Ohio basketball star has lived up to the hype so far

It's not common in sports when an athlete who is tremendously hyped lives up to his or her billing.

But LeBron James certainly did.

If you follow basketball -- or high school athletics -- you probably know who I'm talking about. But for those who don't, James is a senior at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio, who has been touted as one of the most talented prep players ever and will almost certainly be the top pick in the next NBA draft.

Now that's some serious hype. And curious hoop fans across the country had a chance to get a look at the 6-foot-8, 240-pound James for themselves Thursday night when ESPN2 televised a game between St. Vincent-St. Mary and Oak Hill Academy, the nation's No. 1-ranked prep squad.

When I heard the game would be on TV, I made sure to clear about two hours from my schedule so I could watch every minute of action.

It was well worth it.

I'm no expert at rating talent, but it must have been clear to even the most casual fan that James is something special, and not just for his supreme physical gifts and NBA-type body. The kid -- it sounds weird calling him that -- seems to have the kind of mind for the game and all the other intangibles required to become a professional star.

Mind you, that's not just my opinion. It seems to be the opinion of quite a few experts on the subject, including former NBA great Bill Walton and Dick Vitale, who broadcast Thursday's game. Both said James proved to be even better than they originally thought -- and Walton and Vitale were already high on the prodigy before the contest.

For the record, James finished with 31 points, 13 rebounds and six assists -- along with numerous highlight-reel dunks and passes -- as St. Vincent-St. Mary upset Oak Hill 65-45. And remember, he accomplished this not against some also-ran team but against a supremely talented squad filled with major Division I recruits.

Listening to James after the game, and based on articles I've read about him, he seems to be a personable and grounded young man who has not gotten consumed with all his accolades.

Yep, James definitely lived up to all the hype. And now it's going to be fun following his NBA career and seeing if he does turn out to be one of the sport's great players -- as most are predicting.

The college football bowl pairings were set last Sunday and, to nobody's surprise, the Fiesta Bowl will feature a true national championship game between Miami and Ohio State, the nation's only undefeated Division I-A teams.

On paper, the most exciting matchup might be in the Orange Bowl with red-hot squads USC and Iowa.

As for the Fiesta Bowl, my early take is that Miami is simply too fast and talented for Ohio State and will roll past the Buckeyes, but we'll also see about that.

I know Miami has had close calls this year, but I don't care who you're playing, winning 34 straight games is a remarkable accomplishment.

And while the Hurricanes will capture their second straight national title if they beat the Buckeyes, it sure would be nice if Division I-A football had some kind of playoff system.

If all the lower divisions can do it, then why not I-A?

I had a great time Thursday as a guest of Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball coach B.J. Smith's weekly radio show at Buffalo Wild Wings.

The lively, fast-paced program hosted by Jeff Brightwell on KAPE-1550 is unlike most coaches' shows in that it's not all about basketball, which makes for a lot of fun.

I even got to square off with assistant coach Lisa Pace in a hot-wings-eating contest -- and these were some seriously hot wings -- to see who could devour six the fastest.

Now, I fancy myself as being pretty good in this type of deal, but I couldn't hold a candle to coach Pace, who won hands-down.

Let me tell you, that girl can eat some wings in a hurry -- but I promised her I would practice my technique and be ready for a rematch in a few weeks.

Congratulations to Southeast track and cross country coach Joey Haines on his induction into the Missouri Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Haines, Southeast's coach since 1982, has had a brilliant career that has featured several national championships on the NCAA Division II level and also some outstanding Division I teams.

The honor is certainly well deserved.

Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian