From Franklinville, to St. Bonaventure, to Loyola-Chicago and the Final Four.

That's the journey taken by Steve Watson, the athletic director for the Ramblers.

The men's basketball program is on a Cinderella run, an 11 seed on a run toward a championship.

Watson grew up in Franklinville and joined the Bonnies in 2006, a position he had until joining Loyola-Chicago in 2014.

His Western New York roots helped him along the way.

“There’s just been so many people who’ve been so influential. The best people in the world, I think, come from Western New York, and we’re very fortunate to have been a part of that for a long time,” Watson said.

Watson added it's a perfect storm to be facing fellow Western New Yorker John Beilein.

Beilein's Michigan squad takes on Loyola-Chicago this Saturday just after 6 p.m.