Your future, our focus
I was planning to make my triumphant return to Wyoming this past Sunday, arriving in Powell fresh off the heels of witnessing history in Hutchinson, Kan.
But Northwest College’s tough loss to Northwest Florida State on Thursday ended its stay in Hutch a couple of days early. On the plus side, though, the premature return from the NJCAA Division I Men’s National Basketball Championship gave me more time to digest what I had witnessed during NWC’s run with the best hoop teams junior college had to offer.
Here are my observations from the national tournament.
ATMOSPHERE WAS JUST RIGHT
It may not have been entirely visible from the online broadcast the NJCAA provided for fans, but the live crowds (at least the size of them) did not disappoint last week. Attendance for the games grew after opening day on March 16, and by Thursday night, a packed Hutchinson Sports Arena watched the Trappers take on Northwest Florida.
Military veterans, families, students, players, coaches and college recruiters filled the stands, and the noise inside the arena was, at times, deafening.
Following both NWC games, Division I recruiters and coaches lined the walls outside of the Trapper locker room, hoping for at least a couple of seconds to plead their case with various players. Standing among the likes of Kansas State’s Bruce Weber and Texas Tech’s Tubby Smith was exciting, but also enlightening. Their presence, along with others, confirmed this national tournament mattered, not only for the young men on the court, but for the future of Division I basketball.
FAN, PLAYER DEMEANOR
When Northwest College sophomores and Canadians Chris Boucher and Nicky Desilien walked off the court following NWC’s loss to Northwest Florida, a large contingent of young fans crowded the sidelines to taunt the two Trappers with chants of “USA! USA!”
It was an unnecessary throwing of salt in fresh wounds, but it was also just sour icing on the cake following more than 40 minutes of obnoxious fandom Thursday evening.
With the bleachers behind both baskets positioned less than 10 feet from the baseline, Northwest Florida’s fan base held nothing back when criticizing Northwest College players and calls made by officials.
At times, it got to be a little much. Harmless moans and groans turned into personal attacks and vulgar language, leaving me to wonder where the line would be drawn.
When I later heard players from the Northwest Florida bench offering up much of the same dialogue spewing from its fan base, I got the impression this was Raider culture. And all this from a team located in a place called Niceville, Fla.
Player conduct during games ultimately falls on their coaches, and the way those coaches allow their players to represent their program reflects that. But when fans, players and even members of the media begin using the word “Dirty” to describe a team’s style of play, it may be time for a cultural overhaul.
And as far as the fans go, I understand buying a ticket comes with the right to cheer and boo whoever and whenever you want. It’s all part of the unique passion associated with sports, and it’s why I love what I do.
But I believe that as a fan, your job is to add to the experience, not detract from it.
OFFICIALS’ LACK OF CONSISTENCY
In the first half of Thursday’s quarterfinal matchup, Northwest Florida practically handed momentum over to Northwest College thanks to 24 personal fouls and two technical fouls.
Northwest Florida attempted to get away with aggressive play, and the officials were having none of it — for 20 minutes.
In the second half, the referees had apparently become more lenient toward the Raiders, calling just eight more fouls on them the rest of the way.
In the first half, Northwest Florida had out-fouled Northwest College 24-8. After the break, NWC was on the wrong side of that battle with 11 fouls.
Perhaps the officiating crew was trying to preserve the quality of the game. Four Raiders (three starters) entered the break with three or four fouls. Had both halves of the game been called identically, it’s likely Northwest Florida would’ve been playing with reserves almost exclusively in the second half.
Instead, questionable calls were prominent, as blocking fouls looked like charges and charges looked like blocking fouls.
NWC head coach Brian Erickson later stated that at the national tournament, officiating consistency needs to be a priority. He’s right.
A team that commits 24 fouls in a half doesn’t suddenly change their entire style of play by 66 percent.
Instead, what it appeared to be was an attempt by officials to keep the game competitive and even the playing field. But making up for fouls called in the first half by ignoring them with the game on the line doesn’t increase the quality of a contest, it destroys it.
Coaches and players should be the ones making halftime adjustments to decide the outcome of a game, not the officials.
HIGH SPIRITS AFTER LOSS
In the hours following their season-ending loss, the Trappers had rediscovered their smiles inside our hotel.
Desilien sat at a table in the lobby, speaking French with his family, laughing and appearing upbeat.
Later, as I sat at the same table and spoke with Boucher, Desilien walked by and let his friend know “You’re still ugly,” causing the two to chuckle before Desilien disappeared.
In the hallway housing most of the Trappers, players and coaches and their families stood with each other, reminiscing about the year’s highlights.
It was impressive to see 20 or so young men refusing to allow disappointment to overshadow a season’s worth of accomplishments and triumphs.
Did the loss to Northwest Florida hurt? Yes, of course it did.
Did it wash away nearly five months of superb basketball, camaraderie, family and success? No, of course not, and it never will.
Erickson has instilled the idea of family into his players, and on Thursday night, following their toughest setback of the year, the Trappers turned to each other — their basketball family — to rise up and move on — together.
I mentioned team culture earlier, and what it looks like when the ideals and values of that culture are misguided.
Erickson’s Northwest College men’s basketball team is a prime example of team culture built correctly.
So, while it was no fun seeing NWC walk away from the national tournament empty-handed, there was solace to be found in the fact the Trappers walked away as they had arrived — together.