Tennis splits Sunday matches

The men beat Xavier, 4-3. The women lost to the Musketeers, 5-2.

After the men’s tennis team had its match versus defending Atlantic Ten Conference champion George Washington postponed last Friday, Temple rebounded and defeated Xavier last Sunday, 4-3, at the Arthur Ashe Tennis Center. The women fell to the Musketeers, 5-2.

“Xavier is a very strong team,” coach Steve Mauro said. “This was a very solid win for the men’s team. These are the types of wins we need to keep on having.

“We were really looking forward to the match [against George Washington],” he added. “We want to show how good we can be. To do that, you have to beat the best. Right now, George Washington is the best in the conference. We want to prove to ourselves that all the hard work pays off in results, so we look forward to rescheduling that and seeing where we stand with the elite of the A-10.

The men’s team got its wins from sophomore Filip and freshman Kacper Rams and sophomores Dmitry Vizhunov and Mansur Gishkaev.

“I really liked the way we played today,” Mauro said. “There was a real sense of urgency. This was a very good win that was greatly needed. We need to have matches like that every week, and we will be headed to a great season.”

The preseason conference polls that were released last week picked both the men’s and women’s teams to place in the Top 5 of the A-10. The women are projected to finish second, the men, fourth. Last season, the women finished in second place after winning the A-10 in 2008. The men ended up in sixth place last year.

“Honestly, it’s nice to see that, but both our men’s and women’s teams expect to finish first in the conference,” Mauro said. “This is my fifth year at Temple, and we seem to be recruiting on a much more national and international basis. We expect to win every time we compete.”

Richmond, last year’s champion, is projected to finish ahead of the Temple women. George Washington, Xavier and Saint Louis were selected ahead of the men. Temple and Xavier are the only two A-10 universities projected to have both their men’s and women’s teams finish in the Top 5 of the conference.

“I can see why Richmond was rated ahead of us,” Mauro said. “They won the conference last year, and they have many people back. That is not shocking, but our goal is still to finish first in the conference.”

Freshman Australian recruit May Johnson won her match in straight sets for the women’s team.
“She seems to be settling in,” Mauro said. “She is starting to learn the American game, and I can’t wait to see how she progresses.”

The rest of the women’s team struggled against the Musketeers.

“I’m not sure what happened today,” Mauro said. “The effort was there, the breaks just went their way. We will rebound and be all right. When the effort isn’t there, that’s when I will get concerned, but that’s just not the case right now.”

The men’s team improves to 1-2 overall and 1-0 in the A-10 after dropping its first two matches of the season to Dartmouth. The women fall to 2-3 overall and 0-1 in the A-10 on the year.

The men and women will travel to Richmond, Va., to take on Virginia Commonwealth this weekend. The men will then remain in Virginia to do battle with Old Dominion.

Ryan Rosengrant can be reached at ryan.rosengrant@temple.edu.

Women’s gymnastics caps Senior Day with first-place finish in Liberty Classic

Seniors Nina Oteri and Danielle Viens led Temple to the win against Ursinus, Penn and West Chester. The balance beam event launched the Owls toward the comeback victory. They face Towson next.

Seniors Nina Oteri and Danielle Viens finished their final regular-season home meet on a high note, as the women’s gymnastics team capped off its Senior Day at the Liberty Classic with victories against Ursinus, Penn and West Chester.

Oteri and Viens were honored following a 188.375-point performance versus second-place Ursinus, which finished with a 181.725. Viens posted a respectable 8.825 on the uneven parallel bars, her only event. Meanwhile, Oteri rounded out the beam event with an 8.85 and finished the Liberty Classic with a 9.75 on the floor.

“It was our last in-season home meet, and we came out, and we did our job. We came home. We won,” Oteri said.

Temple began the day on vault with a solid 47.825 team total. Junior Katie Canning led the team with a 9.825, while sophomore Kaity Watson posted a 9.625.

Not everything went perfectly, though. A sluggish and sloppy performance on the parallel bars left the team playing catch-up with only two events left. Watson posted the squad’s best score with a 9.55, as the Owls scored a 45.875 for the event.

Fortunately for the Owls, the beam event proved to be a launching pad for an exciting comeback, as the squad scored a 46.85. Canning led the team with a 9.625, followed by sophomore Corrine Williams’ 9.525. By the time the team had finished the beam and floor events, McGonigle Hall was buzzing with chants of, “T! U!”

“We started off a little rough, but it was the fact that we came back on beam, and really floor we kind of kept it together.” Oteri said. “We didn’t just fall apart and throw the meet after we had a couple little bumps in the road.”

The Owls finished off the Liberty Classic with an impressive 47.825 on the floor, capped off by Canning’s 9.80.

“I think it was a big confidence booster coming in, winning against three other teams,” Viens said.

The three all-arounders – freshman Jean Alban, Canning and Watson – posted solid scores. Alban led the trio with a 37.3 by posting a 9.35 on the vault, 9.25 on the parallel bars, 9.375 on the beam and 9.325 on the floor. Canning followed with a close 37.2, while Watson posted a 36.725.

