Final Score:Wake Forest 77 Gonzaga 75
Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Matt Bouldin 22 Points
Rebounder: Manny Arop/Robert Sacre 9 Boards
Passer: Matt Bouldin 5 Assists
Swatter: Robert Sacre 2 Blocks
Thief: Demetri Goodson 2 Steals
Game MVP: Matt Bouldin
22 Points, 5 Assists, 4 Boards, and a Steal
Team Comparison: Zags/Demon Deacons
Points: 75/77
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 1.30/1.20
Rebounds: 31/39
Shooting Percentage: 45%/38%
3pt Percentage: 44%/53%
What it means for the future (Analysis):
We Lost? Seriously? If you had asked me whether we would lose when we were up by 9 with 6 minutes left in the first half, i would have laughed in your face. We were rolling, Wake was reeling. So what happened? First of all, the Officiating stunk. They altered the game by ejecting one of our most high energy players in Elias Harris on a tough foul that in my opinion was nothing more than a young Zag player boxing out and a Wake Senior using his ability to act and flop. Not only did they remove Harris, they gave Wake 5 foul shots and totally killed any momentum and confidence the Zags had at that time. It was as if the Zags were a Cancer patient who were getting healthy only to find out half way through their battle that they were riddled with tumors again.
The Poison sets in, the Zags go down by 1 at the half, Mark Few goes in the locker room to try and get the team back on track. 8 minutes into the second half the Demon Deacons are up by 14. Looking to spark an anemic offense, Few does the unthinkable he subs in Bol Kong and tells him to let it fly. Kong does just that sinking 4 three points in about 5 minutes and suddenly its a ballgame again. This ignites the Zags and gives them some confidence again.
We are now 1 minute from the end, the Zags are down by 3, Steven Gray throws up a prayer from outside and hes FOULED! can you believe it, could it be that the Zags will come back and win after being down by double digits again? Gray goes to the line and hits the first foul shot. 74-76...Gray steps up and rattles out, every Zag fan across the nation feels that sinking feeling in their heart they have come to know all too well. The emotional heartbreak of another crushing defeat. Gray then misses the second. Its now less than a minute left, the Zags down by 2, and all we can do is foul. Wake goes down to ice it by going up 2 possessions, but no! they Miss!, 74-77. Matt Bouldin races up the court and is smartly fouled by the Deacons. He hits his first free throw and makes it a 2 point game again 75-77...On his second shot, knowing there are only 3 seconds left in regulation, he puts his cape back on and does what superheroes do, he Throws the ball against the backboard hoping to catch some rim and leaps into the lane trying all his might to pull in the rebound and hit a shot, HE MAKES IT! I feel happiness that i cannot describe! and then the Officials do it again, they take it all away, call a lane violation because the ball never hits the rim and like that its Wake ball up by 2 with 3 seconds left on the clock, GAME OVER...
This game taught me something, it taught me that despite all the youth on this roster and all the adversity of the Elias Harris incident this team has resiliency. This team has that special moxie that a screen writer couldnt pen for a blockbuster movie. This team has leadership in all the right places, an Inside/Outside game that is the best in the West. At the end of the day, this game teaches this team that it can be something special. We will make a run for our first Final Four this year, mark my words.
No comments:
Post a Comment