Sunday, December 19, 1999
Frey big in second half, biggest in final minute
Scores XU's last four points to preserve win
BY MICHAEL PERRY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Kevin Frey, right, hugs Darnell Williams.
(Steven M. Herppich photo)
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Kevin Frey had played this over in his mind so many times. On the playground. In his backyard.
He was on the foul line. Facing the No. 1 team in the country.
“That's what ran through my head,” the Xavier sophomore said. “I saw myself somewhere in my own world.”
It was reality Saturday night, and Frey delivered.
He hit two free throws with 29.8 seconds remaining to break a tie game and give the Musketeers the lead for good on their way to an improbable 66-64 victory over top-ranked Cincinnati in the 67th Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout.
For good measure, Frey added a breakaway layup to make it 66-62 with 8.9 seconds to go.
Those were Xavier's only points in the final 3:30.
Frey rebounds.
(Saed Hindash photo)
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“He played huge,” XU coach Skip Prosser said. “He said he was ready to go, and he played like it tonight.”
As Frey stood at the line for his game-winning foul shots, UC freshman Kenny Satterfield kept repeating his name, trying to rattle the 6-foot-8 forward.
“I heard him,” Frey said. “He just kept calling my name. Ke-vin, Ke-vin. That didn't really bother me.”
Sitting next to him at the postgame press conference, teammate Darnell Williams chimed in with a smile: “Kevin's used to that because coach is always calling out his name.”
Frey, who finished with 12 points, all in the second half, thought he might have missed his first foul shot. He leaned, watched and saw it drop. He walked back near midcourt and got some encouraging words from teammate Maurice McAfee. The next one felt perfect.
His immediate reaction: “I think we're going to win the ballgame.”
He was right.
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