MCCC Men's Basketball Takes Flight With Air Force Basketball

11/21/23

On Veterans Day, MCCC men’s basketball got a unique opportunity.  The Vikings were able to watch a practice with the Air Force Academy men's basketball in the Vikings home gym.  Air Force is coached by former Princeton University player and Coach Joe Scott, a teammate of MCCC Head Men’s Basketball Coach Howard Levy.  After their practice at MCCC’s gym, Air Force joined Mercer men’s team for lunch, pizza from DeLorenzo’s.  

Scott and Levy were teammates at Princeton from 1983-1987.  Scott and Levy both majored in History and both went to Law School.  Scott and Levy also both coached together at Princeton.  Scott was an Assistant Coach at Princeton from 1992-2001 and then Head Coach from 2004-2007.  Levy was a Volunteer Assistant Coach at Princeton from 1996-2007.  Levy moved on to become Head Coach at MCCC in 2008.

Scott first coached Air Force from 2001-2004.  After four seasons at Air Force, Scott led the Falcons to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 42 years, a top 25 ranking and a then school record 22 wins.  In 2005, Scott was named Mountain West Coach of the Year and NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches) Coach of the Year.

Scott went on to become Head Coach at University of Denver from 2007-2016.  In 2013, Scott led Denver to a WAC (Western Athletic Conference) title and NIT (National Invitational Tournament) bid and to their first ever postseason win.  Scott returned to Air Force in 2019.

Air Force played at Long Island University on Friday, November 10th and was playing at University of Delaware on Sunday, November 12th.  The team was staying in the Princeton area and that was how the opportunity to practice at MCCC arose.

The practice and lunch also allowed Levy to share a part of his Princeton basketball family with his MCCC basketball family.  Coach Levy used the opportunity for his players to observe a Division I team’s practice first hand.  The practice and lunch also allowed Levy to share a part of his Princeton basketball family with his MCCC basketball family.  Coach Levy said “It was great for our guys to see a D1 program practice so they can see the level of play and the size and speed of the guys, and it was particularly great to see Air Force, as Coach Scott does many of the same things, and emphasizes the same values that we are trying to implement here at Mercer.  Additionally, as a Jersey guy living in Colorado, Coach Scott relished the opportunity to introduce his team to Delorenzos!”

Sports teams often become like family because of how much time the players spend together.  Mercer becomes a home for its students and athletes and this past Saturday it became a home to the Air Force men's basketball team.