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Clutch!

C

citygriz

Well-known member
Dorsey? Absolutely! His four treys turned what for a long time felt like it could have been a six point loss into a six point victory. Game ball to Dorsey!

Rorie! Yup! As Brent said in another thread, he was a catalyst down the stretch. Pounding the floor is one thing; backing it up with your play is another. And he did. He inspired the entire team.

Moorehead? Oh, yeah! Not only a key block, but a key trey. "Big Shot Bob" does it for the second time in two years!

Oguine? Yes! Rose up for a key two point jumper late, dead center. To go with suffocating defense late--almost a one-man zone.

Pridgett? Hey, my favorite clutch moment! Strolls to the foul line late. Key shots coming, game on the line. But while the announcer intones the stats--"shoots better from the field than from the line"--Pridgett confidently looks over to the bench and nods, "I got this." Bang! Bang! He does.

What have I counted, five guys? Hey, that's an entire team, no?

That's right. That's the entire team!

But wait! While those five were clutch, let's not forget three others who had big moments in this tournament:

Timmy: His steal and dunk against Weber was a key moment in that game, in my opinion. Just when it looked like Weber was getting some mo', up pops Timmy with a huge play.

Manuel: Okay, didn't have his greatest game against Eastern, but he was clutch in both earlier games, and if you need a critical three, he's still the guy on this team that I want to take it.

Anderson: Again, not great against Eastern where his inexperience against a tough front line showed. But he's playing more like a sophomore now, and I have full confidence we can get key minutes from him against anybody we play.

There. Now that's the entire rotation!
 
Great post. I’ll even give a shout out to the guys on the bench not playing at all. They are so into the game and bringing energy and having a blast
 
HookedonGriz said:
Great post. I’ll even give a shout out to the guys on the bench not playing at all. They are so into the game and bringing energy and having a blast
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Yes, terrific post and spot-on assessment, citay. This team is 7.5 deep, and every player is capable of stepping up and making big plays, and all do at times, and most are capable of taking over the game for long periods. Rorie is the straw that stirs the drink. To do what he did against Weber, shutting down a top 10 scorer in the country and scoring 28 on great shooting, was extremely impressive and must be one of the all great performances in Griz history.
 
citay said:
Dorsey? Absolutely! His four treys turned what for a long time felt like it could have been a six point loss into a six point victory. Game ball to Dorsey!

Rorie! Yup! As Brent said in another thread, he was a catalyst down the stretch. Pounding the floor is one thing; backing it up with your play is another. And he did. He inspired the entire team.

Moorehead? Oh, yeah! Not only a key block, but a key trey. "Big Shot Bob" does it for the second time in two years!

Oguine? Yes! Rose up for a key two point jumper late, dead center. To go with suffocating defense late--almost a one-man zone.

Pridgett? Hey, my favorite clutch moment! Strolls to the foul line late. Key shots coming, game on the line. But while the announcer intones the stats--"shoots better from the field than from the line"--Pridgett confidently looks over to the bench and nods, "I got this." Bang! Bang! He does.

What have I counted, five guys? Hey, that's an entire team, no?

That's right. That's the entire team!

But wait! While those five were clutch, let's not forget three others who had big moments in this tournament:

Timmy: His steal and dunk against Weber was a key moment in that game, in my opinion. Just when it looked like Weber was getting some mo', up pops Timmy with a huge play.

Manuel: Okay, didn't have his greatest game against Eastern, but he was clutch in both earlier games, and if you need a critical three, he's still the guy on this team that I want to take it.

Anderson: Again, not great against Eastern where his inexperience against a tough front line showed. But he's playing more like a sophomore now, and I have full confidence we can get key minutes from him against anybody we play.

There. Now that's the entire rotation!
Click to expand...

Excellent post! It was a total team effort! Dorsey had guys in his face and elevated with those three pointers, doing his dance down the floor! He’s just happy to contribute and be part of a team again, after over coming some pretty serious medical issues! This team will show up against whoever they play, and it won’t be a walk in the park (very cliche)! This is a senior based team, and after last year’s Loyola run, a lot of these mid major teams-with four year starters, and not “one and dones”-are confident in their abilities and not overwhelmed by the younger players on other teams! Can’t wait to see how the Griz respond next week! Go Griz!
 
