The Spire

Aiden Konold ’26

Sports Editor

It’s Saturday, February 10th, Holy Cross winter’s homecoming and ten minutes before the Crusaders tipoff against the American University Eagles. Caleb Kenney sits on the bench in the Hart Center with laser focus as he waits for the Public Address announcer to call out this afternoon’s starting lineups. 

Caleb dons a royal purple Holy Cross home jersey. 33 is embroidered in white on the back of Caleb’s jersey, as it is on the front just below “Holy Cross.” In the eighth grade, after watching Scottie Pippen highlights, Caleb decided to wear the number 33. The only time that Caleb wore a number different than 33 was his freshman year at Holy Cross. Judson Martindale, a sophomore forward at the time, wore the number. So Caleb wore 35 instead. 

Now as a junior, Caleb stares ahead as his teammates’ names are called, unfazed by the movement of his teammates. Caleb wears 33, but more than that, his game resembles the defensive prowess of his childhood idol, Scottie Pippen.

Just before his name is called, Caleb visualizes one last time how he can help his team win. He then trots over to join his fellow starters when his name is finally called. Caleb extends his long arms, showing off his 7’3” wing span, and high-fives his teammates, who have formed two even rows on either side of him. “Lift Every Voice and Sing” plays in honor of Black History Month. The national anthem soon follows. Caleb hides a smile, ready to play the game he has spent all week preparing for. 

Since the Crusaders’ 19 points loss to the Eagles three weeks ago, Caleb has spent hours watching film with his coaches and game planning for ways to stop American’s tandem big men, 6 ‘7” Matt Mayock and 6 ‘9” Matt Rogers. With league play ramping up, Caleb knows that each game is a crucial determinant of Holy Cross’ seeding in the Patriot League postseason tournament, and he has played with a tenacity to match. In the four games since the Crusaders’ first meeting with American, Caleb has amassed 13 blocks and has solidified himself into one of the Patriot League’s most dominant defensive players. 

Three days before the start of February, against the Boston University Terriers, Caleb blocked seven shots. Several blocks were served well out of play, leading Holy Cross assistant coach RJ Evans to tell Caleb, “You’re playing tennis!” 

Now, two weeks into February, Caleb’s play continues to contrast the cold, snowy weather that surrounds Worcester. Caleb opens the game with a made layup, a testament to the work he put in over the offseason to better finish around the rim. He got in better shape, and now he has the motor to have multiple efforts on defense. He always gives full effort.

Less than a minute later, Caleb misses two free throws. They are the only free throws that Caleb will miss this afternoon. Caleb dominates much of the first half, blocking opponents’ shots, corralling rebounds and extending offensive possessions, and picking off opponents’ passes. His football background kicks in. 

From the age of five through the seventh grade, Caleb could be spotted tracking down his football opponents and yanking off their flags before they could score. He outleaped opponents, extending his long arms, to haul in passes. 

In the sixth grade, Caleb decided to play basketball. In Caleb’s first AAU basketball game, he had such a hunger for defense, that he defended his own team on its first offensive possession. 

“Caleb, you’re on offense, you’re on offense!” Lorraine Kenney, Caleb’s mom, recalls yelling to her son. 

Caleb’s long arms provided an advantage over his opponents, but he knew that he needed to learn more about the game. The night after his first AAU game, Caleb checked out basketball books from the local library to better understand different basketball concepts. 

Though Caleb’s dad played college basketball, he never pushed Caleb to play the game. 

“I didn’t want them to get involved because it was something I wanted them to do or my wife wanted them to do,” Rev. John Kenney said of his kids’ involvement in sports. “When you decide you want to play, we’ll have the conversations, but I’m not going to force that on. You find what you do and what you love doing and then we’ll support you in whatever it is that you want to do.” 

When Caleb decided, on his own, to fully commit to basketball, Caleb’s dad picked him up from school at 3:30 pm on Wednesdays and Fridays, and took Caleb to the recreational center to workout for an hour and a half. 

