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High school state tournaments: Temple Baptist guard Mike Russo leads Roadrunners into state playoffs
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Temple Baptist guard Mike Russo huddles with teammates during practice. Russo's versatile backcourt play and playoff experience will be critical for the short-handed Roadrunners when they face Dora in the opening round of the Class 1A boys state basketball tournament on Saturday.
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A PlayStation Portable and $26.
Temple Baptist guard Mike Russo remembers his last state playoff trip well.
Those two items were stolen last year from his room at the Des Moines regional - the PSP especially heartbreaking for the electronics enthusiast.
What's worse, the Roadrunners then lost to Springer.
"It was really upsetting," said Russo, who leads Temple Baptist into Saturday's opening-round playoff game against District 3-1A runner-up Dora.
But Russo used that double shot of anguish to further polish his self-made game.
He and Temple Baptist teammate Nick Woloshuk attended a camp at Kansas State over the summer.
He honed his crossover dribble and his overall ball-handling.
"I feel a lot more comfortable this year," Russo said. "I'm finishing at the basket and getting more and-1s (fouls after baskets)."
Heading into Saturday's playoff, Russo averages 21.3 points per game, tops among metro area players in smaller schools, Class 3A-1A. He also leads the list in steals per game with 5.6.
Russo is part of Temple Baptist's go-to trio - Woloshuk and Austin Baker are the other two.
"If it weren't for (Russo), we'd be in trouble," Roadrunners coach James Adams said. "He's been playing out of position all year, but he's handled it."
Adams said Russo's catch-and-shoot ability makes him a natural two guard. But he has played the point guard out of necessity.
"He's learned a lot about the game," Adams said. "He understands where everybody is supposed to be on the floor. He's still learning."
Russo grew up wearing out a bat and glove. He learned baseball from his Dominican father, Mario, who as a child, played on the island with Sammy Sosa.
When he arrived at Temple Baptist, Russo slid baseball back on the shelf. Temple Baptist didn't have baseball, it was basketball-centric. So, Russo tried out.
"I was terrible," Russo said.
He worked. After his freshman year, Russo bought a hoop for his house. During his sophomore year he absorbed one-on-one beatings from former Roadrunners star and current Liberty forward Tyler Baker.
"We'd play every day," Russo said. "I think I beat him twice."
Contrary to his record, Russo's daily one-on-one battles ratcheted his confidence.
Temple Baptist might need him more than usual Saturday. Three Roadrunners - Baker, a starter, and two reserves, John O'Rourk and Kevin Brickner are going to sing at New York's famed Carnegie Hall.
Temple Baptist is hoping Russo can help them steal a win.
"If we can make it past (Saturday)," Adams said. "We can compete with anybody."
