How sweet it is!

Former Hilltoppers are making their mark with a surprise NCAA basketball tourney run by George Mason, while Craig Smith '02 is on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

WA alumni Makan Konate '03 and Tim Burns '03 have made it to the Final 4 with an unbelievable run by No. 11 seed George Mason. Also contributing to the effort is George Mason manager Sean Passey '02, who also was the manager for the Academy's Boys Varsity Basketball Team.

Meanwhile, Craig Smith '02, the Boston College superstar, is feautured on the cover of the March 27 New England regional Sports Illustrated. Smith powered BC to the Sweet 16 before falling to Villanova.

"'All great teams have great teammates,' and these kids certainly fit that mold," said R. Morgan "Mo" Cassara '93, Clark University basketball coach. Mo, who coached each of the boys before moving on to Dayton as an assistant coach, said the three are super kids.

"And, what an unbelievable experience for them," he added.