But both seniors agreed that there is still work to be done.

“We definitely had some ups and downs, a lot of falls and execution errors, but it is still early in the season, so we’re working on fixing the little things,” Viens said.

The Owls will continue to prepare for the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championship, hosted at McGonigle Hall in March.

“It feels good to win, but at the same time, like I said, the main team in our conference wasn’t here, and the mistakes that we made at a little bit bigger meet might not get the win,” Oteri said. “So, we have to really step up for the next meet.”

The women’s gymnastics team will take the floor again Feb. 20 at the Towson Invitational.

Jake Adams can be reach at jacob.adams@temple.edu.

Track and field meets NCAA, ECAC qualifying standards

Tim Boeni and Bryce Buffaloe met NCAA Provisional qualifying standards at the New Balance Invitational, while five women’s athletes qualified for the Eastern College Athletic Conference.

The men’s and women’s track and field teams managed to make it out of the snow to compete at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational, Widener Invitational and Haverford College Invitational last weekend.

“We had a pretty good showing this weekend,” coach Eric Mobley said. “We were running against top-ranked schools, and the players believe they can compete against anybody on any day.”

Seniors Tim Boeni and Bryce Buffaloe each met NCAA Provisional qualifying standards at the New Balance Invitational, which was held last Friday and Saturday in New York. Boeni jumped 7.56 meters, improving his IC4A distance and placing seventh overall in the long jump. Buffaloe finished in fifth place in the weight throw with a toss of 19.58 meters, improving his school record.

“Tim brings a lot of energy to the team, and we feed off each other,” senior hurdler and jumper Josue Louis said.

Boeni watched past performances during the last week to help in New York.

“There is always room for improvement,” Boeni said. “I watched some videos and knew that I could do better than I had.”

Junior Miles Dryden finished third with a time of 7.05 seconds in the 60-meter dash, while freshman Tim Malloy placed ninth with a time of 8.42 seconds. Sophomore Aaron Taylor placed eighth in the 800-meter with a time of 1:54.85, and fellow sophomore Emmanual Freeland ran the 200-meter in 22.45, good enough for 10th place. Taylor, along with sophomore Tariq Lee, junior Derrhyl Duncan and senior Brad McFadden, also placed third in the 4×400-meter Pennsylvania race with a time of 3:21.28.

As for the women, freshmen Sheina Roberts and Victoria Gocht each met Eastern College Athletic Conference qualifying marks in the 400-meter and 500-meter, respectively. Roberts ran a time of 57.01 and finished 12th, while Gocht placed sixth with a time of 1:14.33. Junior Paris Williams competed in the 500-meter as well and finished in second place with an impressive time of 1:13.34.

Senior Brittany McRae placed 11th in the long jump with a distance of 5.62 meters. She also finished fourth in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.85, edging out teammate junior Brittany Clybourn, who finished fifth, by a tenth of a second.

In the women’s 4×400-meter Pennsylvania race, freshman Tessa West joined Roberts, Gocht and Williams, and together they finished second overall with a time of 3:45.54, which also met ECAC marks.
“The freshman class is doing very well,” Williams said. “They have stepped up all season, and it shows. We are moving in the right direction.”

At Widener, Buffaloe threw a personal best 51-00.75 in the shot put and also placed first in the weight throw with a toss of 18.50 meters. On the women’s side, senior Melissa Gale cleared a height of 12-00 to improve her school record and ECAC qualifying mark.

Temple also got a boost at Widener from sophomore Alanna Owens, who placed first in the weight throw with an ECAC qualifying mark of 45-10.50.

At the Haverford Invitational, which was postponed one day because of the snow, the Owls scored seven first-place finishes for the men’s team. Taylor finished first in the triple jump, clearing 11.29 meters, and ran a personal best 8.35 in the 55-meter hurdles, which was good for second place.

Freeland had two first-place finishes in the 55-meter dash and 200-meter, with times of 6.49 and 22.63. Malloy won the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 7.76, and Louis finished first in the high jump with a jump of 2.03 meters.
“We’re at a point where we know we’re better than we’ve been in a while, and it’s exciting,” Louis said.
Junior Rebecca Mims led the Owls in the 800-meter, placing first. McRae also had a first-place finish in the 200-meter, clocking in at a time of 25.93, while senior Shaniece Stonewall placed first in the long jump, clearing a distance of 5.26 meters.

The Owls are off until Feb. 19, when they travel to the University of Rhode Island for the Atlantic Ten Indoor Championships.

“We let the performances come to us,” Mobley said. “Our goal for the A-10s is to win a championship on both sides.”

“We’ve got a good chance of winning,” junior long sprinter Tashima Stephens said. “We should come in the top two or three.”

Justin Boylan can be reached at justin.boylan@temple.edu.

Owls seek revenge vs. Charlotte

The 49ers eliminated Temple in last year’s A-10 Tournament.

