Front Office Football Central - View Single Post - Coach Graham Sims: A Pennsylvania Story (FBCB)

MoonlightGraham · 01-07-2024, 11:13 AM

March 17, 2030
Nine of the 16 Big East teams earn spots in the NCAA tournament field. We're awarded the #1 seed in the East Region. If we defeat the winner of a play-in game, we might face 8-seed Lafayette in the second round. The Leopards suffered a shocking loss in the Patriot League tournament semifinal, which paved the way for American to earn the league's automatic bid and gave the tournament committee the chance to select three Patriot League teams--Duquesne is the third.

March 22, 2030
NCAA East Region, First Round
(1) #1 Villanova 98, (16) Mercer 48
There's no Cinderella story for the Bears, who earned their bid with an upset victory in the Atlantic Sun tournament.

Corey Hicks enjoys a perfect shooting performance, hitting all 8 of his field goal attempts--4 from three-point range--and all 3 free throw attempts, good for 23 points. Blake Norton and Tony Ezell contribute 15 points each, and a healthy Avery Sullivan notches a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double with 4 blocked shots.

Mercer's senior center, Andrew DeRosier, battles Sullivan all night long, and finishes with 15 points and 10 boards of his own in his final collegiate game.

Lafayette defeats St. Bonaventure, so our next game will be a Graham Sims derby.
Record: 32-2.

March 24, 2030
NCAA East Region, Second Round

Code:

(8) #15 Lafayette 78, (1) #1 Villanova 74

--------------------------------------------------------
Lafayette  (25-8, 11-3):
Player            Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts
Brian Quirk       C    22   2-4   2-2   1   4   1  3   6
David Bowen       PF   30  6-13   4-6   0   8   1  1  16
Mike Wong         SF   24  3-11   1-2   1   4   2  3   8
Tod Quiroz        SG   37  5-10   5-6   1   3   7  3  19
Garth Hartsfield  PG   34   1-5   4-5   0   1   4  2   6
Kevin Wells       SF   14   5-9   1-3   1   3   2  2  13
E. O'Reilly       C    17   2-5   2-3   2   3   0  3   6
Joshua Dent       PF   13   2-2   0-0   2   4   1  2   4
Tracey Burger     PG    7   0-0   0-2   1   3   0  0   0
Paul Helms        SG    1   0-0   0-0   0   0   0  0   0

Turnovers: 7 (B.Quirk 1, D.Bowen 1, T.Quiroz 3, 
 G.Hartsfield 1, T.Burger 1)
Blocked Shots: 4 (B.Quirk 2, D.Bowen 1, J.Dent 1)
Steals: 5 (M.Wong 2, T.Quiroz 3)
3P FGs: 7-16 (M.Wong 1-3, T.Quiroz 4-6, G.Hartsfield 
 0-2, K.Wells 2-4, E.O'Reilly 0-1)

Villanova  (32-3, 16-2):
Player            Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts
Avery Sullivan    C    33  8-12  7-12   4  14   1  4  23
Lowell Welter     PF   32  3-10   4-5   4   6   1  3  10
Asher Wise        SF   27   0-6   0-0   0   3   2  5   0
Corey Hicks       SG   34  5-11   2-3   4   8   3  2  14
Blake Norton      PG   27   4-9   0-0   1   4   5  5  11
Tony Ezell        SF   19   3-6   2-3   1   6   0  0   8
Justice Stafford  PG   20   2-5   0-0   1   1   1  0   6
Clemens Schwaiger C     5   0-0   2-2   0   3   1  2   2
Kris DeMello      PF    1   0-0   0-0   0   0   0  0   0
Peter Segal       SG    2   0-1   0-0   0   0   0  1   0

Turnovers: 13 (A.Sullivan 1, L.Welter 1, C.Hicks 6, 
 B.Norton 2, T.Ezell 2, J.Stafford 1)
Blocked Shots: 3 (A.Sullivan 1, L.Welter 1, K.DeMello 1)
Steals: 4 (A.Sullivan 1, B.Norton 3)
3P FGs: 7-22 (L.Welter 0-2, A.Wise 0-4, C.Hicks 2-5, 
 B.Norton 3-5, T.Ezell 0-1, J.Stafford 2-4, P.Segal 0-1)

Player of Game: SG Tod Quiroz (LFYTE)

Reporters who hope Graham Sims will give them click bait headlines are sorely disappointed in the aftermath of his Villanova team's defeat at the hands of the Lafayette program he headed for 15 years.