In high school, Caleb woke up at 5 A.M. every weekday and 6 A.M. on the weekends to workout. Caleb’s parents, Rev. John and Lorraine, never woke up their youngest son. Once Caleb woke up under his own power, his mom awoke to see him off and provide a snack. Caleb’s dad drove him to his workouts until Caleb turned sixteen and earned his driver’s license. 

“He had a car and the rule was, we’re not going to wake you up,” Lorraine Kenney said in a Spire interview. “This is something you want, you set your alarm, you get up, but we’re not going to come in your room like we are for school. If you’re not up at eight o’clock, you have to go to school. What are you doing? But to work out, now that’s something you have to want. That’s not something we’re gonna make you do.” 

As a high school freshman, Caleb made Douglas Freeman’s Varsity Basketball Team. He continued to get up at 5 A.M. to work with his trainer. At 7 A.M., Caleb would head home for a quick breakfast before heading to school. After classes, Caleb went to basketball practice, turned down requests to play football from the Douglas Freeman’s football coaches, and returned home, where he finished his homework and ate dinner. 

Now, halfway through the second half against the American University Eagles, Caleb and the Crusaders face a thirteen point deficit. Shortly after play resumes following the second half’s third media timeout, Caleb swats away American big man Matt Mayock’s layup attempt, pulls down the defensive rebound, and sponsors a Bo Montgomery made layup on the other end. Two minutes later, Caleb converts a layup of his own, part of a 10-2 Crusader run, and cuts the lead to five. 

Following the game’s final media timeout, Caleb records his second steal of the game, and a minute later, he blocks yet another American shot attempt, and soon after pulls down the defensive rebound. 

Under thirty seconds to play. The Crusaders are down by two points. Caleb pulls down yet another defensive rebound. American big man Matt Rogers fouls Kenney. 

Though Caleb missed his first two free throw attempts early in the first half, he worked all offseason on his free throw form. He spent time working on proper follow through with his arm, getting up on his toes, and trying to get back to normal foot placement. But as Caleb steps to the free throw line at this moment, he places his feet all the way to the right of the free throw line. It’s a way to redirect his shot with his long arms, and it feels natural. 

Caleb is ready. His free throw attempts may determine the outcome of this game, but he’s taken hundreds in practice. And Caleb’s life is not defined by basketball. As a third grader, Caleb won his elementary school’s spelling bee, and he read the most books of any elementary school student. He repeated as his school’s spelling bee champion in the fourth and fifth grade. 

Caleb has always been a diligent student, and an even more exemplary leader. In the third grade, Caleb finished his classwork faster than his peers, so his teacher sent him down to work with the kindergartners. And when concepts were too complex for Caleb’s classmates, Caleb’s teacher would have him explain the concepts to his peers in a way that they could understand. 

In high school, Caleb was placed into Douglas Freeman’s Leadership Center. Early on, Caleb’s teachers recognized his keen leadership qualities. And so did his coaches. Caleb served three years as the captain of Douglas Freeman’s varsity basketball team. 

As a kid, Caleb accompanied his parents on ministry trips to nursing homes. He encountered immobile people constrained to wheelchairs. Caleb’s dad encouraged people at the nursing home to join for prayer, and after prayer, volunteers sang songs. 

“All of us who were volunteers, we didn’t bring our choir, we became the choir,” Lorraine Kenney said. 

The choir included Caleb. Caleb’s decision to come to Holy Cross was rooted in his desire for academic rigor and a community service focus. Two of Caleb’s biggest influences are Barack Obama and Malcolm X, and Caleb is a Political Science major. At Holy Cross, Caleb coordinates food drives for Worcester middle school students. He earned a 2023-24 Engaged Athlete Fellowship through the Team, and he is in his second year serving on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. His life is so much more than two free throws. 

Caleb steps to the free throw line, his toes inches away from the far right side of the free throw line. He practices his form before the referee hands him the ball. He visualizes the ball going into the back of the net. Calm and collected, Caleb receives the ball from the referee. 

The pressure of the moment never gets to Caleb. 

“His mentality is so even keel,” Caleb’s high school coach, Chapin George, said of Caleb. “When things are going wrong, you wouldn’t be able to tell by looking at him… [T]hroughout his play on the basketball court, you know, he never, [even] in high school, even as a young player, he never let any moment dictate his body language or his attitude. He was just always steadfast.” 

