Cleveland, OH

Akron, Miami men’s basketball coaches connected by more than meeting in MAC tourney final

Published

12 months ago

March 15, 2025

Akron, Miami men’s basketball coaches connected by more than meeting in MAC tourney final

CLEVELAND, Ohio — As usual, the MAC men’s basketball tournament has been filled with close games and emotions flaring, all in the name of winning.

No. 1 seed Akron took care of business in Friday’s semifinal win over No. 4 Toledo, and No. 2 Miami did the same in the nightcap game over No. 3 Kent State.

The Zips (27-6) and RedHawks (25-8) face off in Saturday’s MAC championship game, with an NCAA Tournament berth on the line.

Akron head coach John Groce is looking to win his fifth career MAC tournament crown, and Miami’s Travis Steele is still searching for his first.

However, there’s also family bragging rights at stake among the coaches.

That’s right.

Through their mother, Barbara Steele, the head coaches are half-brothers. Natives of Danville, Indiana, there’s a 10-year age gap in between the two.

Groce, the older brother, played at Taylor University in the early 1990s before joining the coaching staff as an assistant.

After Taylor, Groce joined Herb Sendek’s staff at NC State in the late 1990s. Steele was a high school basketball player, but recalled on The Field Of 68: After Dark the time he spent with Groce.

“I would spend the summers a lot with him, go to camp (and) he was kind enough to work me out. And I would just kind of sit around and got exposed to college basketball at a really young age,” Steele said. “I knew I wanted to do what I wanted to do at an early age, due to him.

Steele showed a desire to get into coaching, and Groce would help him along the way.

Going into the millennium, the brothers were now at Butler.

Groce joined Thad Matta’s staff as an assistant for the 2000-01 season, while Steele was a student manager for the Bulldogs.

Matta then went to Xavier for three seasons, and Groce followed him. During this time, Steele finished his bachelor’s degree at Butler, and was an assistant for nearby Ben Davis High School.

Ahead of the 2004-05 season, Groce followed Matta again to Ohio State, then Steele did the same and joined the Buckeyes as a graduate assistant.

That was the last time the brothers were on the same coaching staff, as Steele moved onto Wabash Valley Community College after the season concluded.

But he’ll always credit Groce with helping him find his passion in coaching.

“(I) kind of always wanted to follow in (Groce’s) footsteps in a lot of ways and he’s a big reason why I’m where I am today,” Steele said. “I wouldn’t be here without him, there’s no doubt about it.”

Groce and Steele aren’t the only set of brothers that are head coaches within the Division I college basketball scene.

You have Dan Hurley, head coach of the defending champion UConn Huskies, who’s the younger brother of Arizona State’s Bobby Hurley.

There’s also Scott Drew, who won it all with Baylor in 2021, and is the older brother of Grand Canyon’s Bryce Drew. And Sean Miller of Xavier and older brother of Rhode Island’s Archie Miller.

Though, it hits different that your brother’s squad is all that sits in the way of making the NCAA Tournament.

The Zips and RedHawks met once in the regular season, with Akron winning the January meeting by 27 points.

Now, the brothers meet with a ticket to the big dance on the line, and bragging rights for the next big family dinner.

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Cleveland, OH

Woman shot and killed in Cleveland’s Union-Miles neighborhood

Published

5 hours ago

March 7, 2026

Press Room

Woman shot and killed in Cleveland’s Union-Miles neighborhood

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – A 25-year-old woman was shot and killed Friday on Cleveland’s East Side.

The shooting happened around 730 P.M. in the area of East 136th and Harvard Avenue.

Cleveland Police is investigating the incident.

One person has been detained, and a gun was recovered, according to police.

Police said there are no other details to share at this time.

Check back with 19 News for the latest information on this story.

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Cleveland, OH

Joseph M. Plavac Obituary – Westlake, OH (1930-2026)

Published

17 hours ago

March 7, 2026

Press Room

Joseph M. Plavac

OBITUARY

Joseph M. Plavac, age 95, of Westlake, passed away peacefully on March 3, 2026. He was born September 3, 1930 in Cleveland, Ohio.Beloved husband of Helen (deceased); dear father of Rev. Timothy Plavac and Andrea Boerger (Kenneth); grandfather of Zachary (Alicia); great grandfather of Kenny; brother of Donald (deceased)(Jean), Ralph(deceased)(Joann), Sister Ann Barbara and the deceased: George (Mary), Nicholas, Milan (Anna Mae) and Mary Dobos (Andy); son of the deceased: Nicholas and Mary.Joe’s family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to all of Joe’s caregivers over the past few years, including the staff of Emerald Village in North Olmsted, the nurses and staff of Concord Reserve in Westlake, who took such loving care of him and the staff of Hospice of the Western Reserve, especially Cindy and Erin. Their kindness and compassion always brought a smile to his face.Family will receive friends to pay tribute to and celebrate the life of Joseph at The DeJohn-Flynn-Mylott Funeral Home of Willoughby Hills, 28890 Chardon Rd.(between Bishop Rd. and Rt. 91), Sunday, March 8, from 3-6pm. Funeral Mass, Monday, 11am at St. Bede the Venerable Catholic Church, 9114 Lakeshore Blvd., Mentor. Additional calling hours will take place at church from 10-11am before Mass. Interment All Souls Cemetery, Chardon, Ohio.In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Hospice of the Western Reserve, P.O. Box 72700, Cleveland, OH 44192 or School Sisters of St. Francis of Christ the King 13900 Main St., Lemont, IL 60439. For a detailed history of Joe’s life, please visit golubfuneralhome.com.

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Cleveland, OH

Ohio gas prices spike as oil prices soar

Published

1 day ago

March 6, 2026

Press Room

Ohio gas prices spike as oil prices soar

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) -According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of gas has gone up by 34 cents since Monday.

The continued uncertainty over the new war with Iran is driving crude oil prices sharply higher.

At the time this article was published, oil is trading at $90 witch is up 11% just today.

In Cleveland, gas has gone from $2.87 over this past weekend to $3.28 today according to the price tracking website Gasbuddy.com.

AAA has put out reminders on how to maximize you gas mileage:

Slow down and drive the speed limit. On the highway, aerodynamic drag causes fuel economy to drop off significantly as speeds increase above 50 mph.
Reduce trips and lighten your load. Limit the amount of cargo in your vehicle when possible.
Avoid “jackrabbit” starts and hard acceleration. These actions greatly increase fuel consumption. Accelerate smoothly with light to moderate throttle.
Avoid extended idling to warm up the engine. Even in winter, idling, and warming up an engine are unnecessary and wastes fuel.
Look ahead. When approaching a red light or stop sign, let off the gas early and allow the vehicle to coast down to a slower speed until it is time to brake.
Use cruise control to help maintain a constant speed and save fuel. However, never use cruise control on wet roads because a loss of vehicle control could result.
Take advantage of fuel savings programs. AAA members have access to savings when filling up at Shell gas stations. More information is available at AAA.com/Shell.