Steubenville, Ohio

    It was an unusual storm. During the summer of 2022, heavy winds and rain swept through the Steubenville area. Water poured onto Franciscan University's campus, running downhill until it reached its target: the Finnegan Fieldhouse. The large gym is nestled in the center of campus, locked in a crater surrounded by grass slopes. It became a victim of the rain, getting flooded all through the first floor. The Kuzma Court was completely soaked, the wooden floorboards started to warp. Franciscan basketball no longer had a home.
    Coming into the 2022-2023 season, the men's and women's basketball teams had to find an alternative. They could no longer practice at the Fieldhouse, as the court is in the middle of being replaced. They will not play their first few home games on campus. What could they do? If the flooding of the Fieldhouse is the tragedy of this story, then the community of Steubenville are its heroes. The Barons were able to practice at multiple facilities throughout the area, such as Steubenville Big Red and Catholic Central, with every place welcoming them with open arms. Assistant coach Adam Martello sees the community as a blessing during these hard times: "We like to pride ourselves on being a community team. It's been awesome to be able to be out in the community in those places, for guys to be able to go and work out there. But also, for them to envelop us a little bit and help us out. Those guys and those schools deserve a lot of thanks."
    The Barons have taken a court problem and turned it into an opportunity to engage with the community. Coach Martello also admired how the players conducted themselves: "I gotta give credit to our players. They've taken this in stride. It has not affected their mood, their work ethic one bit. They deserve a ton of credit for that". The Franciscan Barons are here to play basketball, whether it's on campus, or in the community.
    Now, it's time to give back. On November 16 at 7pm, the Men's Basketball team plays at Steubenville Big Red in their first home game. For the first time since 1981, the Barons are playing basketball in the local community. The game will be a special occasion, with tailgating outside the gym. Coaches will be handing out tickets to encourage everyone to come together and celebrate Franciscan Basketball. Although a stormy summer left the Barons without a home, the community in Steubenville have made the team even stronger.

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