Play It Again Sports Centerville Ohio Mike Steph

When one sees a focused, dedicated and hard working student-athlete, be it a high schoolhouse or college player, ane doesn't accept to look very far to find the reason for such good fortune.

It's very simple, really, in that behind every successful young person is a group of exemplary family members providing the responsible guidance and positive support needed for their loved ane to enjoy all of the opportunities that life has to offer.

For Avon Lake resident Michael Bova, there has always been an abundance of family surrounding him with the kind of encouragement and advice that tin only lead to good things. From his father Mike, his grandfather Phil and to all of the remaining members of this proud family, Bova, a senior point guard on the St. Edward High School basketball team, is now ready to fulfill his dream of becoming a Division I college basketball player.

Bova officially signed his letter of intent on Nov. 10 to nourish Bellarmine University in Kentucky. A programme with outstanding tradition, Bellarmine will play a very demanding and impressive schedule this season including the likes of Purdue, UCLA and Gonzaga. Tough and challenging opponents, though, won't exactly be something new for Bova to deal with. The St. Edward schedule yearly features some of the very best teams the country of Ohio, and across, has to offer.

"The Bellarmine schedule was certainly something I was fatigued to and it is going to exist very exciting," Bova said, during a phone interview. "It did remind me a lot of St. Ed's in terms of strength of schedule, as well every bit the overall atmosphere. Everything about Bellarmine just felt right for me. The coaches have been peachy and they feel I will be a proficient fit for the program. I'm very happy with my decision."

Many others are as every bit thrilled with Bova's choice, in item his dad Mike.

"The Bellarmine coaches have all been great with Michael and I feel good about where he'll be playing the next four years," Mike Bova said. "Many Ohio schools also showed an interest in him, and they are all fine programs just in the terminate, to go out of land and accept the challenge of playing in a fine programme like Bellarmine will further claiming Mike to be the best he can exist. It was just the best fit for him all the fashion effectually."

Some of the schools that were hoping to land the services of this talented player included Toledo, Ohio, Miami (Ohio) and Kent State, but it will be the upward and coming programme in the basketball country of Kentucky all set to bask the talents of Bova.

Such skills were developed at a very early on age with Bova indicating that when he was a 4^th and 5^th grader, people started to take notice of his playing ability, and when he got into travel ball and AAU, that's when things, as he put it started to get "serious."

"Having the opportunity to travel all effectually Ohio and across the country playing some of the best contest I could really helped me to get better at my overall game," Michael said. "I believe I accept a toughness about me that allows me to compete at high levels. My ability to get to the handbasket and take the brawl to the rim is definitely ane of my strengths."

St. Edward head bus Eric Flannery readily agrees with such an cess.

"There is a physicality about Michael'south game that actually makes him unique," Flannery said. "A lot of players his age don't have that quality but he is a strong kid. He looks to score and delivers on that averaging in the high double-digit range, which is, for the most role, unheard of in our program. He has that rare power to score in a lot of different ways."

Another feature Bova constantly puts on display is his leadership, although Flannery would like him to be a picayune more "song" in that department.

"I talk with Michael near that all the time," the Eagles' autobus said. "He is a natural leader and his teammates look to him. He'due south achieved a lot in his career and everyone around him follows that lead."

Those accomplishments are eye-opening, indeed. Equally a freshman, Bova was a member of the programme's junior varsity squad, while he was the varsity'due south 6^thursday homo his sophomore season in 2020. He cracked the starting lineup for the light-green and gilt in 2021 every bit a junior, and hasn't looked dorsum since. That 2020 team was an impressive 25-1 with a No. 1 ranking in Ohio, and was recognized as a pinnacle 15 squad in the entire country. Bova recalled three players from that squad, who many feel was conspicuously headed to the country finals and a possible Division I championship had it not been for cancellations due to COVID-xix, in Devontae Blanton (Eastern Kentucky), Grant Huffman (Davidson) and Montorie Foster (Michigan State-football) who he looked upwardly to as a immature sophomore.

"I learned a lot from those guys," Bova, who averaged 18.8 points a game last year and 26.7 points a game in the postseason, said. "They welcomed me as a varsity team fellow member, and now they are enjoying success at the next level. This is just another example of the excellence and tradition of St. Ed's. You hear all nigh the tradition, both in the classroom and inside the athletic arena before you come to the schoolhouse. It can exist a lot to take in and encompass but once yous get hither, you get it."

Bellarmine head charabanc Scott Davenport truly believes Bova "gets it" as the veteran collegiate autobus was then impressed with the St. Ed's point guard at start glance. Davenport, whose team competes out of the ASUN conference, has guided the Knights to 378 victories during his career (through 2020-21) is Bellarmine's all-fourth dimension winningest double-decker, both in terms of wins and winning percentage (.763). Just six seasons after being hired, he guided his team to a national championship, Davenport, in 2021, guided the schoolhouse to a xiv-8 tape making a very polish transition from a Sectionalisation Ii to a Division I plan. Davenport served ix seasons every bit an assistant coach at the University of Louisville nether famed Cardinals caput coaches Denny Crum and Rick Pittino.

"Michael is a truthful student of the game, which can be traced back to his family unit and the outstanding program at St. Edward," Davenport said. "His abilities on the basketball court speak for themselves, and he is very passionate about the game. Yous show me someone who is passionate about what they exercise, and I'll testify you someone who is very adept at what they practice.

