All-Access at the South Regional in Atlanta: HoopsHD interviews Michigan basketball father Robert Hochberg

Posted on March 29, 2025 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel commences our coverage from Atlanta by chatting with Michigan basketball father Robert Hochberg about his son Harrison playing for Coach Dusty May and making the NCAA tourney.

You played basketball at Vassar: how good a player were you back in the day? I was a pretty good player, and had some interest from mid-majors at the time to be a role player, but I made the decision to go where I could be an important part of the program. Vassar was a developing program and presented the balance of sports and academics I felt was right for me. I had a great experience there and felt that I left the program in better shape than I found it.

You have been the CEO of Numeric Computer Systems for more than 30 years: what does your company do, and how long do you plan to stick around for? We are a software developer that supplies the food & beverage industry globally in the area of their supply chain logistics, specifically DSD (Direct Store Delivery). It has been a fun job and has provided the opportunity to travel the world, meet interesting people, and help their businesses get more efficient. I think I have a few more years left in me!

Your wife Jackie is a Michigan alum and serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council for the school’s College of Literature/Science/Arts, and your father-in-law Ira went to school in Ann Arbor: how easy a decision was it for your son Harrison to go to Ann Arbor? He always dreamed that he would go to Michigan: he grew up watching Wolverine football games on Saturday and dressed in Maize and Blue from a very young age.

He played a post-graduate year at Cushing Academy: how did that extra year help him either on or off the court? Harrison had achieved a lot at Suffield Academy both athletically/academically, but unfortunately he lost his junior year due to COVID. Doing a post-graduate year at Cushing enabled him to engage better competition and gain another year of hard work, development, and coaching to have a chance to achieve his dream of playing for Michigan. Harrison was never afraid of the work: that is his superpower! He is always the 1st 1 in/last 1 out.

The Wolverines have a new coach this year in Dusty May: what makes him such a great coach? He knows the game and has been a complete student of the game his whole life growing up in Indiana, working under Bobby Knight, working his way through the coaching ranks. I have been to a few practices, and he is a savant: he is right there in the middle of everything and sees the game so clearly and teaches it to his players in real-time.

Harrison is a sophomore: does he have a post-graduation plan yet? It is beginning to develop: though right now he is just focused on doing the best he can for the team and academically at school. He wants to get into the sports management field and is still looking to get a summer internship. I think it is fair to say he wants to stay around sports post-graduation.

He is a key member of the scout team: how has he enjoyed the experience? He loves it. He takes the challenge very seriously because he knows that he needs to help prepare the guys for their next opponent. It takes a lot of commitment/preparation to bring the gameday speed/energy to get them ready, but he embraces his role.

Last year he received the school’s Athletic Academic Achievement award: how is he able to balance his work on the court with his work in the classroom? I always felt that time-management is something that athletes learn before other students: you cannot be partying until 2AM if you will be lifting weights at 6AM! He learned that structured approach during prep school and followed it through to college: he is well-prepared and always able to keep everything balanced.

The team finished the regular season with 3 straight losses but have bounced back to win 3 games in the Big 10 tourney and their 1st 2 games in the NCAA tourney: what has changed over the past 2 weeks? A few things. They had a couple of injuries and had to adjust to a different rotation, and the Big 10 schedule just wears on every team because it is a very physical league. The games down the stretch came 1 after another and they were caught a little flat by 3 pretty good opponents: Illinois/Michigan State/Maryland. However, they had a chance to rest/regroup/practice and come back strong, which has been fun to watch.

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All-Access at the South Regional in Atlanta: Mississippi-Michigan State

Posted on March 29, 2025 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Atlanta with a recap of Mississippi-Michigan State.

I took a couple of laps around the court to see who was in the house for the big doubleheader. I saw the spirit squads for the Rebels and Spartans:

…as well as the bands for both teams:

Hawks assistant GM Kyle Korver was standing near the court talking to a security guard. He played in 4 straight NCAA tourneys at Creighton but never made it to the Sweet 16:

NCAA Selection Committee member Keith Gill was chatting with someone. He was kind enough to do an interview with me last month:

Former Michigan State football coach Mark Dantonio was sitting near the court. He 1st joined Nick Saban’s staff in East Lansing when Tom Izzo became head basketball coach back in 1995:

