THE INCREASE: Be Strong and Courageous - Matt Mooney

THE INCREASE: Be Strong and Courageous – Matt Mooney

By The Increase Sep 25, 2019

Matt Mooney (AP Photo/John Locher)

Monty Williams honored with Keys to Life Award, desires for people ‘to see Christ in me’

By Kevin Mercer Apr 9, 2025

(L-R) Former ESPN analyst Sage Steele, Monty Williams and Athletes in Action President Mark Householder at the 2025 Keys To Life Breakfast, April 5, 2025. (Photo courtesy Guardian PR)

Amid all of the festivities at the 2025 Final Four in San Antonio last weekend, faith and basketball came together on Saturday morning with the presentation of the 28th annual Coach Wooden Keys to Life Award. It is “presented annually to a player or coach who best exemplifies character, leadership, and integrity in the home, on the court, and throughout the community,” according to the award’s website.

This year’s recipient was former NBA player, current TMI Episcopal basketball coach, and 2022 NBA Coach of the Year Monty Williams, who was recognized for his character, leadership and Christian faith.

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A Morning to Remember in San Antonio!
The Keys to Life Breakfast

On Saturday morning in San Antonio, leaders from the world of sports and beyond gathered for the Keys to Life Breakfast, a special Final Four weekend tradition focused on character, leadership, and integrity. pic.twitter.com/49LY6OZQ7j

— Athletes In Action (@AIAusa) April 8, 2025

The award is presented each year at a Keys to Life breakfast hosted by the sports ministry Athletes in Action, and honors legendary UCLA coach John Wooden.

Jared Miller, the director of basketball at AIA, said in a press release that “Athletes in Action is honored to name Monty Williams as the recipient of the 2025 Coach John Wooden ‘Keys to Life’ Award. Monty exemplifies the character and leadership that was so important to Coach Wooden, and he continues to lead by example, making a difference in the lives of athletes off the court, as well as on.”

Williams is one of the most respected voices in basketball circles. A star at Notre Dame from 1989-1994, Williams was drafted No. 24 overall by the New York Knicks in 1994. His NBA playing career came to a close with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2003, and he jumped into the coaching world. His first opportunity as a head coach came with the then-New Orleans Hornets in 2010. Yet he is perhaps best known for his four-year stint with the Phoenix Suns from 2019-2023, which included an appearance in the 2021 NBA Finals and being named the 2022 NBA Coach of the Year.

Since last October, Williams has served as head coach at college preparatory school TMI Episcopal in San Antonio, where he is able to coach his son, Elijah. Next year, his other son, Micah, plans to join the team.

Williams has been vocal about his faith in Christ during his time in the public eye. He was featured in the Winter 2021 edition of Sports Spectrum Magazine, and he’s been a guest on the Sports Spectrum Podcast multiple times. His most recent appearance came last November, shortly after he accepted his new position at TMI Episcopal. He discussed his new job, finding contentment in Christ, and trusting in God’s timing in the midst of grief.

“My coaching model is servant leadership,” Williams said on the podcast. “I tell the players all the time, ‘I’m here to serve you and love you. … It’s my job to call you up to your potential, and I hope to do that with a level of service, love, humanity and dignity that allows for you to see Christ in me.'”

“If not for the Holy Spirit, man, we’re just a bunch of skin and bones,” Williams added. “… I can do nothing without the Holy Spirit. Like absolutely nothing.”

He said that, at the age of 10, Christ brought him to Himself through an invitation to church from a football coach. Despite a rough upbringing in Prince George’s County, Maryland, the temptations of NBA fame and money, and the tragic loss of his wife in a car accident in 2016, nothing could separate him from God’s love.

As Williams has been renewed by God’s sustaining grace throughout the years, he’s become a spiritual mentor to numerous NBA players. He often prays with his teams and shares the Gospel with others, offering to them the only true hope in this world, the hope found in Christ.

“The Bible says [God] chooses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; I am that foolish thing,” he said on the podcast. “I shouldn’t be here. On my own merit, I should be in jail or doing something else that’s really unproductive. And by His grace and mercy — it hasn’t been easy, there has been some really, really hard stuff in my life — but He’s been so gracious to bring me and my family through it all. Only God could do that.”

>> Do you know Christ personally? Learn how you can commit your life to Him. <<

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Basketball

Will Richard leads Florida to national championship while confident in ‘God’s grace’

By Jon Ackerman Apr 8, 2025

Florida guard Will Richard celebrates after winning the national championship, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

With 26 seconds left in Monday’s college basketball national championship game, and Florida clinging to a 64-63 lead, senior Will Richard did his best to guard Houston’s best player, L.J. Cryer, who had already scored 19 points on the night. But as Houston’s Emanuel Sharp drove toward the basket to Richard’s right, the Florida senior took a risky swipe at the ball.

