After A Travel Nightmare, Souley Boum's Mom Gets To See Her Son Play In NCAA Tournament

GREENSBORO, NC. Mary Diallo was expected to leave San Francisco on Thursday at noon when Kennesaw State takes on her daughter Solly Baum and the Xavier Musketeers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Greensboro Coliseum on Friday at 12:40. .

His connection to Greensboro was in Dallas.

"We got to Dallas and it was time to go to bed and it was stormy and windy and, I don't know, it was raining," Diallo told the Inquirer on Saturday. “We were flying now, they said we couldn't land. We were stuck for 30 minutes. In the end, they said no one would land."

“They transferred us to Oklahoma. It was difficult because we couldn't fly. We were there on the plane for five hours.

According to Diallo, it was around 11 on Thursday.

"I felt like I was needed here." Meet Sauli Baum of Mosswood Park in Oakland at Xavier.

Diallo said the plan was to try to refuel and return the planes to their original positions.

“Everyone was evacuated there. There was a long line," he said. "So we left. We got to Dallas in the middle of the night. And as you can imagine, the line was long, everyone trying to get to their car."

According to Diallo, the American Airlines counter was closed.

"I'm like, 'Just call 1-800,'" he said, "No planes are taking off."

“So I spent the night at the airport. There were no hotels around. I was alone, not with my husband. I thought maybe I would be safer at the airport than on the street.

They told Diallo the earliest they could get him to Greensboro would be 11 a.m. Saturday.

“I said no, it is impossible, I have to see my son and he is playing. I will miss the first (match) and I know it," Diallo said.

She finally found a work flight that took her to Greensboro on Friday afternoon, but hours before the game she had to tell her son she wasn't going to make it on time.

Diallo landed at 15:30. It was at Xavier's game.

"Unfortunately I didn't watch the game," Diallo said. “After I came out, I said to my wife, 'Just tell me if they win, I don't care if it's a point or a point and a half.' That's all I'm worried about."

He had good news. Xavier rebounded with a 72-67 win over Kennesaw State, which means he won't miss his son's final college game and could see him play Pittsburgh in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.

“That's it, this is the last year. He will not go to the NCAA tournament. I wanted to be here all this time, but I think God or American Airlines got away with it,” Diallo laughed. “I am happy that they won. Imagine if I came here and lost that game, I'd gouge my eyes out."

Baum was concerned that his mother would not allow him to play in the NCAA Tournament.

"I didn't think about it during the game … it was on the air when we played, so I didn't know what was going on," Baum said. “I'm glad you were able to come here.

“I know he will be here tomorrow, I know he won't miss a game as a starter. I'm glad we won and that he can see us play tomorrow."