Opportunities abound for Bellarmine with different home, fresh start in Division I

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Bellarmine's new home is like coming home for head coach Scott Davenport.

Every time he walks into Freedom Hall, the memories come flooding back.

"I came in here at 9 years old with Wes Unseld playing and Wade Houston," Davenport said, his eyes starting to well up. "I walked down this very ramp as a graduate assistant and as an assistant to Coach Crum, soaking up everything I could. I walked down this ramp with Coach Pitino. I won a state championship in here. I know exactly where my mom sat. We beat Clay County. And to pass that along to these players -- how fortunate they are to be able to walk down that ramp -- was something as a teacher that I took great pride in."

Another iconic arena awaits them in Friday's season and division one opener: Cameron Indoor Stadium against Duke.

Davenport brought a Bellarmine team there for an exhibition game in 2011, and he believes this will be something his current players will remember the rest of their lives.

"I couldn't be more excited for them and can't wait to stand back and watch them and coach them," he said.

Davenport said he's proud of how his team has responded since things originally shut down in March. He and his staff have done all they can to get the team ready on the court and also to get them ready for life beyond basketball.

"Allen Houston on a Zoom meeting with them," Davenport said. "Dwight Mitchell, spokesman from LMPD trying to enhance their feelings on what's going on in our community. You name it. We've done it through watching videos, reading books, sharing with each other. They've grown. They've grown!"

If things go as planned, which, as we all know, is far from a guarantee these days, Bellarmine will go from Durham to Washington to play Howard University on Sunday, then be back at Freedom Hall for the home opener Wednesday against Chattanooga.