He timed it perfectly. Richard hit the ball right into Sharp’s knee, and it bounced right out of bounds. Florida ball.

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CRUCIAL defensive stand from the Gators #MarchMadness @GatorsMBK pic.twitter.com/fmSxUplRaH

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 8, 2025

Florida’s Denzel Aberdeen hit a free throw on the ensuing possession for a 65-63 lead with 19.7 seconds remaining. On the Cougars’ final attempt to tie or win the game, Richard again denied Cryer, which led to another Sharp turnover. Game over.

YOUR NATIONAL CHAMPIONS: THE FLORIDA GATORS #MarchMadness @GatorsMBK pic.twitter.com/XatLv5x2hm

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 8, 2025

Despite being down 12 at one point in the second half, despite holding the lead for only 64 seconds the entire game, Florida claimed the 2025 national championship. It’s the program’s third NCAA Tournament title, adding to the back-to-back crowns in 2007 and ’08.

The 12-point comeback marks the third-largest comeback in a national championship game, and it wasn’t entirely new territory for the Gators. They also came back from 10 down against Texas Tech in the Elite Eight, and nine points down against Auburn in the Final Four.

And not only did Richard make big defensive plays, he led his team in scoring (18 points) and rebounds (eight). In a first half where Florida All-American Walter Clayton Jr. couldn’t get a bucket, Richard poured in 14 points, including four 3-pointers. It marked the highest-scoring game of the tournament for Richard, who averaged 13.2 on the season (third on the team).

Will Richard fires one off from the corner #MarchMadness @GatorsMBK pic.twitter.com/Nlz4Mk8iAH

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 8, 2025

Will Richard's got the hot hand for the Gators in the first half #MarchMadness @GatorsMBK pic.twitter.com/yzcUtcLOIg

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 8, 2025

Will Richard AGAIN #MarchMadness @GatorsMBK pic.twitter.com/TYlSa8iwYQ

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 8, 2025

“We don’t have any quit and I feel like as long as there’s time on the clock, we’re going to give ourselves a good chance to win as long as we just stay the course and keep taking it possession by possession,” Richard said in the postgame press conference. “So I just like our resiliency and how we fought through adversity throughout the game.”

Moments after raising the championship trophy, Richard posted on X, “God the Greatest!! This for y’all Gator Nation.”

God the Greatest !! This for y’all Gator Nation

— Will Richard (@willrxch) April 8, 2025

Sharing about his faith publicly has become common for Richard, who displays “Proverbs 3:6” in his cover photo on X. He also has that verse tattooed on his upper-right arm: The words “In All Thy Ways Acknowledge Him And He Shall Direct Thy Paths” — the King James Version of the verse — are next to three crosses.

He also has John 13:7 tattooed on his lower right arm, and he puts Ephesians 3:20 in his Instagram bio. Richard was asked by CBN Sports at the Final Four what that latter verse means to him.

“Just knowing that God can do exceedingly and abundantly above anything that you ever asked or thought about,” he said. “So just knowing that when you have God on your side, anything is possible. It’s just a confidence and boldness just knowing that.”

Even his jersey number is a nod to his faith. Upon arriving at Florida, he chose No. 5.

“Five in the Bible is talked about as having God’s grace, so I wear it just knowing that God’s grace is upon me,” he recently told “The Walk” podcast. “I used to wear it as a kid too, so it definitely brought me back to times when I played as a kid.”

Richard was the first player to commit to head coach Todd Golden and his staff after they took over in March 2022. Richard started 30 games and averaged 12.1 points and 6.0 rebounds as a freshman for Belmont before transferring after the 2021-22 season. He’s averaged 10 points or more each of his three seasons in Gainesville.

“Will Richard is an elite culture setter for a program,” Golden said in a press conference prior to the Sweet 16.

Soon after joining the Gators, Richard spoke with His Huddle in 2022, recognizing his platform as an elite college basketball player gave him a chance to tell people about Jesus.

“I just hope when people see me play they know it’s all God,” Richard told His Huddle. “Everything I’m able to do on the court comes from Him and without Him I’d be nothing.”

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A post shared by His Huddle (@his_huddle)

Richard moved around to a few states growing up, and ultimately went to high school in Georgia. He leaned on his faith throughout.

“I grew up in a family that always had God as number one, so faith has always been an important part of my life. My family really emphasized having a relationship with God even from a young age,” he told His Huddle.

That translated over to the basketball court as well.

“Faith plays a huge part in my basketball career,” he said. “Just knowing that all my gifts come from God makes me want to work much harder and give Him the glory every time I step on the court.”

Richard said he saw growth as a person and as a believer during his freshman year at Belmont, when he started to make his faith his own.

