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Shooting for history

By JOE SMITH
Published March 15, 2007

Julian Mascoll said his college experience at Eastern Kentucky University has been "quite a culture shock."

It began his first day when Mascoll met roommate Michael Brock.

Brock, a clean-cut, Kentucky-bred freshman forward, spoke in Southern drawl and fell asleep to country music, stunning the former Countryside High star.

"You're going to be here for a while," Brock told Mascoll. "You better get used to it."

Four years later, Mascoll and Brock are best friends and the lone two seniors on the Colonels basketball team.

Tonight, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Mascoll hopes for another shocker. The No. 16 seed Colonels play No. 1 seed North Carolina in Winston-Salem at 9:40 p.m.

"It's North Carolina," Mascoll said. "You dream of playing teams like that all your life."

Mascoll, a 6-foot-4 guard, thought he'd play for a big-time program after his illustrious Countryside career, in which he left as the program's third-all-time leading scorer with more than 1,200 points.

He weighed offers from Florida State, Dayton and Miami before choosing a rising mid-major program, Eastern Kentucky, where he could start as a freshman. Mascoll did just that, starting the team's final 20 games while shooting nearly 60 percent. But that was just the beginning of a four-year career he describes as a "bumpy ride."

There was his significant drop in playing time his sophomore season, which ended with an Ohio Valley Conference tournament title and NCAA berth. But soon after, Mascoll's coach, former Kentucky guard Travis Ford, left Eastern Kentucky to take over at Massachusetts.

Mascoll and Brock were the only two players from their recruiting class who didn't transfer. They chose to stick out under new coach Jeff Neubauer, who said "Julian has been a huge part of our success."

Mascoll is equally explosive and savvy, serving as the Colonel's primary playmaker. He averages 5 assists per game and is the team's third-leading scorer and rebounder, with 11.1 points and 3.9 rebounds a game.

"I'm not the kind of guy who's going to go out and score 40 points," said Mascoll, who is majoring in both geography and sociology. "I like to get my teammates involved - whatever it takes to win.

"I've got two rings in four years with two different coaches. I can't complain about that."

Mascoll's smooth ball handling skills aren't limited to basketball. The Safety Harbor native grew up playing soccer, much like his father, John, did while living in Barbados.

To ease his nerves, Mascoll often juggles a basketball with his feet on the court before games, drawing a few confused looks from friends and opposing fans.

Apparently, "culture shock" goes both ways.

Joe Smith can be reached at joesmith@sptimes.com or at (727) 893-8129.

Fast Facts:

March Madness

What: NCAA Tournament, First Round

Who: No. 16 seed Eastern Kentucky (21-11) vs. No 1 North Carolina (28-6)

When: Tonight, 9:40 p.m., Winston-Salem, N.C.

The skinny: Countryside grad Julian Mascoll, a senior at EKU, tries to make history; A top-seeded team has never lost to a No. 16 seed since the NCAA Tournament began seeding in 1979.

[Last modified March 14, 2007, 23:56:50]