"1 of the many things nosotros liked about Michael is that he wants to be hither, and we want him hither," Davenport added. "Players like Michael, they win. He is willing to practice whatever ti takes for the team to win. Winning is a habit i should want to establish, and Michael has that covered."

And going back to that family factor, in addition to his dad, Bova's grandpa Phil has been a terrific mentor for him. Unquestionably, Phil Bova, the longtime college basketball official from the Large 10 Conference and a hall of famer, himself with many sports organizations, has forgotten more than about college basketball game than most people volition ever come to know.

"We are all so very proud of Michael and his accomplishments," Phil said. "I am grateful that my grandson will fulfill his dream of playing higher basketball."

Michael Bova quickly acknowledges what his grandad, and the rest of his family has done for him throughout the entire process of making the large determination about academics and athletics for the future.

"My dad and my grandfather have been ii of my biggest part models," he said. "In watching my grandfather do what he did and at the level he did information technology at has been an inspiration for me and a blessing. He just told me to go where I was needed and where I would be happy. My dad has been there every step of the way, every bit well. From watching me play to driving me all over the country from one tournament to the next, his support has been tremendous. My mom, brother and sister, and my entire family has been there for me and I cannot give thanks them enough for helping me get to this point in my life.

"Jitney Flann (Flannery) has been a tremendous bus for me, equally has the entire St. Ed's staff," Bova added. "Passenger vehicle Flann's success at both the loftier school and national level is well noted. He has taught me so much and has helped me to meliorate my game that now allows me the opportunity to play college ball."

Flannery, who has some feel as far as preparing his players for higher competition, was equally equally instrumental in guiding Bova through the recruiting process.

"Sometimes, players tin can wait regarding their decision," Flannery said. "And sometimes that works out, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes players wait for that bigger school, or the 'proper name' schoolhouse to make an offering. But I effort to tell my players and their families that the 'name' school may not be what is best for their son. Bigger doesn't always mean better. It'southward all about making the choice that best fits the player's needs, academically, socially and athletically. Bellarmine was the right pick for Michael, and it will be a skillful fit. I'm proud and happy for Michael and his entire family unit."

It's all about developing a plan, and and then doing all the right things for successful execution of that plan. Bova acknowledged that St. Edward e'er has a plan for its student-athletes to follow. The opportunities more than present themselves just it's upward to the individual to come across things through. Bova has more than seen his plan come to fruition.

"I believe everything about St. Ed'southward has more than than prepared me for life after graduation," he said. "At that place is a set up plan and a subject field, a mindset that has served me well and I feel so blessed to accept been able to take reward of that. Those things translate onto the basketball game courtroom where my programme for my senior year volition be to keep to improve as a player and be the best leader I can be for my teammates.

"I believe we are going to take a good team this yr," Bova added. "It will be my responsibility to lead and make sure nosotros are all on the aforementioned page. It will too be groovy to play in front end of fans and packed gyms again. We had to arrange and so much with the changes brought on by COVID, just nosotros did. I'll e'er remember Passenger vehicle Flann's words about that reminding the squad that you should never accept annihilation for granted, including playing basketball because it can be taken away from y'all. We've had a good off-flavor, though, and I believe that is going to pay off for us. The expectations are always high at St. Ed's only that'southward good. I welcome that challenge that hopefully gets us to the country's "Final Four" this year in Dayton."

Bova, who initially plans on majoring in communications, cannot wait for his terminal year of loftier school brawl to brainstorm. He is only as excited, nevertheless, well-nigh realizing his dream. Imagine this youngster who picked upwards a basketball game at a very early on historic period at the playgrounds and middle schools in Avon Lake, will soon become from playing on the hardwood at St. Edward High School in Lakewood, Ohio to potentially taking the flooring as a freshmen college player inside Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C. taking on THE Duke University Blue Devils.

Yes, dreams tin come true only it takes hard work, sacrifice and a dedication unlike no other. For dreams to become reality, one must be proactive and be willing to practice whatever it takes to achieve success.

Bova has washed everything one needs to do in order to realize a lifelong goal. And with such a loving and supportive family backside him, the good times are only merely beginning. The book is far from being finished as Bova gets gear up to write additional capacity to his success story.

If i needs to wait for a positive example in terms of the correct path to take in life, yous couldn't become wrong by glancing towards the road Michael Bova chose to travel upon.

Photos courtesy of the Bova family

Mike Holzheimer is a veteran sportswriter in the Cleveland-Northeast Ohio area and has written a variety of stories and columns for many years, covering high school and college sports for such publications equally Sun News, cleveland.com, Westlife Mag and the Elyria Chronicle Telegram, while also writing special feature stories highlighting little leagues, recreation leagues and sports camps throughout the summertime months. Holzheimer, in addition to numerous game stories and individual feature stories, has written over one,000 columns during his long career in the journalism/media field. He now offers his sports expertise for NEO Sports Insiders writing columns on the Browns, Cavaliers and the Guardians, also as features on scholastic/collegiate athletes and issues.

mathewsandetter58.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.neosportsinsiders.com/st-edwards-michael-bova-walking-tall-ready-to-take-the-next-step/