Former Michigan State star Jason Richardson went a ridiculous 10-1 during his 2 years with Izzo (including a win over Florida in the 2000 NCAA title game as a freshman), and was a few rows behind his coach to cheer on his son Jase who is currently a freshman on the team. I guess I can no longer complain about legroom at an arena!:

Former Michigan State star Steve Smith, who went 3-2 in 5 NCAA tourney games under Coach Jud Heathcote (with all 5 decided by 1-4 PTS!), was also nearby:

I looked up to the rafters to check out the retired jerseys of all the former Hawks legends…and Ted Turner:

Thanks to friends-of-Rocco Robbie Lastella/Ivetta Abramyan I got to sit right above the 100 level with some of the photographers. Let’s tip off a great night of hoops:

GAME #1: MISSISSIPPI-MICHIGAN STATE

Next week is the 6-year anniversary of the 1st time that Tom Izzo and Chris Beard met in the NCAA tourney. Beard was coach at Texas Tech when he beat the Spartans 61-51 in the Final 4 on 4/6/19:

Mississippi PG Sean Pedulla helped his team build a double-digit lead in the 1st half with a floater in the lane and a pair of 3-PT shots:

His teammate Matthew Murrell contributed a 3 of his own and got into the lane for a jumper and a layup:

Jase Richardson kept Michigan State in it with a trio of trifectas:

His teammate Coen Carr is known mostly as a dynamic dunker, but made a nice hook in the lane and knocked down a 3 to keep it a close game as the Spartans were only down 33-31 at halftime:

Pedulla stayed strong in the 2nd half with 2 more shots from behind the arc and a “dunk” that he almost missed…but the ball somehow rolled over the front of the rim. Michigan State G Jaden Akins missed several long range shots in the opening stanza but was able to get into the lane in the 2nd half for a couple of scoops and a runner that bounced around before going in:

The game went down to the wire and the Spartans won 73-70, followed by a nice postgame handshake from the 2 coaches:

I got a great shot of Jase running off the court in ecstasy!:

Instead of attending the postgame press conference I decided to try going to the Michigan State locker room for an interview…but it looks like I was not the only 1 who had that bright idea:

JR PG TRE HOLLOMAN

What is the key to winning close games in March? Defense, rebounding, and holding onto the ball.

Your teammate Jase Richardson scored 20 PTS/4-6 3PM: how was be able to play so well as a freshman? He has confidence and is a gamer who goes right at his opponent.

Mississippi G Sean Pedulla scored 20 PTS/4-6 3PM: what makes him such a great player? He can shoot it very well and has a quick 1st step, so we were just trying to throw different defenders at him.

Your team made 19-22 FTs (including 6-6 from you): what make your team so great at FTs? We practice them every day.

How big a deal would it be to face Michigan on Sunday with a spot in the Final 4 on the line? It would be a big, big deal. To beat our archrival in the Elite 8 would be very special…but Auburn is a great team.

GAME #2: MICHIGAN-AUBURN
I got some quick shots of the spirits squads for the Wolverines and Tigers:

…and their bands:

I missed most of the game while saying hi in person to some of the many parents who I interviewed this week and conducting another parent interview during halftime…but did see Carr wandering the concourse to say hi to all his family/friends/fans while still in his jersey:

The Wolverines played well for the 1st 30 minutes but then the Tigers took over down the stretch and cruised to a 78-65 victory.

That is a wrap for the Sweet 16, check back later for some Elite 8 interviews.

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All-Access at the South Regional in Atlanta: HoopsHD interviews Michigan basketball father Rhodney Donaldson

Posted on March 28, 2025 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel commences our coverage from Atlanta by chatting with Michigan basketball father Rhodney Donaldson about his son Tre making the NCAA tourney each year and his predictions for this weekend.

Your son Tre began his career at Auburn (where he was primarily recruited as football prospect): which sport was he best at in high school and which sport did he enjoy the most? He was probably more of a football prospect at the beginning, but became more of a basketball prospect as the summer progressed. I thought football was leading the pack for him, but as he started to have more success with basketball that is when it took over. When he was in high school I asked him to write down his goals for the years ahead and everything had to do with basketball…so I said why are you playing football! I think he always wanted to play in the NBA, but he was also very good at football.

He made a pair of NCAA tourneys with the Tigers: did you get to travel to Birmingham/Spokane? I got to attend both of those tourneys: to see him run out of that tunnel with a smile on his face made me so happy/proud as a father.