Last week, the women’s basketball team (17-6 overall, 6-2 Atlantic Ten Conference) rebounded from its 64-54 loss to St. Bonaventure on Jan. 30 by winning two straight games in the Big 5. Temple picked up a 58-56 win against Saint Joseph’s last Tuesday and a 55-34 win versus La Salle this past Saturday. The Owls finished 4-1 in Big 5 play, which locked them into second place behind Villanova. The Wildcats beat Temple, 44-32, back on Dec. 20.

“I didn’t realize how difficult it was going to be,” coach Tonya Cardoza said. “Every game has been tough. It’s something that I’ve got to get used to. When it’s time to throw the ball up, all the Philadelphia teams want to beat the heck out of [each other], so we’ve got to make sure that we come out next year ready to fight and kill everybody to try to regain the title.”

Senior guard LaKeisha Eaddy scored the game-winning basket with 3.9 seconds left to give the Owls the win against the Hawks last Tuesday.

“With the St. Joe’s game, we fought hard, and it was a tough win, but it’s frustrating because we keep making the same mistakes,” Cardoza said.

Though the Owls have won their past two games, they have committed 20-plus turnovers in each of the contests – 23 against St. Joe’s and 21 against La Salle.

“A lot of our turnovers have nothing to do with what the defense is doing. It’s just losing our minds sometimes and not focused and not paying attention,” Cardoza said. “We just got to bear down and take care of the ball.”

Up next, the Owls begin a three-game home stretch that starts Wednesday at McGonigle Hall against Massachusetts (9-14 overall, 3-5 A-10). The Minutewomen are coming off a 60-50 win against Fordham and are led by sophomore forward Kristina Danella, who averages 13.6 points per game. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.

Saturday, the Owls will face Charlotte (14-9 overall, 7-2 A-10), the squad that knocked them out of the A-10 Conference Tournament last season by beating them 70-53 in the semifinals. Both teams lost their respective leading scorers from their last matchup. Junior forward Lindsay Kimmel transferred to Villanova, while Charlotte’s Tracy Ray and Danielle Burgin graduated. Kimmel led the Owls with 10 points, while Ray scored 16 points and Burgin added a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

The current leading scorer for the 49ers is junior guard Shannon McCallum, who averages 12.6 points per game. The location of this game works in the Owls’ favor, as Charlotte has struggled outside the Queen City. Eight of the team’s nine total losses this season have come on the road.

The key to victory will be limiting turnovers, as Charlotte ranks third in the A-10 in steals with 9.2 per game. Temple average 19.3 turnovers, which is more than any team in the A-10.

“We can’t have any slip-ups,” Cardoza said. “Right now, we have six games left, and all six teams are good enough to beat us, and we have to make sure we come out and play hard because if we don’t do the things that we need to, I don’t know what our future is going to look like. We put ourselves in good position early on, but we have to finish strong.”

Tipoff is at 1 p.m.

Brian Dzenis can be reached at brian.dzenis@temple.edu.

McCarthy avoids sophomore slump

After earning Big 5 Rookie of the Year honors last season, Kristen McCarthy leads the Owls with 13.2 points per game this year.

At first glance, sophomore forward Kristen McCarthy’s transition to collegiate basketball was a seamless one. After all, the California native started 20 games her freshman year en route to being named the Philadelphia Big 5 Rookie of the Year. But, like any college student moving across the country, McCarthy had her fair share of ups and downs.

A four-year starter at powerhouse Bishop Amat High School in La Puente, Calif., McCarthy averaged 16 points, seven rebounds and three steals per game her senior year.

“Kristen was an outstanding leader,” Bishop Amat Coach Richard Wiard said. “She was an underclassman on teams that had five future Division-I players on the roster. After her teammates graduated, she became the unquestioned leader of our team, not just because of her talent, but because her teammates respected her work ethic and ability to lead.”

When it came time to pick a school, McCarthy had plenty of choices. Former Temple coach Dawn Staley’s presence on campus led the 6-footer to choose North Broad Street, McCarthy said.

“All of the Pac-10 recruited me except for Stanford. I had some other East Coast schools, but I was mostly looking at the Pac-10, Rutgers, [Temple] and Florida,” McCarthy said. “I had signed here with intentions that [Staley] was going to coach me, and I was going to play for her. I was excited.”

When Staley decided to leave the Owls to become the coach at South Carolina, McCarthy started to doubt her decision to leave home. Nonetheless, she enrolled in summer classes at Temple. Once she arrived and met with new Temple coach Tonya Cardoza, McCarthy’s initial reaction was to transfer, Cardoza said.

“The first day that I met her was during summer school,” Cardoza said. “The next day she came in and told me she wanted to transfer. I just didn’t think that was something she really wanted. I just wanted her to give it a chance.”

“I made it tough on coach Cardoza to convince me to stay,” McCarthy added. “I was still upset about the coach Staley situation. I told coach Cardoza, ‘I know you’re not coach Staley, obviously, but I’m going to work hard for you.’”

