From the Bleachers

 

with Rich Summers

 

Watching Nate Sestina playing for Bucknell in the NCAA tournament on Friday night was a great thrill for our community and especially for those of us who watched him through his high school career. I can still see him coming to the scorer’s table as a freshman to check into the game and saying “Hi Mrs. Bauer, hi Mr. Summers, I’m going in.” 

The man I saw battling with the huge front line of Michigan State bears little resemblance to the kid I saw playing in ninth grade. Nate was a good ball handler and played guard until he hit his growth spurt, but one thing stood out; he was always way ahead of everyone else when it came to work ethic, effort, and understanding of the game.

The University of Maryland Baltimore County Retrievers had the upset of the tournament, defeating the overall number one seeded University of Virginia. I couldn’t resist sending a text to Don Sestina, Nate’s father, who grew up next to me in Prospect Park and congratulated him on Nate’s play but also included a dig on the Cavaliers’ loss. Don did his graduate studies at Virginia during the Ralph Sampson era.

 

 

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