Staff photo / John Vargo John Covington, left, and YSU junior guard Garrett Covington, right, pose for a picture after Saturday’s game at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum against IUPUI in Indianapolis. The Covingtons are from nearby Carmel, Ind.

INDIANAPOLIS — John Covington patiently waited for his son, Garrett, to exit the visitors’ locker room at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum, just outside the downtown area of Indianapolis following Youngstown State’s win on Saturday against IUPUI.

The smile never left the older Covington’s face.

This time, it wasn’t a long trip for the Covington family to see their son play for the Penguins’ basketball team. It’s about a 30-minute drive due south from Carmel, Indiana.

John and Debroah go to about 75 percent of Garrett’s games, including at Cleveland State, where YSU plays on Saturday at 3 p.m.

There was the new haircut Garrett got over the Christmas break. It looks trimmed on the sides with his hair coming to a right angle on both sides atop his head. Looking in the back, its braided with a U-shape, giving the YSU junior forward more of an illusion that this was a new trim, rather than his old hairstyle which hung out over the sides.

“That’s what diversity and style is,” John Covington said. “It’s beautiful. We love it. As long as he likes it.

“We’re glad to see him come into his own, create and do the things he wants to do — go out in his own style. It’s a great thing. I love it.”

It was almost as neat as the Christmas gifts Garrett gave his parents.

“It’s these cool mugs for my wife and I,” John Covington said. “They’re black. When you put the liquid in them, it’s a picture of me and him. His mom’s was him and her when put your coffee in it. If you don’t put any liquid in it, it’s just black.”

Mary Akuchie and her younger sons, Matthew and Andrew, arrived a day before Saturday’s game, sitting in the lobby of the Hilton in downtown Indianapolis — waiting for their oldest son, Michael, a YSU junior forward.

They saw the bus come up to the front entrance as players, coaches and other personnel came into the hotel and greeted the Akuchies.

“Definitely a family atmosphere,” she said.

Mary’s husband, Increase, was not on the trip. He has worked for American Airlines for the last 30 years and is a supervisor on the ground crew at Miami International Airport, less than an hour south of their home in Plantation, Florida. Because of his work, Increase is able to get airline travel for his family, which they use to see Michael play.

Matthew is a freshman football player at Florida Atlantic University, about an hour north of Plantation, while Andrew is a sophomore basketball player at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in nearby Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Mary said the family went to the team’s Virgin Islands tour in August, along with attending games at Oakland (Michigan), Louisville and Indiana during Michael’s past couple of seasons with the Penguins.

“That’s the cool part,” she said. “I put on my Instagram and my Twitter, ‘This is where my boys are taking me so I can go watch their games.’ ”

Being in the stands supporting Michael is something she cherishes, heading to the Midwest and see him play with YSU. The Akuchies made a couple of trips to see Michael play last season.

“It really helps him to see his family here, just show that support,” Mary said. “I really enjoy the camaraderie with the other parents. We don’t know who’s going to show up for what game. That’s really nice, too.”

Very few words are spoken between John and Garrett after games. There was that game on Feb. 14, 2018, when Garrett hit the game-winner to help YSU beat Oakland his freshman year.

The two hugged to celebrate.

“I don’t coach,” John said. “I’m a dad, I don’t coach. It’s all about love and support. That’s what it’s all about. I can’t do anything else.”