Once McCarthy decided to give Temple a chance, she said she realized how lucky she was.

“Once I knew I was going to be staying here, I made the best of the situation,” McCarthy said. “I love basketball, no matter where I play, I just want to play. I began to get happier as the season went on, and I realized how blessed I was that I ended up staying here. I got to know the coaches, and I realized this really was the best fit for me.”

After she put her initial doubts behind her, McCarthy focused her attention on the upcoming season. She saw playing time immediately but did not earn a permanent spot in the starting lineup until Atlantic Ten Conference play began. When the season ended with a 70-57 loss to Florida, McCarthy had averages of 8.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game.

Following the season, McCarthy’s best friend on the team, forward Lindsay Kimmel, decided to transfer to cross-town rival Villanova.

“I realized that everybody has to do what’s best for them,” McCarthy said. “I was happy for Lindsay wherever she went. Fortunately, she didn’t go too far, so I get to talk to her all the time.”

Despite another obstacle, McCarthy returned home to California, set on improving her game. Upon returning to Philadelphia, McCarthy was selected as a co-captain by her teammates, along with senior guard LaKeisha Eaddy.

A starter in every game this season, McCarthy has averaged 13.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while leading the Owls to a 17-6 record. But McCarthy’s true value to the program comes between games, her coaches have said.

“You want to have kids like Kristen on your team,” Cardoza said. “You want to coach those types of kids. She’s going to give it her all. She’s always in a good mood. Since I’ve been here, she’s never come to practice with a bad attitude.”

As an assistant coach at the legendary University of Connecticut program, Cardoza helped develop 2008 Olympic gold medalists Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi. While stopping short of designating her star as a future Olympian, Cardoza did admit that McCarthy shares a similar attribute with Bird and Taurasi – an amazing work ethic.

“The thing is, Kristen wants to be really good,” Cardoza said. “If I told her that we weren’t practicing for five days, she would want to come to the gym the next five days to get individual workouts. Those types of kids are hard to find. The sky’s the limit for her.”

“I think Kristen will play professionally either overseas or in the WNBA,” Wiard said. “She has the talent, work ethic and desire to do it.”

Kyle Gauss can be reached at kyle.gauss@temple.edu.

Looking to rebound after loss

Temple will face Rhode Island this Saturday.

By the time the men’s basketball team steps on the court Saturday afternoon at the Liacouras Center, Temple (19-5 overall, 7-2 Atlantic Ten Conference) will have had a week to ponder its 71-54 upset loss last Saturday at Richmond.

The top-ranked defense in the A-10 was unable to stop a surging Spiders team that has now won six of its last seven games (18-6 overall, 7-2 A-10). Richmond played nearly flawless basketball in the first half, as the Spiders shot 77 percent from the field to jump out to a 44-26 halftime lead. The Owls outscored Richmond by one point in the second half, but that wasn’t nearly enough, as Spiders junior guard Kevin Anderson scored 29 points.

With the dominating loss on their minds for nearly a week, the now No. 21 Owls will look to respond Saturday afternoon when the Rhode Island Rams travel to the Liacouras Center for the second half of a Temple basketball doubleheader. The women will battle the Charlotte 49ers at 1 p.m.

Saturday’s battle will be the second in just more than a month between the two teams, both of whom are in the top five in the A-10 standings. The Owls sit in third place, while the Rams (18-3 overall, 6-2 A-10) are tied with Richmond for fourth. Back on Jan. 10, when the teams played in Kingston, R.I., senior guard Ryan Brooks scored eight of his 16 points in overtime, and Temple won its ninth game in a row, 68-64.

The Temple big men will try to avoid a repeat performance of last month’s game in Rhode Island. Rams forwards, senior Lamonte Ulmer and junior Delroy James, torched the Owls on the inside for 31 points and 15 rebounds, nine of which came on the offensive glass.

James is second on the team in scoring and averages nearly a double-double with almost 14 points and 10 rebounds a game. Rhode Island tops the A-10 in blocks per game with nearly six. James has 28 this season. Ulmer, who scored 17 points with 10 boards in the Rams’ win against Massachusetts last Saturday, averages more than 11 points per game with eight rebounds.

The Owls will also have their hands full guarding the Rhode Island backcourt. Senior guard Keith Cothran leads the Rams in scoring with 16 points per game. Cothran, who left last week’s game against La Salle with an ankle injury, returned late in the second half. His basket helped the Rams hold on for a 90-83 victory versus the Explorers. Cothran scored 18 points last month against Temple, and his 1,000th career point came in overtime.

The Rams also have some weapons off the bench. In fact, two of their bench players rank in the Top 5 in team scoring. Freshman guard Akeem Richmond is a 3-point threat for the Rams. Richmond, who hit six 3-pointers against UMass, now has 47 on the season. He needs four more to break Tyson Wheeler’s school record.