“I would say my faith really got stronger my freshman year of college because I was on my own so I couldn’t just go to church with my parents every week,” he said. “I had to take the time out myself to spend time with God. Learning how to make time on my own really benefited me and allowed me to get closer to Him.”

Now, with his college career coming to an end, Richard will look to the NBA Draft on June 25. He’s not projected as a lock to be selected, but his defense and shooting — as he showed Monday night — could transfer well to the next level.

>> Do you know Christ personally? Learn how you can commit your life to Him. <<

Tags:

Basketball

Paige Bueckers leads UConn to record-setting 12th national title: ‘We lean on God’s strength here’

By Joshua Doering Apr 7, 2025

UConn guard Paige Bueckers holds up a piece of the net after winning the national championship game, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Paige Bueckers reached the Final Four every season she was healthy at UConn. The Huskies made it to the national title game in 2022, losing to South Carolina in Bueckers’ hometown of Minneapolis. It is the only time head coach Geno Auriemma has ever been beaten with a championship on the line.

After missing the 2022-23 season due to injury and falling in the Final Four last season, Bueckers returned this year for her final attempt at leading the storied program back to the top for the first time since 2016. Not surprisingly, the last remaining obstacle standing between the three-time first-team All-American and a fairytale ending were those South Carolina Gamecocks.

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Bueckers and UConn would not be denied this time.

The Huskies won the first two quarters of Sunday’s eagerly anticipated showdown and took a 36-26 lead into halftime. They doubled their advantage by the end of the third quarter and ultimately secured a dominant 82-59 victory and 12th national title, breaking a tie with the UCLA men for the most in Division I history.

NUMBER 12! pic.twitter.com/MnYyTRF24j

— UConn Huskies (@UConnHuskies) April 6, 2025

“We feel like we were so connected, and nothing could break us,” Bueckers said in the postgame press conference. “We’ve been through a lot — on our own, as a team — so we feel like nothing that life or basketball can throw at us could ever break us and make us separate. To be able to … share this moment is extremely validating.”

UConn’s big three of Bueckers, Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong combined for 65 points, 26 rebounds and nine assists, with Bueckers contributing 17 points, six rebounds and a team-high three steals. She scored the 477th point of her NCAA Tournament career in the fourth quarter, passing Maya Moore for the most in program history. In the Huskies’ six-game run to the title, Bueckers averaged 24.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists on 52.8% shooting.

Paige Bueckers, a UConn legend pic.twitter.com/Ugfge1KpOT

— UConn Women’s Basketball (@UConnWBB) April 6, 2025

Helping Bueckers navigate all of the pressure and emotions has been her unwavering faith in God. Reflecting on her journey during an on-court interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe immediately after the game, she encouraged people to “stand firm in who you are.”

“There’s people that doubt you because they think you’re doing it on your strength alone,” she said during the interview. “We lean on God’s strength here, and through God’s power, for God’s purposes. We’re not doing this alone.”

“We lean on God’s strength here.”

Great stuff from Paige Bueckers after helping UConn win the women’s college basketball national title pic.twitter.com/IkiZHklJNy

— Sports Spectrum (@Sports_Spectrum) April 6, 2025

Later in the postgame press conference, Bueckers added, “It’s destiny and obviously I have a great faith, so I believe God planned it perfectly in the way that it went out.”

Everyone, including Bueckers, knew that she would leave as the greatest player in program history to never cut down the nets if UConn — which won the regular-season meeting between these two teams by 29 — lost to South Carolina again. She focused her energy on being present and enjoying her final game in a Huskies uniform rather than worrying about what was at stake.

“We prayed, we prepared, and we hoped to be playing on the last day of the season,” Bueckers said Friday following the team’s 85-61 victory over No. 1 overall seed UCLA in the Final Four. “We got that opportunity. We don’t want to take it for granted. And you don’t want to get caught up in the moment of being so anxious and trying to win the national championship in one possession that you’re just psyching yourself out, but to be present with the team, to be where your feet are and try to win every single possession that’s in front of you.”

One of the most highly touted recruits in recent memory, Bueckers’ college career has featured brilliant performances, 159 total wins and no shortage of adversity. She missed the entire 2022-23 season with a torn left ACL, but declared that “God is using me as a testimony” in an Instagram post reflecting on the injury.

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A post shared by Paige (@paigebueckers)

Bueckers returned last season and led UConn back to the Final Four, where the Huskies fell to Iowa by two. She gave thanks to God in a postgame interview after their Elite Eight victory over USC.

“Just so much gratitude. I’m a living testimony,” Bueckers told ESPN. “I give all glory to God. He works in mysterious ways. Last year, I was praying to be back at this stage. He sent me trials and tribulations, but it was to build my character. It was to test my faith to see if I was only a believer in the good times. I just kept on believing. I did all I could so God could do all I can’t.”

