Before we start...full disclosure time: My cousin plays for Chaminade. Yes, that Chaminade that just beat Grandview for the state title.

 I've covered high school sports for about seven years now but on those rare occassions that I get to work a college or pro event, I know that sometimes before the game an announcement will be made: "...No cheering from the press box."

Sports reporter's Rule No. 1: Be a professional, not a fanboy (girl). And this is actually pretty easy to do. Because, in truth, all sports reporters care about is writing a great story and beating deadline. And especially in my case, I'm not from Kansas City so I don't have emotional ties to the Chiefs, Royals or Wizards. But in my seven years, I've never had to hold fast to that rule no more than I did at the Missouri Class 5 boys' state championship game.

On Saturday night, I had a problem and his name was Prentice Ivy. He's a senior backup guard for Chaminade and 18 years ago, I was there at the hospital when he was born. He's my mother's sister's only child. My first cousin.

Back when he was born, I thought he had an alien head and I was jealous that he was now the baby of the family and would steal my shine.  I helped babysit him, ate at the kids' table with him every holiday and watched him grow into a truly great young man that he is today. And there he was Saturday night, throwing me a fist pound when he saw me seated at press row. I was extremely proud to see him on the biggest stage possible for high school hoops - but I had to smile, shake my head no and say "I can't."

No cheering on press row, remember? Even if you did change that dude's diapers once. I guess it was bound to happen. My colleague Cole Young, the pride of Adrian, Mo., had to put on the stoic face last week when he covered his alma mater's sectionals game against Southeast. I thought he did a fantastic job staying neutral ... except for that one line where he wrote: "ADRIAN BASKETBALL ROCKS! WOOOHOOOO!"

Kidding. Cole is such a professional stud, he even watched the game alongside the AD from Midway, Adrian's rival. So on Saturday, it was my turn to act nonchalant and do my best Larry Fitzgerld, Sr. impression. As you can read in my column from the championships, I still focused on the home teams. I couldn't care less about Chaminade, really. When I was growing up in St. Louis, I went to public school so my cousin is the only reason why I know that place even exists. So when Saturday came, my rooting interest was for the game to end fast enough so we could get the story in the state edition of the paper. And, of course, for my cousin not to trip over his laces and break his face. 

Thankfully, he did not.

Prentice only played about six minutes in the game. He missed his only free throw attempt (must've got his shooting skills from his cousin) and checked Grandview stud Alec Burks twice on one-and-one. Alec hit a coldblooded J in his eye the first time (definitely got his defensive skills from his cousin) and the second time, Prentice stayed with him and forced a miss at the end of the half. I'll be honest here, I'm human. So everytime he checked into the game, I nudged Cole sitting next to me and felt my feet tap dancing under press row. But I never broke out the pom poms and started the P-R-E...N-T-I-C-E chants.  

Prentice may not be the last of the Ivy/Jones/Buckner clan to come around the big stages. My little cousin Larry, Jr. wants to play ball at CBC next season. Trust me, I won't cheer if he does but that doesn't mean I won't be the proudest journalist on press row.

image from stltoday.com

Prentice Ivy (2), pictured left, has better defensive skills than his cousin Candace Buckner and celebrated winning the Missouri Class 5 boys' state championship with his Chaminade teammates on Saturday night.