Singer is following the bouncing ball

Who: Ayla Brown

Where things stood: The 18-year-old Wrentham native placed 13th in last season's "American Idol" competition, then rushed to record her debut album before starting her collegiate basketball career at Boston College.

The latest word: NCAA rules prohibited Brown from publicly promoting her album, "Forward," which hit stores Oct. 17, and Brown said she now considers herself "just a student-athlete." Her father, state Senator Scott Brown, is already booking performances for her once basketball season ends. Her first set of final exams out of the way, Ayla is now focusing on the Eagles. With 7.5 points per game, Brown is the fourth-leading scorer for the 9-3 team.

CALVIN HENNICK