Why did he decide to transfer to Michigan, and how weird is it for him to be facing his old team on Friday? We are an Auburn family and he loved it there: he just wanted a bigger role and saw an opportunity to go elsewhere. His decision to leave Auburn was extremely hard for all of us, but he had to do what was best for him.

The Wolverines have a new coach this year in Dusty May: what makes him such a great coach? Dusty and Tre hit it off very fast, both on the phone and during his visit. He is transparent and every 1 of his answers to all of Tre’s questions was exactly what Tre wanted to hear. That is all we could ever ask for, and that is all Tre wanted.

In the Big 10 tourney semifinal 2 weeks ago he scored 12 PTS including a game-winning layup with 0.4 seconds left in 1-PT win over Maryland (www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Cn7SJpRENc): where does that rank among the best play in Donaldson family history? That might be the best 1! I was there in person, but I do not typically jump up and down or show a lot of emotion. I am so proud of him that I am just stoic/locked in watching him celebrate so that I do not miss a single moment. It is refreshing for me to just sit there and enjoy it.

He is top-10 in the conference with 4.2 APG this year: what makes him such a good PG? His biggest attribute is his ability to make his teammates better. He gets a thrill out of seeing other people succeed by making the right play. He is so happy for his teammates and seeing LJ Cason weather the storm and for Roddy Gayle Jr./Rubin Jones. He has always been a pass-1st guy: when he was small and would score 30 PTS in a game I would sit him down: he hated sitting on the bench so it turned him into that guy.

The team finished the regular season with 3 straight losses but have bounced back to win 3 games in the Big 10 tourney and 2 games in the NCAA tourney: what has changed over the past 2 weeks? I think their confidence has changed. The team will go as far as Tre goes, so if he is bringing the energy/excitement then his teammates will feed off that. It is a new team so everything is a “1st” for them: it takes a while but they are finally turning the corner and starting to understand each other. Their chemistry has evolved/connected.

He is a junior: does he have a post-graduation plan yet? Not yet. Like every other college basketball player, he dreams of playing in the NBA. We will let him keep dreaming and give himself a chance to achieve that goal and play at the next level.

You played basketball at Troy, his mother Stacie played softball at Florida State, and your brother Duke played football at Auburn: who is the best athlete in the family, and who will Duke be cheering for tonight?! I think my daughter Preslee is the best athlete…but Duke is cheering for Michigan 100%!

Any predictions for this weekend in Atlanta, and what would it mean if you end up facing Michigan State on Sunday for a spot in the Final 4? I do not have any predictions, but my heart is pulling for Michigan with everything I have. If they face the Spartans it would be storybook and give us the chance to have the last laugh. I would think Michigan State would have a sense of comfort and feel that we cannot beat them, so we would have nothing to lose and have the biggest chip on our shoulder. I hope we get to that point!

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All-Access at the South Regional in Atlanta: HoopsHD interviews Michigan State basketball mother Allison Cooper

Posted on March 28, 2025 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel commences our coverage from Atlanta by chatting with Michigan State basketball mother Allison Cooper about her son Carson making the NCAA tourney each year and her predictions for this weekend.

In high school your son Carson was an all-state soccer goalie: which sport was he best at, and which sport did he enjoy the most? He enjoyed whatever season it was, so during soccer season his favorite sport was soccer. He really excelled in it and was on an elite team with a goalkeeper from Egypt who worked with him and helped him improve a ton. There was less knowledge being shared by his basketball team, but he improved his basketball skills a lot.

Your family is from Jackson, MI: what made him choose Michigan State? He was down at IMG Academy and starting to get some offers that fall, but he told my husband and I that he wanted to hold out until he got a high-major D-1 offer. 1 of his coaches at IMG contacted an assistant coach at Michigan State and told him to keep an eye on Carson, and they came down a few months later to watch him. It was fun: we kept our visit to East Lansing a secret and he signed on Mother’s Day, which was a shock to everyone.

Coach Tom Izzo has made 27 consecutive NCAA tournaments, which is the most in men’s college basketball history: what makes him such a great coach? His ability to manage each player: he makes each player want to do their best for him. Even as adults we are starstruck when we talk to him!

Carson’s FT% has increased a lot every single year: what is his secret to making FTs? Just putting in the time. At 1 point he was taking 100 extra shots/day, which took a long time, but he knew that he had to get his percentage up.

