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I am a freelance writer. I've covered the Cincinnati Reds, Bengals and others since 1992. I have a background in sales as well. I've sold consumer electronics, advertising and consumer package goods for companies ranging from the now defunct Circuit City to Procter&Gamble. I have worked as a stats operator for Xavier University, the University of Cincinnati, the College of Mount St. Joe and Colerain High School.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Skip Prosser Gave David West A Chance

The Xavier Musketeers will play the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at 8:00 pm at Xavier's Cintas Center.

The game is the 2nd annual Skip Prosser Classic.

Prosser coached at Xavier under Pete Gillen, who is the color analyst on the contest.  Prosser was the coach that recruited the lightly regarded West from North Carolina when Duke, North Carolina, NC State and Wake Forest all passed on the future 6'8" NBA star.

"Coach Prosser gave me a chance," West said.  "That's all you can ask.  He had a way of building your confidence."

West is a teammate of Chris Paul with the New Orleans Hornets.  Paul played under Prosser for Wake Forest.

"We talk about him all the time," West said.  "One of us will use a saying that coach used and we talk about it and tell stories."

Prosser succeeded Gillen at Xavier then took over the Musteteers in 1994.  After the 2000-2001 season, Prosser took the head coaching job at Wake Forest, hiring current Xavier head coach, Chris Mack and current Xavier assistant, Pat Kelsey.

Prosser died of heart failure in the summer of 2007.

He and West are being inducted into the Xavier Hall of Fame along with Academic All-American tennis player, Lauren Clary.

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