Another well-written and thoughtful post, Citay. I was traveling last night, thus unable to watch the game, but Riley's radio call was excellent 'Theatre of the Mind"! From weathering the 1st half storm, to tightening the screws and nailing big shots in the second half, this was vintage DeCuire-era Griz!
Somewhat unrelated, but certainly on my list of things I'll miss when TDC moves on: his raspy, I-can-barely-talk-right-now post-game interviews with Riley. Yeah, chock full of coach-speak, but make it abundantly clear that this guy is working just as hard to will the team into good outcomes as anyone on the floor. Fight on, indeed!
 
Many great plays by many guys down the stretch. I thought the biggest dagger to the Eag's hearts was Rorie getting his shot blocked, grabbing the rejection, and confidently stroking his shot. Most guys would have grabbed the ball and looked to pass in order to reset.
 
maroonandsilver said:
Many great plays by many guys down the stretch. I thought the biggest dagger to the Eag's hearts was Rorie getting his shot blocked, grabbing the rejection, and confidently stroking his shot. Most guys would have grabbed the ball and looked to pass in order to reset.
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:clap:
 
Dorsey had the best game of his career at Montana IMO. His offense was outstanding but his defense was the best he has played all year. He had 2 big time blocks, a big time steal, constantly applied pressure to Peatling and Hunt in the key, closed out well on screens, plus was very aggressive in rebounding with 4 big defensive rebounds and some key tips to keep the ball alive for others to rebound. To me he was a man among boys.

I think he got hosed on the foul on Hunt at the 3 point line. I have watched the replay of this shot many times and I don't think he that he touched Hunt's arm at all. Hunt kicked out his foot at the end of his shot and tripped Dorsey causing them both to hit the floor. That seems to be a tactic to create space that the referees fall for constantly anymore. I think it should be addressed by the rules committee because it is like taking a flop. It was reminiscent of the shot at Northern Colorado by Bietzel (SP) a few years ago where he did the same thing and I think it was Will Cherry that got called for a foul he didn't commit that eventually cost us the Championship game.

Congratulations to the Griz. Citay summed it up well. I just wanted to reiterate my thoughts on Dorsey's outstanding performance.
 
This is a terrific thread. Enjoyed reading and agree with every post and every point. Nice job, gentlemen.
 
citay said:
Dorsey? Absolutely! His four treys turned what for a long time felt like it could have been a six point loss into a six point victory. Game ball to Dorsey!

Rorie! Yup! As Brent said in another thread, he was a catalyst down the stretch. Pounding the floor is one thing; backing it up with your play is another. And he did. He inspired the entire team.

Moorehead? Oh, yeah! Not only a key block, but a key trey. "Big Shot Bob" does it for the second time in two years!

Oguine? Yes! Rose up for a key two point jumper late, dead center. To go with suffocating defense late--almost a one-man zone.

Pridgett? Hey, my favorite clutch moment! Strolls to the foul line late. Key shots coming, game on the line. But while the announcer intones the stats--"shoots better from the field than from the line"--Pridgett confidently looks over to the bench and nods, "I got this." Bang! Bang! He does.

What have I counted, five guys? Hey, that's an entire team, no?

That's right. That's the entire team!

But wait! While those five were clutch, let's not forget three others who had big moments in this tournament:

Timmy: His steal and dunk against Weber was a key moment in that game, in my opinion. Just when it looked like Weber was getting some mo', up pops Timmy with a huge play.

Manuel: Okay, didn't have his greatest game against Eastern, but he was clutch in both earlier games, and if you need a critical three, he's still the guy on this team that I want to take it.

Anderson: Again, not great against Eastern where his inexperience against a tough front line showed. But he's playing more like a sophomore now, and I have full confidence we can get key minutes from him against anybody we play.

There. Now that's the entire rotation!
Click to expand...

:thumb:
 
maroonandsilver said:
Many great plays by many guys down the stretch. I thought the biggest dagger to the Eag's hearts was Rorie getting his shot blocked, grabbing the rejection, and confidently stroking his shot. Most guys would have grabbed the ball and looked to pass in order to reset.
Click to expand...

I would probably go with Bobby’s block on the layup. UUUUUUggggeeeee!!
 
Going to be missing a lot of those guys next year. They deserve to be in the tournament and are great representatives of this school. Feel for Akoh. We could really use him in the dance. Hopefully they can draw a good matchup today.

