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NBA Finals help basketball grow in football states

By WTOP Staff

BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Basketball Writer

MIAMI (AP) — Basketball is taking center stage in the football-crazed states of Texas and Florida — and not just this month.

The NBA Finals have been held in one, or both states eight times in the last 10 years. And with youngsters seeing more basketball than ever, maybe more of them won’t want to grow up to be Cowboys.

The San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat, who were set to play Game 4 on Thursday night, have been two of the NBA’s best for years. So have the Dallas Mavericks, who twice reached the finals, and the Orlando Magic also played in the 2009 finals.

Heat star Chris Bosh, a Dallas native, believes that could have an impact on some kids.

“Maybe they’ll say, ‘Hey, I was watching the Spurs, the Mavericks, the Heat, the Magic, and I wanted to play basketball,'” Bosh said.

Some have done just that.

According to the Florida High School Athletic Association’s participation surveys, there were nearly 900 more boys basketball players in the state last year than in 2004-05. And in Texas, the National Federation of State High School Associations reported that there are 55 more high schools with boys basketball teams than there were five years ago.

Despite the bump, NBA players form those states concede football will always be king.

“Still football states, especially for high school football. … Great college football teams, but for some reason it’s turned into a lot of great basketball players coming from the state of Texas and teams have been playing well,” said Miami’s Rashard Lewis, a high school star in Houston who played for the Magic in 2009.

The Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins are two of the power franchises in the NFL, even without the success they long enjoyed. Throw in the Florida State-Florida-Miami college trio, and teams such as Texas and Texas A&M, and it’s tall mountain for basketball to climb.

But Lewis pointed to the success of the Spurs and Rockets, a potential finals contender, and the Mavericks, who have somewhat escaped the Cowboys’ considerable shadow by becoming a postseason regular.

“Without question, interest in the Mavs has grown, but it’s hard to say the source,” owner Mark Cuban said. “I hope it’s been our ability to connect to fans and offer great value, entertainment and great basketball.”

Bosh tried football.

He was an eighth grader, and with his height and athleticism could have been a dream target for any quarterback. But there was one problem.

“I got hit and I said, ‘This is not for me,'” Bosh said. “That was in practice. I got hit, and that’s when I found out that the ground is hard, too. And it was hot, and I said, ‘Man, I don’t want to play this anymore.'”

With so much basketball in June lately, kids in Texas and Florida are being exposed to a different option — without getting hit.

The Lakers-Celtics finals in 2008 and 2010 were the only ones since 2005 that didn’t have a Texas or Florida stop on the itinerary. David Stern had said that as a young commissioner, the NBA Finals to him meant Boston and Los Angeles, because at least one was an annual destination after he took over in 1984.

For new Commissioner Adam Silver, the finals may have an entirely different meaning.

“To me, the NBA Finals means the best basketball in the world and I’ve been back to this community several times,” the new commissioner said earlier in the series in San Antonio. “And it’s also about well-run franchises and there’s no doubt that that’s what the San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat represent in this league.”

Both have become must-see entertainment in communities that long ago would have looked elsewhere.

“The one ancillary benefit of having a team like this for four years in South Florida is you start to slowly change the culture of basketball in Miami,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “It’s a great sports town. When I first got down here it was only a football city, but now you’re starting to see a legion of kids and young generation of NBA fans that weren’t necessarily here 15, 20 years ago.”

Bosh finished his one football season and left the gridiron for good. For the past four years, he’s been a fixture in the NBA Finals.

“I think a lot of kids will be watching this, especially in Texas and Florida, and that’ll encourage them to get in the gym a little more and not only think I have to play football anymore,” Bosh said. “Maybe basketball can be an option, too, and I think probably we won’t really see the effects until a little later in the next generation and see how many players continue to come out of Florida and Texas. “

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Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Briancmahoney

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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