DANCING AGAIN: After 5 Years, A Bay Cityan, Costello, Returns to Big Dance
March 18, 2014
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Bay City's Matt Costello finger-rolls the basketball to the rim Jan. 18 in a road victory at Illinois. (Daily Illini Photo)
It's happening again!
Since the 2009 NCAA basketball tournament when Eric Devendorf and Syracuse got stuffed by Oklahoma in the regional semifinal, Bay Cityans haven't had a hometown boy to root for.
Now they do: Matt Costello, Michigan State's sixth man, who comes off the bench with all the authority his 6-9, 240 pound frame can muster.
With a newly-sprouted red beard, and growing confidence, Costello brings Tom Izzo's Spartans needed help among the "bigs," as they say in basketball lingo.
In last year's NCAA tourney, the Duke Blue Devils bedeviled Sparty, manhandling them 71-61 in the round of 16.
This year there is renewed hope in Spartanland, and some predictions have them making it to the Final Four, the hallowed ground especially sought by uninitiated Adriean Payne and Keith Appling.
Super Soph Costello came into his own Jan. 28 when he helped the Spartans to a tough road win at Iowa with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Adam Biggers of Bleacher Report wrote: "How Matt Costello is Stealing the Spotlight," a column adorned with pictures of the hustling Bay City cager taking it to the Hawkeyes.
The Chamber of Commerce couldn't buy the kind of publicity they get every time an announcer says: "that basket/rebound was by Matt Costello, of Bay City, Michigan."
Scott Polacek of Bleacher Report is giddy, along with those he polled, about MSU's chances in the NCAA tourney:
"Michigan State is a trendy pick to reach the Final Four as the No. 4 seed in the East Region.
"In fact, every single person on ESPN's bracket special selected the Spartans to take home the national title. While that should raise some red flags immediately, there is a reason so many think Michigan State will advance deep in the tournament."
In fact, the odds-makers have the Spartans at 9/2 to win, with only Florida at 4/1 ahead in the chin-scratching.
Polacek continues: "When healthy, there are few teams in the country with the type of talent Tom Izzo has at his disposal. The problem has been health all year, but Keith Appling, Adreian Payne, Gary Harris and Branden Dawson are all finally together on the court again."
And, don't forget Matt Costello who fought off the flu for several games and still was able to make a contribution.
Maybe, who knows, for the first time Bay City finally will have a national champion basketball player.
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