The Temple defense needs to be on its A-game if it wants to avoid its second loss in as many games. The Owls lead the A-10 in scoring defense by allowing 57.6 points per game. Rhode Island is second in the conference in scoring offense and averages nearly 78 points per game. The Owls have to avoid getting into a shootout with a dangerous Rams offense to stop a mini-losing streak.

Pete Dorchak can be reached at pdorchak@temple.edu.

Zumba workout debuts at IBC

The new dance-workout class is popular among students, who say it allows them to get fit while having fun.

Though the Zumba fitness dance class at the IBC Student Recreation Center has only been in full swing for three weeks, it is already one of the most popular among students. By 7 p.m. last Wednesday, eager participants already took all 55 tickets for the 7:30 p.m. session.

“I think Zumba has gotten popular so far because it is very different from anything the students have ever seen, and it’s fun,” said instructor Daniela Acosta, a junior communications major. “Nothing is worse than dreading a workout, but with Zumba, you don’t even realize how much you’re actually exercising because you’re having such a great time. The Zumba motto says it best: ‘Ditch the workout. Join the party.’”

Kelly Monaco, a junior kinesiology major, agreed.

“It’s a fun way to work out, and it doesn’t feel like you’re working out,” she said. “You work your entire body.”

According to the official Web site, Zumba is a modern form of dance that incorporates several Latin styles, including the salsa, meringue, tango, flamenco and belly dancing.

Zumba fitness was brought to the United States by Columbian trainer Alberto “Beto” Perez in 1999 when his fitness program caught the attention of two American entrepreneurs who offered to help Perez market it.

By 2002, the three men signed a contract with an infomercial company, which allowed for more exposure for Zumba and helped them sell millions of DVDs to date. Following the success of the videos, another infomercial campaign reached out to the Spanish-speaking market. Today, Zumba has reached audiences in more than 30 countries around the world.

Zumba made its way to Philadelphia, and its hard-to-resist rhythms are now making their way to the pulse of Temple students. From the start of Wednesday’s fitness session, the room was full of excitement and energy.

Students took a palpable liking to Acosta, who started dancing in sixth grade and has a background in ballet, modern dance and hip-hop.

Acosta, who received her certification in September 2009 and taught her first class at the start of the Spring 2010 semester, said she was more nervous than most students during her first class as an instructor.

“The first time was definitely nerve-racking because I didn’t know what to expect,” she said of her first experience teaching Zumba. “I thought I would forget all of my choreography or accidentally fall or do something equally as embarrassing.

“However, after the first couple of songs, I saw that everyone was responding really well to what I was teaching, and I just started having fun.”

It seemed Acosta has no problem passing the passion to students — smiles and laughter filled the dance studio in the minutes before the class, which began with warm-up choreography and picked up progressively.

By the time the second track started, Acosta stepped up on the platform and was already clapping. Toward the end of the second number, just five minutes into the fitness routine, people were already out of breath.

“The most important thing is learning how to be energetic and engaging, but that only comes with time and practice,” she said. “Getting certified was the easy part. The real work is coming up with high energy choreography and passing that passion along to your students.”

Classes are offered Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7:30 p.m. on a first come, first serve basis.

Ashleigh Gray can be reached at ashleigh.gray@temple.edu.

Invisible Children promotes awareness

A new organization is working to inform and involve students about a conflict in Uganda.

For more than 20 years, Uganda has been plagued by civil war, robbing the country’s youth along the way. Thousands of children have been abducted into the Lord’s Resistance Army, but today, the Invisible Children organization on Main Campus, along with groups worldwide, is promoting awareness and legislation to help resolve the conflict.

“Children, no matter what country you are from, shouldn’t be fighting in a war. They should be playing with toys,” Whitney DiTaranto, a freshman film and media arts major, said.

DiTaranto got involved with Invisible Children during her freshman year of high school, and brings her experiences and ideas to the new group. She participated in several screenings, fundraisers and events to promote awareness, including “The Rescue,” she said.

On the day of “The Rescue,” organized by the founders of Invisible Children to gain media attention, DiTaranto said, participants were “abducted” and not allowed to leave designated locations until they were “rescued.” This is similar to the way child soldiers are abducted by Joseph Kony and the members of the Lord’s Resistance Army in Northern Africa, said Michele Aweeky, president of Temple’s Invisible Children chapter said.

“Being ‘rescued’ included capturing the attention of the media and a [public figure], either a celebrity or a politician, someone with social pull and influence,” Aweeky wrote in an e-mail. “In Philadelphia, we were at the site for 27 hours before we were rescued.”

This event took place worldwide, in 100 cities in 10 different countries, she said.

During this event, Temple’s chapter’s founders decided to bring the organization to campus.

“We camped out at Independence Hall to raise awareness, [and that’s when] we decided to start this,” Alison Bakker, vice president of Invisible Children, said.

This is the group’s first official semester as a student organization on campus.

The national organization came to fruition in 2003 after three college graduates went to Africa in search of a story for a documentary. While there, they learned of the mounting issue of the civil war and brought footage they uncovered back to the U.S. From the documentary of the same name, the Invisible Children organization was born.

