Holloway, with no points, directs Xavier

Tu Holloway did not score Saturday, but he made his point perfectly.

Holloway, the former Hempstead youth league and high school star who came into the game averaging a team-high 18 points, had five assists and only two turnovers, ran Xavier's offense efficiently and, most importantly, led the Musketeers to a 67-59 victory over host Fordham in an Atlantic 10 game at noisy, historic Rose Hill Gym in the Bronx.

"I'm the point guard, so I'm always conscious of keeping guys in the game. The game was easy today," said Holloway, a 6-foot senior who would have had several more assists if teammates had converted easy layups or not gotten fouled on close-range shots. "I didn't have to force anything . I let the game come to me, and we came out with a good win."

Victories have been at a premium since Holloway and several teammates were involved in a widely publicized brawl against city rival Cincinnati in Xavier's 76-53 victory Dec. 10. After that game, the Musketeers were 8-0 and ranked No. 8 nationally. Since then, with four players serving various suspensions that now are over, Xavier had gone 1-5 before Saturday.

"You see a lot of guys that lead the nation in scoring and they're on losing teams. When you're not winning, no one recognizes you," Holloway said.

He said that not scoring for the first time since his freshman year at Xavier "doesn't bother me. It's about me becoming a better point guard every time I step on the court. It's not about me going out there and shooting 20 times and scoring all the points."

Holloway said he's gotten some unwanted attention for his role in the ugly melee last month. Although he threw no punches, his trash-talking late in the blowout lit the spark.

"I take blame for the situation. It was my fault," said Holloway, who led Hempstead to the 2007 Nassau Class AA title after helping the Hempstead Salvation Army youth team to a national and world title in 2003 and a national title in 2004. "I was over it right away, but the team is still getting over it. The incident is going to be there forever. The world is going to be conscious of it. But every day, we're getting better."

The Musketeers' early-season persona appeared to have returned against the gritty Rams. "We were too nice out there," Holloway said of the recent slump. "We've got to get back to being the toughest kids on the court and having some swagger. You can't be nice guys all the time. We were watching how the refs were calling the games and worrying about getting technicals. But today I told the guys before the game, let's just leave it all out there."

Saturday's game had added meaning for Holloway because he was able to arrange for his old youth league coach, Don Ryan, and the entire 12-player current team to attend. "It was awesome," said 11-year-old Alec Jones, wearing a T-shirt with Holloway's photo.

"A great experience," said 12-year-old Taj Jenkins, who wore a No. 52 jersey, Holloway's number at Xavier.

As for not scoring in front of such a wide-eyed audience, Holloway said: "The kids don't really understand basketball that much yet. They're used to watching me on TV scoring a lot of points, so they don't realize what I was doing today. But it's about being a team player. That takes you far in life."

That's why Holloway was buoyant as he huddled with family and friends after the game in the hallway at Rose Hill.

"I'm getting ready to get on a nice private plane back to Cincinnati," he said. "It's my last time playing in New York and I'm here with my family and friends. So I'm smiling."

Zero points. Zero regrets.