Oral History of "The Play"

[backdoorpass]

On Sunday, nusports.com posted an Oral History of "The Play" feature that is a pretty good read. It contains some of the interview tidbits that were out at the time--and some additional voices and points of view. It focuses on the situation leading up to the game, the entire game, the controversial calls, the design of the play, the execution of the play and the celebration. Check it out...

http://nusports.com/news/2017/7/2/mens-basketball-the-play-an-oral-history.aspx

 

[backdoorpass]

I have been thinking about the Brian James' quote: "Everybody's gameplan is to take the ball out of Bryant's hand. Sanjay [Lumpkin] and Gavin [Skelly], instead of staying hidden on the baseline, they had to punch up to the free throw line area. And they made some really great reads, passing out of that and scoring themselves."

Assuming he's healthy, BMac is going to be BMac--and hopefully better than ever. But what really makes a difference is when there are multiple guys around BMac who can score. There was such a difference last season when Scottie was healthy vs. when he was not available (or recovering). Similarly, it made such an impact when Vic Law was really playing well--or when Sanjay had big games--or when Skelly was crushing it (particularly in the out of conference schedule). Throughout the season, everyone stepped up at different times--Pardon, Brown, Taphorn, etc. And, ultimately, it was exactly what we needed to get over the hump. But...

It is exciting to think how much better we can be on offense (and how many more wins we can compile) with improved talent and consistency all around and hopefully at every position. Scottie Lindsey was a model of consistency until he got sick, scoring double-digits in each of our first 20 games of the season. Other guys, including BMac, were seriously up and/or down all season long.

I love what Sanjay and Taphorn gave us last season, but you have to feel pretty good about trading those two for Falzon, Ivanauskas and Gaines--and the entire rest of the team one year better.

It is not that hard to imagine a 'Cats team in 2017-18 with a really strong, consistent starting lineup with stars in BMac, Lindsey and Law--and a consistent, opportunistic killer in Pardon. I also have to believe that a strength will emerge at the 4 with Falzon/Ivanauskas/Skelly as options. And depth should be better than ever as Brown and Benson emerge as sophomores and Gaines is added into the fold.

I hope that BMac will have an All-Big Ten senior season--and I hope even more that he is surrounded by talent and consistency that will render a gameplan of getting the ball out of his hands utterly ineffective.

(And I hope we will see continued improvement on the defensive end, but that's a different post!)

 

[Medill90]

One of the regular Rivals posters collected a bunch of tweets with cell phone videos taken of the play.

Scrolling through those videos is like watching good performance art (if that's not an oxymoron). It should be found and pinned to the top of the basketball board.

 

[hdhntr1]

I have been thinking about the Brian James' quote: "Everybody's gameplan is to take the ball out of Bryant's hand. Sanjay [Lumpkin] and Gavin [Skelly], instead of staying hidden on the baseline, they had to punch up to the free throw line area. And they made some really great reads, passing out of that and scoring themselves."

Assuming he's healthy, BMac is going to be BMac--and hopefully better than ever. But what really makes a difference is when there are multiple guys around BMac who can score. There was such a difference last season when Scottie was healthy vs. when he was not available (or recovering). Similarly, it made such an impact when Vic Law was really playing well--or when Sanjay had big games--or when Skelly was crushing it (particularly in the out of conference schedule). Throughout the season, everyone stepped up at different times--Pardon, Brown, Taphorn, etc. And, ultimately, it was exactly what we needed to get over the hump. But...

It is exciting to think how much better we can be on offense (and how many more wins we can compile) with improved talent and consistency all around and hopefully at every position. Scottie Lindsey was a model of consistency until he got sick, scoring double-digits in each of our first 20 games of the season. Other guys, including BMac, were seriously up and/or down all season long.

I love what Sanjay and Taphorn gave us last season, but you have to feel pretty good about trading those two for Falzon, Ivanauskas and Gaines--and the entire rest of the team one year better.

It is not that hard to imagine a 'Cats team in 2017-18 with a really strong, consistent starting lineup with stars in BMac, Lindsey and Law--and a consistent, opportunistic killer in Pardon. I also have to believe that a strength will emerge at the 4 with Falzon/Ivanauskas/Skelly as options. And depth should be better than ever as Brown and Benson emerge as sophomores and Gaines is added into the fold.

I hope that BMac will have an All-Big Ten senior season--and I hope even more that he is surrounded by talent and consistency that will render a gameplan of getting the ball out of his hands utterly ineffective.

(And I hope we will see continued improvement on the defensive end, but that's a different post!)

Just to temper your enthusiasm, we really won't have a home court this year. Of course we did play pretty well on the road.

 

[backdoorpass]

One of the regular Rivals posters collected a bunch of tweets with cell phone videos taken of the play.

Scrolling through those videos is like watching good performance art (if that's not an oxymoron). It should be found and pinned to the top of the basketball board.

Link?

 

[Pete Purple]

Like many of you, I was there - with my son. We looked at each other (mouths open) and the STHs in front of us turned around giving us the same look, all in a single second. What? Did that really happen?! NU fans aren't used to this. I'm used to reluctantly going into overtime and losing. The past has taught me to hate overtime. It was absolutely the most exciting play I've ever witnessed.