Through this documentary, Temple’s Invisible Children hopes to get more people interested, Aweeky, a sophomore journalism major, said.

The group plans to hold a screening of Invisible Children: Rough Cut at the Reel tomorrow at 5 p.m.
Aweeky found out about the organization and documentary through Bakker, she said.

“When Alison showed me the documentary, I told her she changed my life,” she said.

Before she learned about the war in Uganda, Aweeky intended to write for a rock magazine, but now she wants to use her major to do correspondence internationally, she said.

Sarah Cadman was also moved by the documentary. A junior finance major, Cadman first got started in her major in search of a high-paying career, but after seeing Invisible Children, she wants to focus on helping those less fortunate through nonprofits, she said.

“After seeing the video, how would you not want to be involved? How could you know this is happening, and [say] ‘No, I don’t want to support it’?” Cadman said. “It changed my whole perspective on my life.”

Currently, the main goal of Temple’s Invisible Children is to promote awareness, fundraise and participate in other events, Aweeky said.

According to invisiblechildren.com, the movement seeks to “creatively share the story of the invisible children, ultimately empowering a new generation of leaders to take an active role in pursuing peace and social justice.”

Currently, those who have expressed interest and attended the first meeting were already involved with Invisible Children in one way or another, so numerous ideas were generated at the meeting, Aweeky said.

But she said the group hopes to gain more members through the screening and by word of mouth.
“The main obstacle is letting people know that we’re here because we’re new,” she added.

One of the ways Aweeky said the group hopes to do this is by reaching out and working collaboratively with other organizations, such as the Collegiate Child Sponsorship.

“I think having two organizations that focus on children in need will bring more notice to CCS and what we do, and how we can work together with Invisible Children as well,” said Megan Blanchard, a junior therapeutic recreation major and secretary of CCS.

For almost two semesters, Blanchard has been involved with CCS, which was founded Spring 2009, by Temple alumni Jackie Hopkins and Rasheed Khan. It serves as an umbrella organization for other student groups on campus to sponsor children around the world, Blanchard said.

Temple’s Invisible Children meets 8 p.m. Tuesdays in the breakout rooms of the TECH Center until a more permanent location can be set, Aweeky said.

Members say they hope that with the group’s emphasis on youth promoting change, it will appeal to many young people on Main Campus.

“I think what makes [the organization] stand out is that it’s fueled by and addressed to young people,” DiTaranto said. “I think that’s important because the fire in their eyes hasn’t gone out yet.”

Amanda Fries can be reached at amanda.fries@temple.edu.

Shootings shake area near campus

Last week, two shootings involving police occurred within blocks of campus.

Students were rocked last week when the news of two shootings within blocks of campus broke.
Around 6 p.m. on Feb. 3, two Philadelphia Police Department Highway Patrol officers got word of a robbery in progress in a residence on the 1800 block of North 18th Street, Philadelphia Police spokesman Lt. Frank Vanore said.

When the officers responded to the call, they saw three men inside the home committing the robbery. After one of the robbers saw officers through a window and began shooting at them, the officers returned fire, Vanore said. The three men attempted to exit the rear of the home, but an officer covering the exit intercepted them. Another exchange of gunfire occurred and one of the suspects, Lenford Fletcher, 31, of the 1200 block of Passamore Street, was wounded in the arm and arrested at the scene. Another suspect was arrested as well, while the third fled before police later apprehended him on the 1700 block of North Gratz Steet.

The other two suspects were identified as Mikle Eubanks, 29, of the 6700 block of Large Street and Jason Graddick, 31, of the 1100 block of the Windrim Avenue. All three were charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, burglary and related offenses, Vanore said.

At 9:30 p.m., officers from the 22nd District stopped a suspected stolen SUV at Girard Avenue and Broad Street. The driver drove off and was later trapped on Oxford Street near 16th Street between a Highway Patrol car and the 22nd District officers who followed the suspect.

In an attempt to escape, the suspect put the SUV in reverse then in drive, hitting and pinning the two Highway Patrol officers between their car and the SUV. One of the officers shot at the suspect, wounding him in the leg.

The suspect fled and was arrested 12 blocks away on the 1900 block of North 25th Street. The suspect, Andrew Bell, 35, of the 3300 block of Kensington Avenue was treated at Temple Hospital for his injuries. The two Highway Patrol officers were also treated but did not sustain any serious injuries.

Bell was charged with aggravated assault, attempted murder and possession of stolen property. He had 38 prior arrests.

Brian Dzenis can be reached at brian.dzenis@temple.edu.

From toddler to Top 25

Ryan Brooks owes his successes on and off the court to his mother, Dr. Darlene Brooks, a music therapy professor at the Boyer College of Music and Dance.

Dr. Darlene Brooks knew she wanted to be a parent.

So, more than 20 years ago, she adopted a baby boy in New Orleans, where she taught music therapy at Loyola University at the time.

Now, both Darlene Brooks and her son, Ryan, are at Temple.

