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By Adam Stanco
BasketballWriter@cs.com
7 Secrets to NCAA Tournament
Success: Star Power
In 2005, Chris Rock, while
hosting the Academy Awards, said it best.
“You want Tom Cruise and
all you can get is Jude Law? Wait.”
Nothing compares to a
superstar. Nothing.
Tom Cruise’s talent gave
Goose, Rod Tidwell, and a hooker on a train a part in some of the greatest
moments in movie history. He raised the level of their games. The elite
players in college basketball do the same.
Adam Morrison is the Tom
Cruise of the West Coast Conference. True, Gonzaga’s junior small forward
has more wispy facial hair and over a foot on Cruise, but they are similar
in their star power. Morrison is the most talented scorer in America and
could possibly go first overall in June’s NBA Draft. Pro scouts drool like
fifth grade boys at Hooters as they fill up notebook after notebook
describing his sensational skill set. And, just like Mr. Cruise, Morrison
makes the Zags around him much better. Gonzaga easily won the WCC title and
are ranked in the Top 5 nationally.
Every Championship-winning
team from the past seven seasons featured at least one All-American, who
doubled as a legitimate National Player of the Year candidate. Rashad
McCants (UNC, ’05), Emeka Okafor (UConn, ’04), Carmelo Anthony (Syracuse,
’03), Juan Dixon (Maryland, ’02), Jay Williams (Duke, ’01), Shane Battier
(Duke, ’01), Mateen Cleaves (Michigan State, ’00), Richard Hamilton (UConn,
’99) all led their teams to titles after earning individual accolades during
the regular season.
None of them did it alone,
though.
Almost as important as the
requisite superstar is the second banana. It is very difficult – if not
impossible – for one player to play at a consistently high level for six
straight tourney games. That’s where the sidekicks come in. Every Flavor
Flav needs a Brigitte Nielsen. McCants had Sean May and Raymond Felton,
Okafor had Ben Gordon, Cleaves had Morris Peterson, Hamilton had Khalid El-Amin,
and the list goes on.
This year’s NCAA Tournament
will be no different. It won’t be decided by stars, it will be decided by
their supporting cast.
Secrets For NCAA Tournament
Success:
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Talent
- NBA potential is no joke.
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Post Defense
- The bigger, the better.
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Sharp Shooting
- Simple math: three is better than two.
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Experience
- Who has nerves of steel?
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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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