"I don't have to tell you it hurts to lose," he says, as he sips from a bottle of water. "It always does. But I'd be lying if I said I'm not close to some of the people in their locker room. I recruited three of those players.* I worked closely with some of their support staff. I didn't stop caring about them the day I came to Villanova, and they know that."

Coach Sims takes another sip. The reporters don't interrupt with questions, giving a coach with over 500 career victories the respect he's earned. "Lafayette is a very good team. They've got five-star players, high school All-Americans. They could compete in the Big East. Douglas Richburg is a very good coach. Don't forget, I've coached against him for what? 10 years now. He was at Bucknell when I was at Lafayette. They gave us a very good game when we played them in December. This result isn't 'shocking.' It's two good basketball teams playing with the desire they should play with in the NCAA tournament.

"Of course I hope Avery stays another year. We'd absolutely love to have him. But he might be the top pick in the draft. He'd be foolish not to consider his options."

Graham smiles when a reporter asks him if he'll be rooting for Lafayette to win the tournament. "Of course I will. Isn't it always better to say that it took the eventual champion to knock you out of the tournament? Seriously, though. Like I said, I've got people I care about very much at Lafayette. If we can't win it...

"Coach Richbourg is my friend, and our families are friends. I wish him and his team the best of luck the rest of the way."

Chloe Ellis, a third-year student at Lafayette, is a big basketball fan. "It's fantastic to beat Villanova, but it's not better because Coach Sims is there now. Most of us realize Coach Sims built the Lafayette program. Could another coach have done it? Maybe so, but he's the one who did it.

"There are a few idiots who call him a 'traitor' and talk a lot of trash, but most of us have nothing but respect for Coach Sims. He's always classy when he talks about Lafayette, and he acts classy when we play him. We're proud of the fact he got his start here, and we're proud of what he accomplished here.

"It's part of our history."
Record: 32-3.

*The three players we signed for Lafayette are senior Tod Quiroz and redshirt juniors David Bowen and Mike Wong.

