Post by bubbrubbhoya on Nov 13, 2006 19:29:31 GMT -5
A quote by Jon Wallace in the Times (aka Georgetown backing paper) brought to light a positive quality in the Hoyas that shows just how far we've come in the last three years.
Obviously it's nice to hear that we have players who have the talent to step up and that Marc and Jessie are getting better. What struck me more, though, was how the Hoyas are learning how to toughen up in close games. Remember the Esherick Era (shiver)? As hard as it may be to remember, we actually played a lot of games close, and these games always came down to which team had more grit in the final minutes. Almost to a game, Esherick's Hoyas would flop towards the end...heaving threes, turning the ball over, generally sucking due to bad coaching. The new, improved Hoyas know that late game play is paramount. Over the course of the season we'll have bad games (like the Hartford game), but as long as we have confidence in late game play and make the right decisions when it counts, these tight games will come out as W's a lot more often than L's. Pretty comforting to know that the team is ready to win the close ones.
"Both Marc and Jessie came up huge down the stretch," Wallace said. "Big-time players make plays at big-time moments, and that's what both of those guys did. It's a growing process for all of us. We're still adjusting to one another and new roles as a young backcourt. I think those two guys took a big step in the right direction down the stretch today."
Obviously it's nice to hear that we have players who have the talent to step up and that Marc and Jessie are getting better. What struck me more, though, was how the Hoyas are learning how to toughen up in close games. Remember the Esherick Era (shiver)? As hard as it may be to remember, we actually played a lot of games close, and these games always came down to which team had more grit in the final minutes. Almost to a game, Esherick's Hoyas would flop towards the end...heaving threes, turning the ball over, generally sucking due to bad coaching. The new, improved Hoyas know that late game play is paramount. Over the course of the season we'll have bad games (like the Hartford game), but as long as we have confidence in late game play and make the right decisions when it counts, these tight games will come out as W's a lot more often than L's. Pretty comforting to know that the team is ready to win the close ones.