Undisturbed by the magnitude of the moment, Caleb knocks down both free throws. Tie game. Twenty seconds later, Caleb is again fouled. Two seconds remain in the game. Caleb saunters to the free throw line, collecting himself, as the game hinges in the balance. 

Faith has always surrounded Caleb. His dad is a pastor, and his mom is deeply involved in ministry. Caleb has always enjoyed community service, but for much of his life, Caleb viewed his faith as an extension of his parents’ faith. 

“During my sophomore year, some events happened,” Caleb said of his faith development. “It really forced me to look inward and look at how I was living my life as a Christian and how I wanted to carry myself in relation to the faith. So I think that’s really where my desire came in.” 

At this moment, Caleb needs his faith more than ever. The Hart Center is packed, and the crowd is on its feet. Caleb is so locked in as he goes to take two of the biggest free throws of his life that the noise does not affect him. He breathes calmly, the noise surrounding him and his own exhaustion not affecting his deep, concentrated breaths. Again, Caleb stands to the far right side of the free throw line. And again, he knocks down both free throws. 

Two seconds later, American heaves up a desperation shot. It misses. Holy Cross wins 58-56, and Caleb’s teammates surround him. Other kids have always wanted to be around Caleb. 

Neighborhood kids were always at the Kenney family’s Richmond home when Caleb was growing up. Whether it was Saturday or Sunday, after church, Caleb came home early enough to get changed, and join his friends outside to play baseball, basketball, or football. And whenever there was a dispute, Caleb was always the first to resolve it. 

Now, Caleb is again surrounded by his peers. This season, Caleb lives with five of his teammates in townhouse unit 2I. During practices, Caleb and his fellow big men constantly push each other to get better. And the hard work pays off. 

When fans talk about Caleb’s game, they tend to recall his thunderous dunks or volleyball-style rejections. But this game against American is a testament to Caleb’s ability to help his team in any way that he can. A minute left in the game, Caleb had scored eight points, not yet in double figures. Scoring, though, means nothing to Caleb. It never has. He just wants to help his team win. Against American, Caleb did it by knocking down four clutch free throws in the final minute. 

In a game as a junior at Douglas Freeman High School, Caleb finished with seven points, one of his lowest totals as a high school player. Still, Chapin George, Caleb’s high school coach, remembers it as Caleb’s greatest high school game. Caleb totaled close to 10 rebounds and eight assists, and he fought for every loose ball. 

“He just cared about winning the game,” Coach George said of Caleb’s game. “He just cared about his team, his teammates, doing whatever it took to win the game, and I remember specifically after that game he was just the most excited player in the locker room.” 

At this moment, as he wins the game against American and earns Homecoming MVP honors, Caleb embraces his teammates, thanking them for their efforts and contributions. He knows that each win is a TEAM win. 

Caleb’s team first mentality, and his constant efforts to help his team win, even if it means scoring less, are the qualities that earned Caleb Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year and All-ECAC honors. Caleb is the third Crusader in the last forty years to win All-ECAC honors. 

“Because of what he’s done in his past to get to this point, now it’s kind of his time to take the reins of the program,” Holy Cross assistant coach RJ Evans said of Caleb. “You can tell, [the guys] all look up to him, look to him when there’s adversity.” 

Caleb has been a role model his entire life, on the court, but more importantly off the court. Basketball is a sport that Caleb plays at a high level. Always looking out for his teammates and friends is a quality that will persist long after Caleb’s playing days are over. 

“I’m just glad he got to get recognition he deserves because all the work he’s putting in right, I’m just glad people get to see it,” senior forward Louth Coulibaly said of Caleb winning Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year honors. “I’m really just proud to see that, and I can’t wait to see the next step he takes in the following season because I think it’s gonna be a big step.” 

Caleb is bound to take even bigger steps on the court next year, but perhaps his biggest steps will be taken in his community, helping the underserved children of Worcester. Because for Caleb Kenney, the biggest game is the game of life. And Caleb knows that he can’t win unless he is helping those around him win.

Copy Edited by Sophia Mariani ’26