BEPPU, Oita Pref. — Contrasting images fill my head as I sit down to write this. Bouncing basketballs heard after endless hours in the gym and the pleasant silence of the local onsen (hot springs) clash for control. No problem. I'm relaxed.
Before the focus shifts to the season's second half, it's worth pointing out that Sendai 89ers forward Bobby St. Preux, one of the bj-league's top all-around players, put a smile on the faces of hundreds of fans with his silky smooth performance in the 2008-09 All-Star Game on Sunday. Sure, his 20-point, nine-rebound, four-assist effort for the Eastern Conference squad was impressive, but when he talked about his mind-set, his determination, it made the feat even more memorable.
"This is very special to me," said St. Preux, who was born in Haiti, grew up in Florida and attended Palm Beach Community College and Division II Northern Kentucky University. Indeed, his life story doesn't follow the typical path one thinks of for a pro ballplayer.