Comebacks Rule East Regional
by Ray Floriani
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – It was a weekend of comebacks. The East Regional final was simply an amazing comeback and one of the most exciting finishes in a building which has seen its share.
Semifinals
Geoegetown 66, Vanderbilt 65
North Carolina 74, USC 64
Final
Georgetown 96, North Carolina 84
Georgetown came from ten down with just over seven minutes to play to force overtime. In the extra session, the Hoyas ran off 14 unanswered points and defeated North Carolina 96-84.
It was an incredible shift in momentum. North Carolina built the lead on transition and an uncanny ability to pound the boards. Those who questioned if Tyler Hansbrough disappeared in big games got their answer. The 6’9″ UNC sophomore established himself as a force on the blocks from the opening minutes.
Georgetown had a brief early seven-point lead, but for most of the contest the Hoyas trailed. They stayed close, still that 8 to 10-point lead felt like 18. Carolina was running on all cylinders and appeared in control.
Down the stretch, the Hoyas started limiting the Tar Heels to one shot. The defense tightened up as the offense started to click. A Roy Hibbert dunk with just over 4 minutes left cut the UNC lead to three. While Carolina led on the scoreboard, they were trailing in the momentum area as Georgetown came on strong down the stretch.
Hansbrough made a great move out of a double team to give UNC an 81-78 lead with 1:40 to play. Georgetown equalized it on a huge Jonathan Wallace trey with 30 seconds left.
As time runs down, Carolina gets Wayne Ellington off a screen for a great look beyond the arc. Ellington’s shot rims and is rebounded by Patrick Ewing Jr. with 2 seconds left. After a timeout the Hoyas could not get a decent shot off.
Georgetown scored thirty seconds into overtime and went on to score virtually every possession. On the other end North Carolina misfired, and those good looks that went down earlier in the contest missed. Georgetown no longer gave second chances, as the Heels were one and done on their OT possessions. The Hoyas ran off 14 straight points as their cheering section exploded with joy. Ty Lawson hit a three with just under ten seconds left for Carolina’s only points in the extra session. Georgetown is headed to Atlanta.
The Hoya season almost had an abrupt ending on Friday night as well. Seconds remained with Georgetown in possession trailing by one to a solid Vanderbilt club. During a timeout, Thompson called for two cutters going to the high post with a back door to be run off the cutters. “I told Jeff (Green) if he gets it and can’t find Patrick (Ewing Jr.), just take it himself.”
Green got the ball, saw Ewing covered and made a spin move to the basket. “I was double-teamed and just went up high and sent it off the glass,” Green said. Vanderbilt wanted a traveling violation. The only thing it got was a trip home as Green’s shot kissed the backboard before falling through.
In the other semifinal on Friday, North Carolina trailed USC by nine at the half. USC got out strong early in the second half and built a 16-point lead with just over 17 minutes remaining.
But the Tar Heels never panicked and started to chip away. Six minutes later that deficit was down to a manageable 10. The Heels then went on an 18-0 run that basically sealed the deal. Taj Gibson, the Trojans’ inside presence, sat on the bench with four fouls during the Carolina run. His absence was not the entire story, as Tim Floyd’s club rushed shots and took ill-advised attempts early in several possessions when they still had a double-digit lead.
Notes
- The on-court celebration was mixed with elation and nostalgia. Georgetown students who were not even born when the Hoyas last went to the final Four (1985) reveled in seeing Patrick Ewing Sr. and John Thompson on the floor as part of the post game festivities.
- Georgetown was thrilled but players and coach maintained an even keel. They realized the magnitude of what they accomplished and realize it’s back to work to prepare for Ohio State. Coach John Thompson III said that at halftime (when they were down 50-44) they just discussed stopping transition and hitting the boards harder. The offense, they felt, would take care of itself, and it did.
“At the half we just talked about limiting their transition and stopping their second shots,” Thompson said. “We felt we could eventually get what we wanted offensively; we just had to stop them.”
Georgetown had an uncanny ability to play with a double-digit deficit, never lose poise and continue to execute their offense. “It’s something we have been doing that all year,” Thompson said. - As much as his dad is an influence, so is Thompson’s college coach, Pete Carril. “There is hardly a situation that goes on in a game where I don’t think of something he (Carril) said,” Thompson noted. “He is like a basketball conscience to me.”
