I can forgive a team having an off-shooting night. Going 0-15 from deep after halftime is a-l-m-o-s-t unforgivable, but it happens. Teams, even stars, have rocky stretches.
I can also forgive a team being too over-confident. It's hard to get up for a game when you're favored by 30 points. Exhibit A: The Warriors. I don't think they'be been up for more than three or four games so far this year. Talk about hubris!
But late-game strategic blunders? This is what had me up and screaming.
Situation: Thirty seconds left on the game clock in OT; thirty on the shot clock. Portland State ball out with a one point lead. Here's what I've told my team in the last huddle.
First: We HAVE to foul. Otherwise they dribble out the clock and win.
Second: If we have to foul, foul as SOON as possible. We'll need the time to run a final play, or at worst, prolong the foul game. But...DON'T foul Number 3. That kid is having a career night. He's money at the line. If we can, foul somebody else.
SO: Portland State tosses it right in to Number 3. But then Number 3 makes a huge mistake: He passes the ball to a teammate in the backcourt, very close to the Montana bench. I'm up screaming: FOUL THAT GUY! NOW! I don't care who this guy is, or what his free throw percentage is. He's NOT Number 3. FOUL HIM NOW!
Our bench should've, couldv'e, been screaming that too.
Instead, our defender continues to guard, until his man passes the ball back to Number 3. Then, of course, we had to foul.
So two parts of the strategy ruined: We don't foul as quickly as we could; and we let Number 3 shoot free throws.
Of course, by not fouling as quickly as we could have, the time element rears its ugly head. With about ten seconds remaining, Oguine fumbles the ball, and has to scramble for it as precious seconds run off the clock. Luckily, we get the ball back with four seconds left, but only time for an unanswered prayer.
I know what you're sayin': We lost this game because of our poor shooting.
But here's what I'm sayin': In basketball, late-game strategy is critical. All the great coaches are masters of late-game strategy. It can definitely mean the difference two or three times a season. No matter you've had a bad game shooting, you have to deal with the PRESENT moment.
And in the last few precious moments, when we were still down only by one point, our team played stupidly. The last 30 seconds were an embarrassment.
I stalked out of the room to grab a beer, shouting profanities at the only thing I could: That mongrel dog, Pluto.
I can also forgive a team being too over-confident. It's hard to get up for a game when you're favored by 30 points. Exhibit A: The Warriors. I don't think they'be been up for more than three or four games so far this year. Talk about hubris!
But late-game strategic blunders? This is what had me up and screaming.
Situation: Thirty seconds left on the game clock in OT; thirty on the shot clock. Portland State ball out with a one point lead. Here's what I've told my team in the last huddle.
First: We HAVE to foul. Otherwise they dribble out the clock and win.
Second: If we have to foul, foul as SOON as possible. We'll need the time to run a final play, or at worst, prolong the foul game. But...DON'T foul Number 3. That kid is having a career night. He's money at the line. If we can, foul somebody else.
SO: Portland State tosses it right in to Number 3. But then Number 3 makes a huge mistake: He passes the ball to a teammate in the backcourt, very close to the Montana bench. I'm up screaming: FOUL THAT GUY! NOW! I don't care who this guy is, or what his free throw percentage is. He's NOT Number 3. FOUL HIM NOW!
Our bench should've, couldv'e, been screaming that too.
Instead, our defender continues to guard, until his man passes the ball back to Number 3. Then, of course, we had to foul.
So two parts of the strategy ruined: We don't foul as quickly as we could; and we let Number 3 shoot free throws.
Of course, by not fouling as quickly as we could have, the time element rears its ugly head. With about ten seconds remaining, Oguine fumbles the ball, and has to scramble for it as precious seconds run off the clock. Luckily, we get the ball back with four seconds left, but only time for an unanswered prayer.
I know what you're sayin': We lost this game because of our poor shooting.
But here's what I'm sayin': In basketball, late-game strategy is critical. All the great coaches are masters of late-game strategy. It can definitely mean the difference two or three times a season. No matter you've had a bad game shooting, you have to deal with the PRESENT moment.
And in the last few precious moments, when we were still down only by one point, our team played stupidly. The last 30 seconds were an embarrassment.
I stalked out of the room to grab a beer, shouting profanities at the only thing I could: That mongrel dog, Pluto.