PressBox recently chatted with Mount St. Mary’s men’s basketball graduate student Xavier Lipscomb about reconnecting with head coach Donny Lind, bouncing back from a broken foot and more. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound guard averaged 5.0 points and 4.5 rebounds in limited action for the Mountaineers in 2023-24. Lipscomb is a native of Washington, D.C., and graduate of St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School.
PressBox: How did you first become interested in basketball?
Xavier Lipscomb: My dad, [Guila], introduced it to me. He bought a [toy] hoop and he put it in the house. He really just rolled the ball out and told me to go dunk it. That’s where I started.
PB: Was your father the biggest influence on your game growing up?
XL: Absolutely. Really, he just taught me the game, how to think it. He taught me how to shoot, how to have a drive to play defense, really just everything.
PB: Why did you originally choose to go to Radford?
XL: Ironically enough, [Mount St. Mary’s head coach Donny Lind] recruited me out of high school when he was an assistant at Radford. It was just that family atmosphere that him and [then-head coach Mike Jones] provided to me. I really loved that. It was a good fit for me academically and also athletically.
PB: How did Lind encourage you to commit to Radford?
XL: They were really on me from the beginning. I believe they saw me at DMV Live playing for my high school team. Ever since they offered me, they were consistent with the communication and it really just felt like a family atmosphere and it drew me to their program.
PB: Why did you choose to transfer to the Mount?
XL: [Then-assistant coach Matt Miller] reached out to me. He was coaching at Goretti when I was in high school and he [took] a liking to my game. [Then-head coach Dan Engelstad] offered me out of high school as well, so there was some familiarity there. They just saw me and gave me a chance. I’m very thankful for that opportunity.
PB: How did your season-ending foot injury occur last year?
XL: I broke my [left] foot in practice after our second game of the season. I had to get season-ending surgery. That led to me being out for the remainder of the year. I was out until March.
PB: What was the most frustrating part of rehab following surgery?
XL: I would say it would be getting acclimated to playing basketball again. Not feeling 100 percent right away and being able to do what you were previously able to do right away was kind of frustrating, but it just took time to build up and get back to where I was physically.
PB: How excited were you that Lind got the Mount St. Mary’s head coaching job this offseason?
XL: I was ecstatic to rekindle that connection that we had at Radford. It’s just an awesome opportunity. I was super thankful and proud of him also because I knew he wanted to be a head coach. I’m just grateful for him being able to get that opportunity.
PB: What can fans expect out of a team coached by Lind?
XL: They can expect a fast-paced team — he wants us to get up and down — and a team that really loves to guard. He really stresses the defensive end.
PB: What’s your favorite from your time at the Mount so far?
XL: Favorite memory would definitely be our win against Quinnipiac last year. They were the No. 1 seed during that time. Even though I didn’t play, I feel like I contributed. I brought energy on the bench, and it was just a great time for the whole program.
PB: What’s your favorite thing about the Mount?
XL: Favorite thing would definitely be the community and the closeness to home.
PB: Who’s your best friend on the team and what’s a story that underscores your friendship?
XL: I would say my best friend would be Dola Adebayo. Our best memory would be going to breakfast together out in Baltimore. It’s been a couple times. It’s this place called Blue Moon Cafe. It’s pretty good.
PB: Who did you look up to early in your college career?
XL: I would say Bryan Hart. Really just his story of coming from Clayton State and just keep pursuing his basketball aspirations to become a D-I player. He was really there for me. I just respected his story.
PB: What advice would you give to younger players?
XL: Definitely just stay in the gym and stay in the books. With the transfer portal these days, the majority of college programs are looking for tenured players, but that doesn’t mean you can’t earn your spot. A person who is dedicated to their craft and also highly educated at the high school level can fit into any program if they’re looking for high school players.
PB: What goals do you have for after basketball, whenever it ends?
XL: Really just to have my family well off. My parents provided a great foundation for me, and I just want to do better for my kids.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Mount St. Mary’s Athletics
Issue 289: October/November 2024
Originally published Oct. 16, 2024