-off set for 12 PM Eastern on ESPN+.

Remembering John Chaney

Thursday’s game will come roughly a week after the death of former Temple head coach John Chaney. He passed away last Friday after a short illness; days after celebrating his 89th birthday. Chaney played a major role in putting Temple Basketball on the map. During the school’s time in the Atlantic Ten Conference. Where they were a persistent challenge for Xavier during their A-10 era.

As Temple’s head coach from 1982 until his retirement in 2006. Chaney led the program to it’s first back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. Along with a school record 12 straight tournament appearances between 1990 and 2001. Chaney’s roots in Philadelphia ran deeper than Temple. Chaney led nearby NCAA Division II Cheyney University to a national championship in 1978. In part of a remarkable ten year tenure with the university. He also played and coached at the high school level in Philadelphia.

Chaney was the Eastern Basketball League’s Most Valuable Player in 1959 and 1960. He also won the NAIA’s Most Valuable Player award in 1953 with Bethune-Cookman Basketball. He was inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball and National Collegiate Basketball halls of fame. Chaney is widely respected by his fellow coaches; including Kentucky Basketball head coach John Calipari. Despite Chaney and Calipari’s infamously heated press conference confrontation in 1994. Chaney is also widely respected as one of college basketball’s best mentors. Being well regarded as a father figure to his players.

Cincinnati Reds: transactions and a new role for Ken Griffey Jr.

The Cincinnati Reds have a new shortstop; though it’s not the one some Reds fans had on their radar. Cincinnati acquired shortstop Kyle Holder from the Philadelphia Phillies. Through a deal in exchange for cash announced last Saturday. The 26 year old Holder was selected by the Phillies in the most recent Rule 5 Draft. The Holder deal was announced the same day former Reds shortstop Didi Gregorius announced agreed to a free agent deal with the Phillies.

Gregorius is reportedly agreeing to a two-year deal with Philadelphia worth $28 million. He joined the Phillies last year after a stint with the New York Yankees. Gregorius was one of this winter’s most high profile free agent shortstops. The Reds actively pursued a potential reunion with Gregorius. His first major league season was with the Reds in 2012. Elsewhere in free agency news, the Reds signed two pitchers last week. Adding Walker Weickel last Monday and Karsen Lindell last Wednesday.

Gregorius wasn’t the only former Reds player to make news last week. Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. was named a senior advisor to Commissioner of Baseball Rob Manfred. Among Griffey Jr’s main focuses in the role will be to help grow the game through youth initiatives. Along with improving diversity in the game’s amateur levels. Through serving as a Major League Baseball ambassador at youth baseball initiatives and special events.