There was a tiny backyard basketball court in Homewood.

Amir Johnson's dad built it for him, his own little basketball retreat.

There is a family room at a house in Lawrence County that used to have two miniature basketball hoops standing at the ready and masking tape affixed to the floor forming a basketball court.

Steve McNees' dad constructed it for him, his own little basketball oasis.

That's where it all started, and now, look where it has progressed -- all the way to the NCAA tournament.

Bill McNees, Steve's father, put it best, saying: "Hard to believe, isn't it. Hard to believe how it all starts and where it all can go, huh?"

Johnson has started all 32 games as Radford's junior point guard this season, averages 9.6 points and leads the team with 169 assists. He will lead No. 16-seed Radford (21-11) against mighty North Carolina (28-4), the No. 1 seed, in a South regional first-round game at 2:50 p.m. Thursday in Greensboro, N.C.

McNees is a redshirt sophomore at Akron (23-12), has started at both guard spots at times this season, is averaging 5.9 points per game and has 64 assists. He's a pivotal piece to an Akron squad that secured the No. 13 seed in the South Region and will travel to Portland, Ore., to play No. 4 seed Gonzaga (26-5) at 7:25 p.m. Thursday.

Akron also has Elizabeth Forward product Steve Swiech on its roster -- he's a redshirt freshman who plays sparingly, appearing in just six games this year.

But to know McNees is to understand that basketball has been ingrained in him ever since his father bent down and stretched that masking tape over the family room carpet.

Bill McNees was the boys' basketball coach at Shenango High School just outside of New Castle for 25 seasons, dragging young Steve along to practices, games, clinics, camps and anywhere people knew the ball was blown up and not stuffed.

Everywhere there was a basketball, there was Bill. And there was Steve.

"He was just always so highly motivated, even when he was really little and he just had more of a drive as he got older," said Bill McNees, who retired from coaching after 2006 so he and his wife, Kathy, could attend as many of Steve's college games as possible.

"When I would want to leave the gym and Steve was little, he would cry. It would be to the point where I would be shutting the lights off, and he would cry. And, if you would beat him in H-O-R-S-E, even if he was 8, he would want to play you again until he beat you. He hated to lose, still does. And I think that is what has made him successful."

And that success will hit McNees and Johnson when they take the floor later this week as college basketball's brightest lights shine down on them.

"It will be an indescribable feeling when I hear my name in the NCAA tournament get announced," Johnson said. "I have been working for this for a long time. To be honest, I am just as happy for my family that they get to see me achieve this, because they have been there every step. Without them, there's no way I am where I am right now."

And without Johnson's improvement at point guard, there is no way Radford is here right now. His head coach knows as much.

"Amir Johnson sacrificed so much this year," Radford coach Brad Greenberg said. "He took a huge step to be a great basketball player. We would not be here without his work this year. He does a great job and deserves this recognition."

Johnson admits that before he takes the floor in the tournament against North Carolina, his basketball life might just flash in front of him.

His mind could float through the three high schools he attended -- Allderdice, Sewickley Academy and Quaker Valley -- but, most of all, he will take a moment to recollect the places that molded his most elementary basketball skills.

"I'll think about the Homewood YMCA and I'll think about the Shadyside Boys' and Girls' Club and all the people that taught me the game at a young age. They are the reason I am here right now, they never gave up on me," Johnson said. "Homewood made me stronger, seeing some of the things I saw made me realize basketball isn't that hard, you just need to keep pushing, keep working.

"I think that's what I've learned most through basketball: If you just keep working your hardest, you can achieve a lot."

You sure can -- like playing in the NCAA tournament.