What makes for an instant classic? An underdog, a powerhouse, a near collapse, and for that matter why not just add in overtime. Well, this game had everything, in fact, in the eyes of Coach Moon it could easily be one of the ugliest games he's been on the sideline for, but this game could easily be in the 2011 vault of Top Ten games, even the best.
"Now that it's over, I can look back on it and say I was involved in something special. But during it? It was nothing but h*ll."
-SG Will Capel (UCA)
After coming off an what many considered an iffy win the Bears needed to step up their game. If they didn't, the suddenly red hot Roadrunners could easily kill their NCAA tournament aspirations instantly. And for most of the game, that seemed like the case.
"We couldn't shoot, we couldn't pass. I don't know who's crowned us champs already but they better knock it off. San Antonio might not be as household as Arizona State and UCLA, but they'll eat us up just the same if we let them."
-Coach Nicholas Moon (UCA)
In fact, as surprising as it may sound, the Bears never held a lead, that's right, never. Mr. consistent Elgrace Randle was sporadic and all over the place, ending the night going 5-14 from the floor along with a career worst of eight turnovers. Big man Duncan Shimokawa also was a no show for the entire first half, ending it with a shocking six points. The second half was much the same, in fact, it was worse. Without singling out Randle and Shimokawa only Raimondas Feeney looked respectable for the Bears starting line up knocking down threes every time you turned around. But Feeney couldn't do it all, and trailing by 13 with only four minutes to go Coach Moon made the riskiest decision he could've made.
"I played the second line, we had nothing to lose."
-Coach Nicholas Moon (UCA)
Out comes star point guard Randle and his band of sophomore stars, in comes oft-forgotten about Oswaldo Hairston and Marcus Pillow, flanked by this year's freshman. It was a risk, a bold risk, a possible season-ending risk, but most importantly, a season-saving risk.
Hairston was sensational. freshman small forward Paulius Riggs was lights out, and four beautiful assists to freshman big man Mustafa Holcomb and the Bears were headed to overtime. the scoreboard read 72 all, the UCA Bears had another chance.
"It was nice to contribute. I won't lie and say it felt easy, I was starstruck, the arena felt suffocating. But I played inside myself and was able to find my shot."
-SF Paulius Riggs (UCA)
But the Roadrunners were hungry, and they once again busted open a lead on the Bears. Lucky for them Shimokawa came alive, and Randle started to hit his shot now and again, neither team would budge. Overtime ran it's course like any game, but with one exception, it never seemed to end and it all looked the same. The Roadrunners would strike first, and the Bears would claw back into it by the skin of their teeth, through two,three, even four more overtimes. That's right, this Southland semifinal went FIVE overtimes, and not without it's dramatics. Harding Samabaly blocked a shot at the free throw line as time expired in the third overtime. While on the other end Shimokawa stole an inbounds pass with four seconds remaining only to be blocked by the Roadrunners last line of defense, the rim. But the ball had to bounce one way, someone had to eventually give. And the fifth finally finally ended it.
Both teams were hungry now, the Bears were firing on all cylinders with a few mistakes holding them from earning a victory and saving face; all the while the Roadrunners just had to shore up their defense and prevent another comeback. But like every other period of this game things looked exactly the same, UTSA jumped out to a lead and the Bears were stuck playing catch up. Well, what changed? Look no further than captain Elgrace Randle. Along with possibly one of his worst career stat lines ever there was a silver lining, seven steals. Of those seven, he pulled off three on consecutive possessions.
"Those steals were huge, up until that point I've never felt like such a burden to my team. I just didn't have it tonight. But luckily the team had my back and I was able to step up and contribute where I could.
-PG Elgrace Randle (UCA)
For the first time all game, with 2:38 on the clock the Bears had taken a lead, their first of the entire game.
"It's crazy to think we nearly went seven whole periods of basketball and trailed the whole time. Sure we definitely didn't play our best ball. But the boys didn't quit, I was really happy with their effort all the way to the very end.
-Coach Nicholas Moon (UCA)
Finally thanks to Randle's big steals the Bears had earned a lead, and the Roadrunners just were not ready to take on the comeback role. They fought admirably, but everytime they thought they could claw back into it Feeney would drop another dagger from behind the arc, and eventually the Roadrunners were beaten, a win they knew had slipped through their fingers one too many times.
06-21-2012, 11:45 PM
