Review: 'A Soaring Season,' by longtime Philly sports journalist Aaron Bracy

You may think you know the story of Jameer Nelson, Delonte West, Phil Martelli, and the 2003-04 Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball team. But Aaron Bracy's meticulous work for A Soaring Season: The Incredible, Inspiring Story of the 2003-04 Saint Joseph's Hawks, fills in details that will surprise even the most ardent St. Joe's fan.

Bracy, who has covered Philadelphia sports for nearly 30 years, conducts the deepest of dives into the Hawks' magical run to a 27-0 regular season record and unanimous No. 1 ranking. Though the team dropped a game in the Atlantic 10 tournament and ultimately suffered a heartbreaking finale in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA tournament, the season was a ride for the ages.

© Brett Hansbauer- USA | 2003 Mar 13And Bracy captures the team from every possible angle. Readers learn how the Hawks landed Nelson, the undersized but fearless leader of the team, out of high school. Bracy discusses West's relentless work ethic, noting that security sometimes had to kick the shooting guard out of the gym at 3:00 a.m. when he was still working on his long-range jumper.

The book chronicles Martelli's rise to the head coaching position. Bracy details the journeys of the Hawks' complimentary players, as well. And by the time readers reach the heart of the book--32 chapters discussing the 32 games the team played in the '03-'04 season and tournaments--even those who never watched a second of Saint Joseph's basketball will find themselves heavily emotionally invested in the team.

© Howard Smith | 2008 Mar 6

The love and effort that Bracy put into the Hawks' story is evident from the jump. He conducted over 100 interviews with 90 individuals to explore every facet of the season. Every word in the book is supported by first-hand accounts of the folks who were at the heart of the team's story as it played out. Along with the incredible detail, lengthy end notes almost give Bracy's work the feel of an academic textbook.

But textbooks rarely draw a reader in like A Soaring Season. They can't round out the characters, tug at your heartstrings, and keep a reader turning pages the way this book does. Bracy's attention to detail is matched only by his expert storytelling.

The 2003-04 Saint Joseph's Hawks fell short of an NCAA title in the end. But the story of their magical season deserved to be documented in this manner, and Bracy couldn't have done a better job.

A Soaring Season will be available for purchase beginning March 1, 2025.