He is a junior: does he have a post-graduation plan yet? His goal is to make the NBA so he will work with Izzo to improve whatever skills he needs to get there.

The Spartans won 8 straight games before a 3-PT loss to Wisconsin in the Big 10 tourney semifinals (Carson had 10 REB): how devastating was that loss, and how have they been able to turn things around since then? The parents/fans took the loss harder than the players because they knew that their season was not over yet. I talked to Carson after the game and told him that he played well, and he agreed.

The team has won at least 1 NCAA tourney game during each of his 3 years in East Lansing: do you keep your March schedule clear because you expect to be traveling with the team every single spring? With Izzo: yes! Carson has 2 younger brothers on spring break, so we slowly made our way down to Atlanta. Even next week we have no plans in case we must travel to Texas!

The SEC set a record this month with 14 NCAA tourney bids, but several Big 10 schools are also still alive (including Maryland/Michigan/Purdue): where do you think the Big 10 ranks among the best conferences in the country? I watch a lot of high school basketball (since my kids play) as well as Michigan State. It seems like the Big 10 has a lot of teams in the NCAA tourney each March so they have to be up there.

He was born on 4/9/04: do you have any big plans for the big 2-1 in a couple weeks? We are just focusing on the tourney for now and have not brought it up at all. It is a nice time to celebrate the end of the season…and finally get some sleep!

Any predictions for this weekend in Atlanta, and what would it mean if you end up facing Michigan on Sunday for a spot in the Final 4? That would be very cool. Both schools have a chance to win tonight. Having a 3rd win over Michigan would be an amazing confidence boost…but it certainly will not be easy.

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All-Access at the South Regional in Atlanta: Auburn open practice

Posted on March 28, 2025 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Atlanta with the Auburn open practice.

I needed some fresh air, so I took a lap outside the arena and saw a pair of great statues: Evander Holyfield (who grew up in Atlanta and became the only 4-time world heavyweight champion in boxing history):

…and Dominique Wilkins (who made 9 straight All-Star Games for the Atlanta Hawks before being inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame):

I assumed Michigan State had vacated the court so that Auburn could begin its practice…but I saw Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo chatting with the CBS broadcast crew (Ian Eagle/Bill Raftery/Grant Hill/Tracy Wolfson):

National POY favorite Johni Broome was holding court on the court with ½ of his team gathered around him:

…and he was the focus of most of the media when he stepped up to the line to practice his FTs:

Check back for a lot more access all weekend long!

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All-Access at the South Regional in Atlanta: Auburn locker room

Posted on March 28, 2025 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Atlanta with some Auburn locker room interviews.

SR C Dylan Cardwell

You were born in Augusta (150 miles east of Atlanta): did you ever get to attend the Masters? I went once when I was in kindergarten: the only thing I remember is that they had good sandwiches.

Your brother Drake is your teammate: what has it been like to share this magical season with him? It has been great: we grew up playing basketball together, but this is his 1st time in the NCAA tourney.

You were a 3-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? My mom taught me that you had to be smart to get into college. After I got here, Auburn has provided me with any help that I needed.

You are the host of “Chillin’ with Dylan” digital video series: what is it about? It has been a great experience: I get to go around campus and just highlight how great our school is.

You are the winningest player in Auburn history: what is the secret to being a winner? Jesus Christ…but also being a hard worker and buying into everything.

What do you know about Michigan? They are gritty competitors so it will be an exciting matchup.

SR F Ja’Heim Hudson

You were born in Hinesville (4 hours southeast of Atlanta) and started your career at Georgia State (whose arena is just 2 miles south of State Farm Arena!): how nice is it for you to come back to your home state? It is great to get to play in my home state: Atlanta is like my 2nd home.

Your nickname is “Turtle”: who gave you the nickname, and how do you like it? My auntie Crystal gave it to me when I was young because I would always move slow. I hated the name at 1st…but now I love it!

1 of your high school teammates was Isaiah Collier, who was a 1st round pick by Utah in the 2024 NBA Draft: how close are you 2? We are still close and keep in touch and chop it up. He has been doing very well in the NBA and is 1 of my favorite teammates ever: we won a state title together at Wheeler in 2021.

The SEC set a record this month with 14 NCAA tourney bids: what is it like to be part of the best conference in the history of the sport? It is very competitive every night and all the games are sold out.

What do you know about Michigan? 2 things: the Fab 5…and that they will lose on Friday night!

Check back for a lot more access all week long!

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