Bueckers — who lists Proverbs 3:5-6 in her Instagram bio — also recently spoke about her faith with GQ, saying she grew up Catholic but began attending a nondenominational church in high school with her then-stepmother, and that she often listens to gospel music before games.

“I didn’t build my relationship with God because of the way I was brought up, but more because I’ve seen the way He’s impacted my life,” she told GQ, referencing a quote she once heard.

How she’s lived out her faith has impacted her teammates. Fudd, who was named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player, was asked in Sunday’s postgame press conference how she was able to play so freely.

“Well, first, I think my faith. I feel Paige and other people on the team have been really inspirational in that respect,” Fudd said. “So being able to let go, give it to God, definitely takes that pressure that I put on myself away.”

Bueckers now will have a few days to celebrate before turning her attention to the WNBA Draft, where she is expected to be taken by the Dallas Wings with the No. 1 overall pick. The draft begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on April 14 and will be broadcast on ESPN.

>> Do you know Christ personally? Learn how you can commit your life to Him. <<

Tags:

Basketball

Will Richard helps Florida on Final Four run, hopes people see his career is ‘all God’

By Cole Claybourn Apr 3, 2025

Florida guard Will Richard, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Florida is back in the Final Four, thanks in large part to its three-headed monster at guard in All-American Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard.

The trio of senior guards leads the team in scoring, respectively, and helped Florida win its first SEC Tournament championship since the 2013-14 season on its way to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Gators are now in the Final Four for the first time since 2014 and looking to win the program’s first national championship since taking back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007.

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All three seniors are transfers, but the first to arrive at Florida was Richard, the first player to commit to head coach Todd Golden and his staff after they took over in March 2022. Richard started 30 games and averaged 12.1 points and 6.0 rebounds as a freshman for Belmont in 2021-22, but transferred after the season.

“Will Richard is an elite culture setter for a program,” Golden said in a press conference prior to the Sweet 16.

“Will’s an everyday guy,” Martin added. “He’s a leader. He comes in with a smile every day. Sometimes that’s all you need.”

Richard said that being in his third season with Florida, he can help his teammates with knowing what the coaches expect.

“Coach Golden and I came in with the same mentality: To bring Florida back to that national relevance,” he said. “For me, just making sure the guys know the standard that he wants, bringing that edge every day so we can be where we want to be.”

Though he declared for the 2024 NBA Draft, Richard ultimately chose to return to Florida for his senior season. He’s averaged 10 points or more each of his three seasons in Gainesville, including a career-high 13.3 points per game this season. Richard dropped 15 points in each of Florida’s tournament wins over UConn and Maryland.

Will Richard from downtown!

The Gators are on FIRE. pic.twitter.com/B9ZrNcqS27

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 28, 2025

Walter Clayton Jr. with the touchdown pass to Will Richard @GatorsMBK pic.twitter.com/K6FhSpw8Fv

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 28, 2025

He’s second on the team in minutes played (31.4) and is also averaging 4.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.6 steals (tops on the team) per game. His 124 steals as a Gator are most by a transfer in program history.

His game has given him a platform, and for Richard, the platform is a chance for him to tell people about Jesus.

“I just hope when people see me play they know it’s all God,” Richard told His Huddle in 2022. “Everything I’m able to do on the court comes from Him and without Him I’d be nothing.”

Richard grew up in Georgia and said his faith has always been an important part of his life. He talks about his Christian faith and efforts to give back to the community on social media, and in his Instagram bio he lists Ephesians 3:20, a Bible verse which reads, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”

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A post shared by Will Richard (@willrxch)

His cover photo on X lists Proverbs 3:6, which he also has tattooed on his upper-right arm: The words “In All Thy Ways Acknowledge Him And He Shall Direct Thy Paths” — the King James Version of the verse — are next to three crosses.

He also posted on X that “God the greatest !!” when resharing a post about Florida reaching the Final Four.

God the greatest !! https://t.co/i7eZElebt2

— Will Richard (@willrxch) March 30, 2025

That translated over to the basketball court as well.

Richard said he saw growth as a person and as a believer during his freshman year at Belmont, when he started to make his faith his own.

“I would say my faith really got stronger my freshman year of college because I was on my own so I couldn’t just go to church with my parents every week,” he told His Huddle. “I had to take the time out myself to spend time with God. Learning how to make time on my own really benefited me and allowed me to get closer to Him.”

Richard will take that faith into the Final Four, where Florida plays SEC rival and fellow No. 1 seed Auburn at 6:09 p.m. ET on Saturday in San Antonio, Texas.

>> Do you know Christ personally? Learn how you can commit your life to Him. <<