GAMECOCKS DEFENSE WILL PREVAIL IN NCAA BIG DANCE FINAL

South Carolina’s Maik Kotsar (21), Chris Silva (30) and Rakym Felder (4) celebrated after defeating Baylor in Sweet 16 final. Credit Robert Deutsch/USA Today Sports, via Reuters

 

"South Carolina’s players said Thursday that it was easy to pinpoint from where their defensive prowess stems. It is from Coach Martin, who calls the defense his “baby” and designed it in his image, an image he projects as he prowls the sidelines with a glare that could melt ice" ~ Zach Shonbrun/ New York Times

 

It's March and that means the NCAA basketball tournament and if you're not in a bracket pool, you're totally out of touch with the beauty and anguish of the annual big dance of college basketball.

 

In the Mercer Pool ~ I picked Duke as the winner figuring they were the hot team going into the tournament and of course they had the legendary Coach K as their coach.

 

Of course they trampled Troy in the 1st round and would face the South Carolina #7 seeded Gamecocks in the second round ~ which should bolt them into the sweet 16.

 

As I eagerly tuned into that game, I quickly became aware the Gamecocks were a force that was not to be underestimated ~ as their frantic defense broke down the disciplined Duke offense and left Coach K muttering to himself in disbelief.

 

At that moment , I recognized that the Cinderella team of this tournament were the gamecocks with their defensive genius coach, Frank Martin

The gamecocks followed their upset of Duke with a complete thrashing of third-seeded Baylor, 70-50, and now zoomed into the elite 8 to face Florida ~ propelled by a victory that McGuire, who died in 1994, would unquestionably have adored.

“It all starts with our mindset,” Martin said. “We have got guys that are completely bought into what we do.”

As Zack Shonbrun reported the New York times ~ "South Carolina’s defense only seemed to intensify in the second half, as did its effect on the Bears. Baylor’s players dropped easy passes, dribbled off their own feet, and stepped mindlessly out of the bounds.

“I felt like we were in their heads the whole game,” said Sindarius Thornwell, the Gamecocks’ senior forward.

South Carolina’s players said Thursday that it was easy to pinpoint from where their defensive prowess stems. It is from Martin, who calls the defense his “baby” and designed it in his image, an image he projects as he prowls the sidelines with a glare that could melt ice."

Gamecocks Coach Frank Martin

When asked how the Gamecocks had managed to beat two of its last three opponents (Duke and Baylor) by 20 points each, sophomore guard P.J. Dozier had the answer immediately.

“Defense,” he said. “That’s what we hang our hats on. That’s what this coaching staff instilled in us.”

And I predict that The gamecock's defense will carry them to the final four as well as the NCAA championship.

Here's a brief video of the Gamecocks upset victory over Baylor ~ two minute video ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozEQdOJUKcI

 

Allen L Roland, PhD

http://allenlrolandsweblog.blogspot.com/2017/03/gamecocks-defense-will-prevail-in-big.html

 

Heart centered spiritual consultant and advisor Allen L Roland can be contacted at allen@allenroland.com Allen is also a lecturer and writer who shares a weekly political and social commentary on his web log and website allenroland.com. He is also featured columnist on Veterans Today and is a featured guest on many radio and Television programs.

Northern Iowa Steals NCAA Spotlight

NORTHERN IOWA STEALS NCAA SPOTLIGHT

The Northern Iowa Panthers have rightfully stolen the NCAA spotlight by slaying number one seed Kansas 69 - 67 and set the stage for more heroics against Michigan State on Friday as America's latest homegrown no-name gritty, intentioned and unlikely heroes: Allen L Roland

OK, the healthcare Bill passed but let's be honest ~ it won't become fully implemented until 2014 and at its worse it was a bailout of the Drug and Health Insurance Industry ( note how their stocks have soared recently ) with no promised public option.

Once again, Wall Street gets a gift and Main Street gets a work in progress. For example, the bill includes a provision that gives drug makers a 12 year period of exclusivity on expensive medicines before generic alternatives may enter the market ~ and many of those drugs, including cancer treatments, cost tens of thousands of dollars a year.

And let's be even more honest in that despite all the political posturing in Washington, DC ~ a far more dramatic David versus Goliath scenario is playing itself out at the NCAA basketball playoffs which has captured the attention of most of the nation's sports fans ~ much as George Mason did in 2006.

I vividly remember the national excitement as George Mason, with its similar no-name homegrown cast, slayed Goliath after Goliath on its way to the final four. That included number one seed Connecticut and even Michigan State ~ which the Northern Iowa Panthers face Friday night.

Make no mistake about it ~ the Panthers are for real as any one who watched the last few minutes of the Kansas game, as I most certainly did, will attest. They are talented, gritty, determined and confident ~ even under relentless pressure. Watch Senior guard Ali Farokhmanesh calmly fire the three pointer that was the dagger in the heart of a frantic Kansas rally ~ the shot that felled goliath.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_IBgtYWGVk&feature=related

"If anybody's going to shoot that shot, I want it to be Ali," Northern Iowa's Jake Koch said after the game.

The Panthers are no fluke ~ as reported by Detroit News.com ; " Kansas coach Bill Self said it'd be a mistake to label UNI "Cinderella." After his team's loss to the Panthers , he told the Kansas City Star UNI was the first team he noticed when the brackets were released. UNI senior forward Adam Koch was named MVP of the Missouri Valley Conference despite not finishing in the top 10 in the conference in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals or blocks. Koch does everything well and nothing spectacular, which epitomizes the team he plays on. Koch is complemented by 7-foot senior center Jordan Eglseder (12 ppg, 7.3 rpg), junior point guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe (10.6 ppg) and Farokhmanesh, who's led Northern Iowa in scoring in each of its Tournament victories while shooting 9-of-19 from 3-point range."
http://www.detnews.com/article/20100323/SPORTS0202/3230329/Bracket-buster-Northern-Iowa-enjoys-Sweet-16-spotlight

This year's NCAA tournament has been defined by its upsets. Eight double-digit seeds moved through the bracket in the first round. No. 10 Saint Mary's beat Villanova on Saturday and No. 11 Washington shoved aside New Mexico while No. 12 Cornell dismantled Wisconsin ~ but Northern Iowa's victory was without a doubt the biggest shocker of them all.

Here are my bracket picks for the upcoming greatest sports weekend in college Sports when, within two days, the Sweet Sixteen is shrunk to the Elite Eight ~ Northern Iowa, Tennessee, Butler, Kansas State, Kentucky, Washington, Duke and Baylor which will then become the final four on Sunday ~ Northern Iowa, Kansas State, Kentucky and Baylor.

It doesn't get much better than this !

Allen L Roland
http://allenlrolandsweblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/northern-iowa-steals-ncaa-spotlight.html

This weblog is sustained through donations from people like yourself. Please send check or Money Order to Allen L. Roland, PO Box 1221, Sonoma,CA 95476 Also accept Visa, MasterCard and Discover ~ call (707) 935-1908.

Allen L Roland is a practicing psychotherapist, author and lecturer who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his weblog and website allenroland.com He also guest hosts a monthly national radio show TRUTHTALK on www.conscioustalk.net


Freelance Alternative Press Online columnist and psychotherapist Allen L Roland is also available for comments, interviews, speaking engagements and private consultations ( allen@allenroland.com)

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