By Dustin Dow
The Cincinnati Enquirer

ALBANY, N.Y. - He isn't a cult hero, but that's what it seemed like as Lionel Chalmers returned to his hometown Sunday, a day before 21st-ranked Xavier faces Siena at Pepsi Arena.

A contingent of Albany television media met Chalmers at the team's hotel as he exited the bus from the airport. It's Chalmers' presence on a nationally ranked team playing in the city where he starred as a prep player that provides some spice for today's 7 p.m. game.

His family and other fans have waited four years for him to return home to play. In fact, Chalmers is the reason that Xavier scheduled a home-and-home series with Siena.

"They made the game for me," Chalmers said. "It's my city. My town."

Chalmers led Albany High School to a 21-3 record in his senior season, scoring 22.4 points and averaging 5.8 assists and earning him first-team all-area and team MVP honors.

But he's not familiar with Pepsi Arena, a 15,500-seat arena in downtown Albany. Chalmers said he hasn't played there since middle school.

Siena (5-2) would love to welcome him home with an upset loss. The Saints are coming off an 87-78 loss to Delaware on Saturday. It was their first home loss of the season in four games.

Siena's leading scorer, Prosper Karangwa, scored 21 points, but the Saints gave up a three-point halftime lead by allowing six Delaware 3-pointers in the second half.

With a Christmas vacation coming up and Siena being a lesser-known opponent from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, this is the kind of game Xavier coach Thad Matta wants his team to keep focused on.

"It's a huge game for Siena," Matta said. "We're a ranked team coming in here to play."

Having Chalmers play in front of a hometown crowd helps because it gives more meaning to another non-conference game against a team ranked 111th in the Ratings Percentage Index.

"He's coming home," Matta said. "So it's big for all of us."

Said Chalmers: "The game is more important to me because I'm playing in front of my family, but it won't change the way I play."

Chalmers has been more of a scoring threat since he was moved to off-guard in the third game of the season. His scoring average is 13.8, three points higher than his career average.

"You want to have a good game," Chalmers said, "because if you don't, your family just says, `Well, we came to the game.'"

Chalmers' family will get to see him off the court as well. He's staying in Albany to celebrate Christmas for the first time since high school.

On Dec.3, Xavier played host to Purdue in a game that had a similar feel for Chalmers. In that game, he went against former high school opponent Willie Deane, who played at Schenectady (N.Y.) High while Chalmers played his first three years at Bishop Gibbons High in Schenectady, about 40 minutes from Albany. Chalmers and Xavier got the better of Deane and Purdue, winning 74-59 with Chalmers scoring a season-high 24 points.

When asked about who would get a better reception in Albany, him or Deane, Chalmers said it was no contest.

"I would," he said. "I would."

Today's lineups:

XAVIER

Player	Yr.	Ht.	PPG
Lionel Chalmers	Sr.	6-0	13.8
Romain Sato	Jr.	6-5	12.6
Dedrick Finn	Fr.	6-1	4.5
David West	Sr.	6-9	19.4
Anthony Myles	Jr.	6-9	7.3

Coach: Thad Matta (32-8, second season; 56-16 overall)

SIENA

Player	Yr.	Ht.	PPG
Pros. Karangwa	Sr.	6-7	15.7
Michael Haddix	Fr.	6-6	13.7
Austin Andrews	Jr.	6-9	8.3
Tommy Mitchell	So.	6-3	11.0
Brent Sniezyk	So.	6-10	5.9

Coach: Rob Lanier (22-21, second season; 22-21 overall)