01-07-2024, 11:13 AM	#462
MoonlightGraham High School Varsity Join Date: Sep 2022	March 17, 2030 Nine of the 16 Big East teams earn spots in the NCAA tournament field. We're awarded the #1 seed in the East Region. If we defeat the winner of a play-in game, we might face 8-seed Lafayette in the second round. The Leopards suffered a shocking loss in the Patriot League tournament semifinal, which paved the way for American to earn the league's automatic bid and gave the tournament committee the chance to select three Patriot League teams--Duquesne is the third. March 22, 2030 NCAA East Region, First Round (1) #1 Villanova 98, (16) Mercer 48 There's no Cinderella story for the Bears, who earned their bid with an upset victory in the Atlantic Sun tournament. Corey Hicks enjoys a perfect shooting performance, hitting all 8 of his field goal attempts--4 from three-point range--and all 3 free throw attempts, good for 23 points. Blake Norton and Tony Ezell contribute 15 points each, and a healthy Avery Sullivan notches a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double with 4 blocked shots. Mercer's senior center, Andrew DeRosier, battles Sullivan all night long, and finishes with 15 points and 10 boards of his own in his final collegiate game. Lafayette defeats St. Bonaventure, so our next game will be a Graham Sims derby. Record: 32-2. March 24, 2030 NCAA East Region, Second Round Code: (8) #15 Lafayette 78, (1) #1 Villanova 74 -------------------------------------------------------- Lafayette (25-8, 11-3): Player Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts Brian Quirk C 22 2-4 2-2 1 4 1 3 6 David Bowen PF 30 6-13 4-6 0 8 1 1 16 Mike Wong SF 24 3-11 1-2 1 4 2 3 8 Tod Quiroz SG 37 5-10 5-6 1 3 7 3 19 Garth Hartsfield PG 34 1-5 4-5 0 1 4 2 6 Kevin Wells SF 14 5-9 1-3 1 3 2 2 13 E. O'Reilly C 17 2-5 2-3 2 3 0 3 6 Joshua Dent PF 13 2-2 0-0 2 4 1 2 4 Tracey Burger PG 7 0-0 0-2 1 3 0 0 0 Paul Helms SG 1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 Turnovers: 7 (B.Quirk 1, D.Bowen 1, T.Quiroz 3, G.Hartsfield 1, T.Burger 1) Blocked Shots: 4 (B.Quirk 2, D.Bowen 1, J.Dent 1) Steals: 5 (M.Wong 2, T.Quiroz 3) 3P FGs: 7-16 (M.Wong 1-3, T.Quiroz 4-6, G.Hartsfield 0-2, K.Wells 2-4, E.O'Reilly 0-1) Villanova (32-3, 16-2): Player Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts Avery Sullivan C 33 8-12 7-12 4 14 1 4 23 Lowell Welter PF 32 3-10 4-5 4 6 1 3 10 Asher Wise SF 27 0-6 0-0 0 3 2 5 0 Corey Hicks SG 34 5-11 2-3 4 8 3 2 14 Blake Norton PG 27 4-9 0-0 1 4 5 5 11 Tony Ezell SF 19 3-6 2-3 1 6 0 0 8 Justice Stafford PG 20 2-5 0-0 1 1 1 0 6 Clemens Schwaiger C 5 0-0 2-2 0 3 1 2 2 Kris DeMello PF 1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 Peter Segal SG 2 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 Turnovers: 13 (A.Sullivan 1, L.Welter 1, C.Hicks 6, B.Norton 2, T.Ezell 2, J.Stafford 1) Blocked Shots: 3 (A.Sullivan 1, L.Welter 1, K.DeMello 1) Steals: 4 (A.Sullivan 1, B.Norton 3) 3P FGs: 7-22 (L.Welter 0-2, A.Wise 0-4, C.Hicks 2-5, B.Norton 3-5, T.Ezell 0-1, J.Stafford 2-4, P.Segal 0-1) Player of Game: SG Tod Quiroz (LFYTE) Reporters who hope Graham Sims will give them click bait headlines are sorely disappointed in the aftermath of his Villanova team's defeat at the hands of the Lafayette program he headed for 15 years. "I don't have to tell you it hurts to lose," he says, as he sips from a bottle of water. "It always does. But I'd be lying if I said I'm not close to some of the people in their locker room. I recruited three of those players.* I worked closely with some of their support staff. I didn't stop caring about them the day I came to Villanova, and they know that." Coach Sims takes another sip. The reporters don't interrupt with questions, giving a coach with over 500 career victories the respect he's earned. "Lafayette is a very good team. They've got five-star players, high school All-Americans. They could compete in the Big East. Douglas Richburg is a very good coach. Don't forget, I've coached against him for what? 10 years now. He was at Bucknell when I was at Lafayette. They gave us a very good game when we played them in December. This result isn't 'shocking.' It's two good basketball teams playing with the desire they should play with in the NCAA tournament. "Of course I hope Avery stays another year. We'd absolutely love to have him. But he might be the top pick in the draft. He'd be foolish not to consider his options." Graham smiles when a reporter asks him if he'll be rooting for Lafayette to win the tournament. "Of course I will. Isn't it always better to say that it took the eventual champion to knock you out of the tournament? Seriously, though. Like I said, I've got people I care about very much at Lafayette. If we can't win it... "Coach Richbourg is my friend, and our families are friends. I wish him and his team the best of luck the rest of the way." Chloe Ellis, a third-year student at Lafayette, is a big basketball fan. "It's fantastic to beat Villanova, but it's not better because Coach Sims is there now. Most of us realize Coach Sims built the Lafayette program. Could another coach have done it? Maybe so, but he's the one who did it. "There are a few idiots who call him a 'traitor' and talk a lot of trash, but most of us have nothing but respect for Coach Sims. He's always classy when he talks about Lafayette, and he acts classy when we play him. We're proud of the fact he got his start here, and we're proud of what he accomplished here. "It's part of our history." Record: 32-3. The three players we signed for Lafayette are senior Tod Quiroz* and redshirt juniors David Bowen and Mike Wong. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 01-07-2024 at 11:15 AM.