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By Adam Stanco
BasketballWriter@cs.com
NCAA Tournament Manifesto:
Sharp-Shooting
Saturday, October 25, 1986.
My
brother Randy and I were praying side-by-side on the edge of my parent’s
bed. Before we knew anything about the Mets’ adoration of cocaine and long
before Steve Sanders taught us steroids and athletes don’t mix, we were
fascinated by this team of brazen ballplayers. They just seemed so much more
interesting than the Red Sox. Of course, we were children of New Yorkers and
living in a suburb of Boston at the time. Regardless of why we liked the
Mets better than the Sox, we felt nauseous as we nervously bounced on the
mattress transfixed on the sixth game of the 1986 World Series. Boston was
one out away from making our bus trip into school the following Monday
nothing short of hellish.
And
then… a clutch hit.
And
another one.
And
another one.
In the
midst of our exuberance, a Mookie Wilson grounder softly bounced through
Billy Buckner’s legs, giving the Mets one more game. A game they would cash
in for a World Series ring. Monday’s bus ride was hellish alright, but only
for everyone else.
What
does the story of the ’86 Mets have to do with the NCAA Tournament? Well,
the three point shot during tourney games is very similar to clutch hitting
on baseball’s biggest stage. After two or three in a row, the same numbing
effect engulfs the opposition. It is a tranquilizer and an even greater
equalizer. After all, two threes from sub-six footers are worth the same as
three dunks from seven-footers.
During
the first couple rounds of the Tournament, the talent gap between opponents
can be as wide as the drawstring on Star Jones’ sweatpants and, thus, the
three point shot takes on extra importance. David toppled Goliath with a
sling-shot; the mid-majors utilize the deep jumper.
The
trifecta almost always plays a major role whenever an underdog pulls an
unexpected upset and not always from the accuracy of the little guy. Often
the reverse is true. In the 2005 field of 65, every significant early round
shocker occurred because the favorite failed to make the three.
Alabama (9-for-23, .391) lost to Wisconsin-Milwaukee (12-21, .571), LSU
(6-for-39, .194) lost to UAB (7-for-16, .438), Kansas (1-for-11, .091) lost
to Bucknell (8-for-31, .258), and Syracuse (3-for-12, .250) lost to Vermont
(7-for-21, .333). All of those favorites combined to shoot just 19-for-85
(.224).
Three
point shooting stretches zones and forces opposing coaches to craft junk
defenses. If Jimmy Chitwood taught us anything, it is that outside shooting
can be a tournament difference maker.
Tremendous three-point shooting is not a necessity during a team’s journey
towards the Final Four, but battling a squad on a scorching streak can
surely be a road block in getting there. In fact, a team’s failure to defend
the three will make their bus ride back to campus quite… hellish.
Secrets For NCAA Tournament
Success:
-
Talent
- NBA potential is no joke.
-
Post Defense
- The bigger, the better.
-
Sharp Shooting
- Simple math: three is better than two.
-
Experience
- Who has nerves of steel?
-
Star Power
- Winning is the All-American way.
-
Guard Play
- Little guys point the way.
-
X-Factor
- Fear of the unknown.
The March Manifesto is the secret
to filling out your NCAA Tournament bracket.
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