A win always helps, but that was one of the fun games I have been to in quite a while. Felt like actual college basketball.
Not that I like the Gaels, but man could they move the ball around the perimeter. That was a clinic.
But, big kudos to the Broncos’ D and fighting through screens, timely makes, rebounding and great offensive play of their own. The Gaels missed some critical (and shockingly easy?) buckets, but we had the grit.
Stewarts one-step(?) dunk was unreal. Parlor game: Who are the only Broncos guards that could do that? Answers from my seatmates: Harold Keeling, Lloyd Pierce, maybe Chris Lane?. Any others?
As for the fans…I don’t get to as many games as I would like, but damn, that is the kind of game and win that will bring people in. I had dinner at a local restaurant, and it was half filled with alums who I had not seen attend games in quite a while. Twenty minutes to tip-off, we all headed out the door. If you build it, they will come. But you have to build it first. Twenty-two years of disappointment is going to take a couple of top-3 seasons and wins like this to bring people back. These aren’t just wins for league standing, these are wins that stick in people’s minds. I’ve said before that the league opening (?) loss at USF in 2020 (?..COVID years are running together) after a win-laden pre-season killed fan mojo for the rest of year (COVID aside). This upcoming USF game will be no different. Looking forward to saturday’s tilt!
I hope you are right, Norcal45. I’ve been attending games literally since 3 months after my birth, and if you knew what the crowds were like back in the late 70s/early 80s, you would be embarrassed at the lack of turnout earlier this season. To be fair, your generation has a lot more distractions in life than we had, and the on-court product hasn’t been very good for the couple decades or so, but I tell you, students back then would pack pavilion and go CRAZY, especially when the then perennially-ranked USF came to town. And our players, like Eddie Jo Chavez, Londale Theus, Kurt Rambis, and others would FEED off of the energy generated by that student section. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE rally your classmates to fill Leavey this week!
Noticed the same thing. Thought I had missed something while stepping away for minute during halftime, but then noticed on rewind I didn’t miss a thing. Also, thought play-by-play announcers were biased SMC…
How can paid announcers continually say St Marys when talking about Santa Clara? Yikes… That guy did it 4 or more times. Don’t they get feedback from anyone. They also blathered constantly and did not make observations one half as insightful as those I read here. Thanks to you all for your thoughts on the game. I was at the UNC game, the AZ game, and this game was right up there. We needed an uplift and I hope the momentum builds.
Agree on the announcers, having them working remote doesn’t help matters. Thought Adrian Branch was simply off on some observations…ie- said early in game that it was fast paced when at the time the game was on track for a score in the 50-60’s…the pace did pick up later through the middle of the game. And they went overboard on the SMC missed layups…it was accurate but they didn’t need to keep repeating it like dozen times while overlooking other salient things going on.
Yes, I’m nitpicking here. I am grateful we got some national air time…good timing for the upset win.
Keeling was just before my time but I’ll 2nd the inclusion of Pierce, Lane, Appiah, and Perkins (with emphasis). Maybe Jones as well. Some other additions: Craig Johnson an Niyi Harrison and a more obscure one: …Jason Westphal…JC transfer, played 2000-02, undersized role player off the bench but dude was a leaper.
When the announcers weren’t digressing with the mystery of what “C” stands for…that’s a tough one… they did hype up the game and its importance for the Broncos.
I am glad I survived the 10-point SM run without needing a defibrillator.
Jalen is so centered. I love that he mentioned missing those free throws–always focusing on getting better.
Seeing the guys on the bench jumping through the roof at the end is what I love most. This is a true team. I think the Harvard and Finnish no-shows might have turned out to be a blessing. They might have brought in some crazy self-focused attitudes.
Great point about Jalen’s humility and cool. I loved that his response to the interviewer’s smoke-up-the-a$$ commentary was a slightly self-deprecating (and very self-aware) “I’m mad I missed those free throws” or something to that effect. Made me love him even more. What a great representative of our alma mater. He will play professionally at a high-level, whether in the NBA, or in one of the premier overseas leagues.
Late reply here…but solid comments across the board. Truly a team win! Pipes, JW, Vrankic were terrific, and I think Justice is the glue, coming up with a big shot, rebound, or active hands defensively such as the key interception late in the game…I believe Kuhse was navigating the lane when KJ picked him off. Big Play and one of many from different contributors on the night.
Great win, let’s send another message on Saturday to USF. GO BRONCOS!!