Darlene Brooks, an associate professor of music therapy in the Boyer College of Music and Dance, coordinates Temple’s master’s program in music therapy and is the director of music therapy and undergraduate studies.

Ryan Brooks is a senior guard and co-captain for the No. 21-ranked Temple men’s basketball team. He leads the Owls’ scoring attack at 15 points per game and broke the 1,000-point barrier in the Jan. 16 game against Massachusetts, becoming the 45th player in Owls history to do so. At the same time, he scored a career-high 29 points.

“I used to tell Ryan when he was an infant that this wonderful lady knew how much I wanted a baby, and so she had him in her tummy,” Darlene Brooks said. “And I can remember there was a point when he wanted a sibling, and we had two dogs and two cats, and he said, ‘But Mom, you could go get that lady to have a baby in her tummy for you like she did me!’ I always tried to present adoption to him as you are wanted, you are loved. As kids get older, I think they get an ‘I wonder why I was given up’ [feeling]. But I focus in on the positive that [Ryan’s biological mother] knew how much I wanted him.”

Both said most people would not know about the adoption unless they were told. Ryan Brooks is 6 feet 4 inches, and Darlene Brooks is just about as tall.

“People ask, and I tell them right away,” Ryan Brooks said. “I’m not ashamed about it at all, and I don’t know why anyone would be. I think I’m just pretty open about a lot of things. Everyone’s usually very shocked to hear it. I’ve heard things like, ‘You look alike,’ and people put together the height. I like it like that, but if they want to ask, go ahead. I’m not shy in talking about that subject at all. I’m straightforward. I’ve always been like that since I was little and the first time she told me. She told me as soon as I could understand. Ever since she told me about it, we’ve never really talked about it. She asked me if I wanted to meet my [biological] parents, and I said, ‘No,’ so we never talked about it again.”

“Where I am today is because of her,” he added. “I definitely am the man I am today because of her.”
“I wanted him to have a very healthy concept about himself and be OK with who he is,” Darlene Brooks said. “It makes him double special.

“[We’ve always said,] ‘What’s the big deal?’” Darlene Brooks added. “We’ve been together since Ryan was an infant.”

Ryan Brooks grew up in New Orleans until his mother moved north to teach at Temple after he completed sixth grade.

It was down in New Orleans that he first got involved in sports – and lots of them.

“He was the most active child I have ever seen,” Darlene Brooks said. “Finally, one summer when he was 5, I needed to find something for him to do. He was into everything. I talked to a woman who said to take him to a park. I took him to the park, and it was the best thing that ever happened.

“He played baseball,” she added. “At 5 years old, he was a home-run hitter and a first baseman. Then from baseball, we went to soccer. He was very fast. I kept telling him, ‘You could be the next Pele!’ and he would say, ‘Mom, what’s a Pele?’ Then from soccer, we’d go to basketball. We’d do all three sports, every year, until we moved here.”

Once they got to the Main Line and middle school, Ryan Brooks tacked track and field onto that list.
In high school, he played baseball for an outside league, and his team won the league championship with him pitching. Darlene Brooks said she still thinks he would be in the minor leagues right now had he continued playing the sport.

But back in eighth grade he made a pact with a friend who is now at the University of Miami. That friend said he intended to go to college and become an agent. Ryan Brooks replied, “My intention is to go to college and become a professional basketball player,” and the two boys shook on it, Darlene Brooks said.

A year later at Lower Merion, coach Gregg Downer selected Ryan Brooks for the varsity team as a freshman, though he played mainly junior varsity his first two years.

“They saw the skill, but they wanted Ryan to focus on team, to focus on defense,” Darlene Brooks said.
At Temple, Ryan Brooks has drawn the assignment of guarding every opposing team’s best offensive player. He credits that to Downer, who said he teaches defensive progressions every day in practice.

“When I was in Lower Merion, we really preached defense,” Ryan Brooks said. “My senior year was when I started guarding the best player on the other team. My coach wanted me to use my length and athleticism to my advantage. I really bought into it and took the challenge to stop the opposing team. I felt that if I stopped them that we would win the game.

“When I first got here, if I wanted to play, I was going to have to make a concerted effort on the defensive end,” he added. “I had no choice but to continue to play good defense and make a name for myself on that end of the court. Ever since then, it’s been my job to come out here and be in the zone defensively.”

Originally recruited by teams like Army, Binghamton, William & Mary, New Hampshire and Hartford, Ryan Brooks accepted a scholarship from new coach Fran Dunphy on June 29, 2006, after first turning down a walk-on spot. He was prepared to attend a year of preparatory school. Darlene Brooks had already paid the deposit. But then the scholarship became available when Matthew Shaw opted for the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.

“It was the longest, hardest weekend,” Darlene Brooks said. “I’ve never seen someone go through so much anguish. I finally made him sit down and make a list of pros and cons. At the end of the weekend, he said, ‘OK.’ I kept telling him, ‘Don’t do this for me. It’s going to be your four years. Don’t do this for me.’ He said, ‘I’m not, Mom. I made up my mind, and I’m going to do it.’ And it has just been a love affair. He moved away, but he was close enough that if he needed me, I was there.”

