Sunday, December 19, 1999
Muhammads give Loveland sibling revelry
×by BY DAVE SCHUTTE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
There have been many sister/brother duos involved in sports at Cincinnati schools during the past 20 years, but few better than Aaliyah and Yusuf Muhammad.
Seniors on the Loveland girls and boys basketball teams, the Muhammads have played prominent roles in the successes of their respective squads but in different ways.
A 5-foot-10 guard, Aaliyah is the Tigers' leading scorer, averaging 21 points a game. She also averages eight steals and six rebounds for the Tigers, who have started 5-3.
Yusuf, 19, is recognized as one of the best rebounders in Cincinnati. The 6-foot-5 forward averages a double-double (15 points and nearly 13 rebounds) for the undefeated boys team.
“College coaches are always looking for players who score and are good at stealing the ball,” Aaliyah said. “I love playing defense.”
Aaliyah was sidelined nearly half of last season with an ankle injury. She has been overlooked by college recruiters despite her statistics.
“Aaliyah is a good outside shooter and can play any position,” coach Wray Jean Connor said. “She's more determined than last year. She's the type of player who steps up in the big game.”
Two weeks ago against Lebanon, the No.2 team in The Enquirer's girls basketball poll, Muhammad scored 26 points in a four-point loss.
“When I was much younger, I played one-on-one with Yusuf, which made me work harder,” Aaliyah said. “I was the only girl and played against the guys in games at the playground.”
Yusuf's rebounding strength was helped by a challenge from Tiger coach Mike Ferone, a former Withrow and University of Cincinnati standout. Ferone told Yusuf former Withrow star LaSalle Thompson, who went on to play in the NBA, believed rebounding was the key to playing at the next level.
“Yusuf ... has turned into a blue-collar player,” Ferone said. “Rebounding is concentration, and Yusuf works his tail off.”
Yusuf said he has personal goals of four rebounds a quarter and 16 in every game.
“I don't worry about scoring because if I rebound, the points will come,” Muhammad said.
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