- Hansbrough scored a game-high 26 points with 11 boards in the finals. Jeff Green led Georgetown with 22 points, 9 rebounds and was selected as the Most Outstanding Player. Green did not score until 6 and change were left in the first half. He never forced the issue and let the game come to him – a true sign of greatness.
- North Carolina coach Roy Williams talked about the Georgetown of old contrasted with today. “”It was a different style of play when big John was coaching,” Williams said. “Coach Thompson, his size, his mannerisms, his person – he was able to intimidate people. I love him to dearth but he could probably intimidate me. Young John is not his dad and coaches the way that is best for him.”
Williams feels these Hoyas still have that toughness of old. “Toughness is being down ten and doing what your coach wants you to do. Toughness is being Wallace and hitting that shot.” - John Thompson Jr. spoke with pride and joy over his son’s achievement. “Getting to the Final Four is tough,” the former coach said. “People think once you have been there you will get back. Getting back is tough, but just getting there is extremely difficult. There were 16 ‘Final Four teams’. North Carolina was a Final Four, Southern Illinois was a Final Four. The only thing that kept these teams out is a bad bounce here or missed shot there. Any of these teams could have gone to the Final Four. Any one in coaching understands that.”
Thompson also added, “when you are in a position (coaching a tough game) you can handle it. But when your child is in that position it affects you more.” - It is with great sadness we report the death of Jason Ray. The North Carolina mascot, Ray was hit by an SUV near his hotel in Fort Lee, NJ on Friday afternoon and was listed in critical condition later that day. A press release was given to the media during the UNC-USC contest. The Carolina cheerleaders found out after the game and were distraught with grief. UNC coach Roy Williams led his post game press conference on Friday evening talking about Ray and how this tragedy just brings us back to what is truly important.
On Sunday afternoon one of the Carolina cheerleaders reported Ray’s condition stayed the same. “Thankfully,” she said, “it hasn’t gotten worse.” Not long after that it did, as he wound upon life support. On Monday morning Jason Ray died.
Our prayers and sympathy go out to Jason Ray’s family and that of the entire University of North Carolina.
Final Quick Hitters
- With all of Georgetown’s weapons, Roy Williams raved about Jessie Sapp. The 6’3 sophomore had a solid 15-point, 4-rebound, 8-assist showing against the Tar Heels.
- One had to love Vanderbilt’s outstanding ball movement, poise and ability to putt a dagger on your defense from the perimeter. Seeing SEC Player of the Year Derrick Byars (17 pts) versus Georgetown was a pleasure to watch.
- Kevin Stallings may whine a bit to officials, but does a truly outstanding job on the Vandy sidelines.
- An NCAA violation? Yours truly is a coffee fiend. When I walked out to the arena with my coffee in a generic cup I was informed by an usher all beverages must be in an NCAA cup. No lie. You can’t make this up.
- USC was a good “banger” away from playing on Sunday. Wait until OJ Mayo arrives. UCLA, rightfully so, gets the headlines in LA, but Tim Floyd is doing a nice job building something special.
- Sapp on Thompson Jr.: “The dude is a legend, we love having him and are honored he stops by our practices.”
- The Notre Dame fight song is storied. It’s difficult not to get the pulse racing hearing the USC band play their classic. Maybe the Song Girls help a little too.
On the Baseline
- Proof that academics rule at Vanderbilt: the cheer team flew to New York the day of the semis. “With the first two rounds in Sacramento, the school felt we missed too much class time,” said cheer coach Pam Pearson.
- USC brought the Song Girls and Spirit Leaders. They spent some time sightseeing in New York, with Little Italy and SoHo being big stops, thanks to senior Nicole Schneider who hails from Merrick, NY. Spirit Leader Elyse Avila of Orange County, Cal. was amazed how you could get around New York, as opposed to LA, without a car.
- For Song Girl Sara Escalante from Newport Beach, Calif., who finds performing in front of 70,000 football crowds, “easy and fun”, the choice of cities was a tossup. “New York, LA, I love them both.”
