Home is where the heart is. Or where mom’s cooking is.
“My mom is probably the most excited out of anyone because you know I’m a 15-minute drive away from dinner,” said recent Drury Transfer Zach Howell.
“So excited I mean so excited,” said Zach’s mom, Debbie Howell. “We can’t wait to go to every single game.”
Zach starred on the court for Springfield Catholic. He was the Ozone Player of the Year and earned All-State honors in Class 5. He then spent two years hooping at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
“It was just far,” Debbie said. “There’s no direct flight and you know my husband would rather drive than fly just with all of the delays and everything, so it was 9 hours in the car.”
But now he is back home as a Drury Panther.
“I entered the transfer portal with three years of eligibility,” Zach said. “I was contacted by a lot of schools, had some great conversations, but it boiled down to just being in a community I am familiar with. Playing with guys I’ve known since I was little and just kind of bring that fire back to Drury.”
Zach has already taken the court with those not-so familiar faces too.
“Everybody has been gelling really well,” Zach said. “We are only three days in and it almost feels like we are two weeks in so everyone is ready to go and we are really excited.”
It’s no Highway 13 Cat Fight, but playing in summer league basketball games against SBU gives Zach a taste of the Panther versus Bearcat rivalry.
“I know some guys over there and have played against them and with them,” Zach said. “It’s fun to kind of get a little previewing of what the season will be.”
The Drury basketball season is still five months away, but Zach is eager to hit the court in a place where the people he cares about most are a short drive away.