As a freshman, Ryan Brooks called her one night because he was hungry. Darlene Brooks loaded her car with food and drinks from Costco. When she arrived, four teammates came outside to help unload everything and to thank ‘Mama Brooks,’ as she is known to the team.

“From that point on, I’ve been ‘Mama Brooks,’” Darlene Brooks said. “I have relationships with the younger kids, and it’s a relationship where I will send them a text message individually. You know, ‘Shake off the loss. Stay focused. Play hard. Have fun.’”

She has attended all but three of Ryan Brooks’ home games in his four years on campus. She wears a signature Temple sweatshirt with his number sewn into one sleeve and sits beside his girlfriend of three years, Villanova women’s basketball player Lindsay Kimmel, who wears her own custom-made Brooks jersey.

“I try to get into the gym while they’re warming up,” Darlene Brooks said. “I like to get in and watch them at shootaround. It kind of gives me a sense of what kind of shooting game he’s going to have. When they first come back over right before they’re getting ready to do ‘The Star-Spangled Banner,’ I’ll look at him. You couldn’t even tell what was going on because it’s the slightest head nod of acknowledgment. When they’re playing really well or they’re struggling, if he looks up, I’ll do the same thing, and it’s kind of like, ‘Don’t give up. Keep going. We’ll get through this.’”

Ryan Brooks was the Owls’ third-leading scorer the last two seasons. This summer, Kimmel said he worked out at the University of Pennsylvania with coach Jerome Allen daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in an effort to improve.

“I’ve never seen someone with such a drive who loves working out so much,” Kimmel said. “Watching him play, he’s always had all the tools, but now he knows it is his time to step up. Before he took a backseat and his main focus was defense. Now, he’s elevated his offensive game. He drives more, and he’s concentrated on passing and rebounding.

“Behind the scenes, he gives the guys advice on and off the court,” Kimmel added, “whether it’s academics or making sure they’re where they need to be. I think they look up to him and want to follow in his footsteps. I’ve never heard a bad thing about him from them or his coaches, even before we were dating. He’s the one who huddles them up during timeouts and brings them together at the foul line.”

Ryan Brooks said he welcomed that responsibility. His first three years, he played with the likes of Dustin Salisbery, Mark Tyndale and Dionte Christmas. Now, it is his time to shine and lead.

“The last three years helped me evolve into the player I am today by watching those guys and learning to mature,” Ryan Brooks said. “I saw how they led the team, how they approached certain game situations. I was always aware of certain things they did working out, their preparation. I really took note because I knew that this time, my senior year, was coming, and I was going to have to write my own chapter.

“I wanted to put that on my shoulders,” he added. “When you have a successful team during the season, you can’t get complacent, but you can say, ‘You know, I’ve done a pretty good job helping lead this team with my other captains and the coaching staff so far.’

As Dunphy’s first recruit, Ryan Brooks said he does feel some pressure to succeed. As a senior at Lower Merion, he helped lead his team to the 2006 PIAA Class AAAA state title. The past two years, the Owls have won the Atlantic Ten Championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

“You kind of want to leave your stamp on the program,” Ryan Brooks said. “You want his first recruit to be a successful one. Here in my senior year, we’ve been pretty successful to this point, I think. We have a pretty good shot of finishing my career strongly and on a high note as we have in the past two years.”
“I think he looks at it like, ‘This guy took a chance on me. His reputation is dependent upon how good he can produce players, and I’m going to give him everything I have,’” Darlene Brooks said.

The Brooks family would love the Owls to not only make the NCAA Tournament but to play at the New Orleans site for the first and second rounds.

“If that happens, I think it’s because somebody made it happen,” Ryan Brooks said. “That would be a perfect ending to my career here.”

His academic career will end when he graduates May 13 with a degree in advertising. With just one class one day a week this semester [Ryan Brooks would have graduated in three-and-a-half years if one class had not been canceled last semester], he has already talked about the future with his mom during lunch on campus. She wanted him to enroll in non-matriculated graduate courses this semester and would like him to either pursue a master’s degree down the road or go into coaching. He wants to pursue his basketball dream.

“It marks a shift in our relationship,” Darlene Brooks said. “He’s no longer the student. He’ll no longer be the kid. It really has been a real pleasure watching him grow up into the man he is. I think that I’m probably one of the luckier parents around because I teach here and because I get to go to the Liacouras Center and watch him do what he loves.

“Initially, as a parent, I told him that there’s life after basketball, and you’ve got to get your degree,” Darlene Brooks added. “I know the competitive nature of the sport. There are very few spaces. Then I realized that I needed to change my thinking. I shifted gears because I felt like I needed to support his dream. I needed to get on board. I believe in your dream. Go for it.”

Jennifer Reardon can be reached at jennifer.reardon@temple.edu.

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