Those seniors will be missed, but good to have Pridgett, Falls, and Manuel back to provide some battle tested experience next year. If Anderson can put on 20 pounds of muscle and work on his foot work, watch out. Lot's of potential there.
 
Sam A. Blitz said:
Those seniors will be missed, but good to have Pridgett, Falls, and Manuel back to provide some battle tested experience next year. If Anderson can put on 20 pounds of muscle and work on his foot work, watch out. Lot's of potential there.
Click to expand...

Don't forget Dorsey may be back also. I have a hard time thinking he won't get another year BUT THEN it is the NCAA making the decision.
 
Sam A. Blitz said:
Going to be missing a lot of those guys next year. They deserve to be in the tournament and are great representatives of this school. Feel for Akoh. We could really use him in the dance. Hopefully they can draw a good matchup today.

Those seniors will be missed, but good to have Pridgett, Falls, and Manuel back to provide some battle tested experience next year. If Anderson can put on 20 pounds of muscle and work on his foot work, watch out. Lot's of potential there.
Click to expand...

I agree that the seniors on this team will be missed for many reasons, but, if DeCuire remains, as I think he will, next year might be even greater than the previous two. This coach has a talent for recruiting and scheduling (as tough as it is for a Big Sky school). He is also one of the most patient coaches I've seen and that becomes part of his teams "psyche". It is frustrating, as a fan, to see UM fall behind or surrender big leads, but more often than not, the solid play, the patience and the heart they show led to a large number of wins, on the road and in Missoula. I hope the coach stays, because next year, with the new talent and quality people, the Griz will be conference champs and very much a figure on the national scene.
 
GrizLA said:
Sam A. Blitz said:
Going to be missing a lot of those guys next year. They deserve to be in the tournament and are great representatives of this school. Feel for Akoh. We could really use him in the dance. Hopefully they can draw a good matchup today.

Those seniors will be missed, but good to have Pridgett, Falls, and Manuel back to provide some battle tested experience next year. If Anderson can put on 20 pounds of muscle and work on his foot work, watch out. Lot's of potential there.
Click to expand...

I agree that the seniors on this team will be missed for many reasons, but, if DeCuire remains, as I think he will, next year might be even greater than the previous two. This coach has a talent for recruiting and scheduling (as tough as it is for a Big Sky school). He is also one of the most patient coaches I've seen and that becomes part of his teams "psyche". It is frustrating, as a fan, to see UM fall behind or surrender big leads, but more often than not, the solid play, the patience and the heart they show led to a large number of wins, on the road and in Missoula. I hope the coach stays, because next year, with the new talent and quality people, the Griz will be conference champs and very much a figure on the national scene.
Click to expand...

Excellent thread & excellent combo-post, Sam/LA. I agree with the power of coach DeCuire's patience (and I'll add TRUST). Don't know how many times this year a kid's been struggling and coach called a time out to run a play precisely for the very kid who's struggling. THAT happened last night with Bobby (I believe). Mid-point of 2nd half, Bobby had shot 1-5 on treys in the 1st half and 0-1 in the second half. Eastern players were sagging off and Bobby was looking to pass. But then, just a couple of minutes later, nailed a wide-open trey at the top of the key. After his final miss, exactly at the 3:20 mark, time out by coach. The very first set after play resumed was a quick screen and pass from Rorie to a wide-open Bobby on the left wing. The pass was batted back to Rorie, but he zipped it again to a still-open Bobby. He nailed it.Certainly can't prove this, but I believe that's a specific ingredient of coach DeCuire's "psyche-building, trust-building" style... and something the players respect about him. We saw a similar play for Donaven... just after a time out, where he nailed one of his treys from the right corner. Coach demands a lot. He trusts a lot.
 
Terrific posts and analysis. Let me add, GRIZ NATION was clutch!!! Boise was owned by GRIZ NATION. I could tell how the cheering boosted the players. The players reciprocated with hustle, heart, hard play, confidence, and execution!!! Without the fans, the team doesn't have as much to draw from. Centurylink Arena has a new AKA now, "Dahlberg South"!

I am so happy I managed to get down there for the Championship game. I got a total of 8 hours of sleep from 2PM Friday to me currently posting this. I am still running on pure adrenaline!!! Hats off to GRIZ NATION as well. We truly are "family". Speaking of which, will there be "family" GRIZ gear on sale? I loved that addition for the tournament.
 
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