At approximately 11:32 last Saturday night, campus let out a collective sigh of grief. Profanities were uttered. Expectations were shattered. 2-point conversions were yards too short.
But something else happened that night. Maybe it was the preseason rankings article that caught my eye on ESPN, or perhaps it was my distressed emotional state and need for some sort of redemption from Clemson. Either way, thoughts of Notre Dame Basketball snuck their way into my mind.
And suddenly, things started to look a little brighter.
Now this isn’t to say “just wait ‘til basketball season” and throw in the towel as soon as our football boys have a less-than-perfect record. I’m not exchanging pigskin for Spalding, nor jumping on and off bandwagons. I’m just entertaining the realization that we, Notre Dame, are now a basketball school. For the first time in a while, winter weeknights at Purcell Pavilion are something to look forward to.
Under the unfaltering leadership of head coach Mike Brey and senior guard Jerian Grant, last season marked our best performance on the court since 1979. It boasted a 32-6 record, an ACC championship banner, and a deep NCAA tournament run that just narrowly ended in the Elite Eight. We sold out games, hung with the big dogs, and surprised the nation.
Guys, we beat Duke. Twice. And we were one basket away from conquering the unbeatable Kentucky. As a cohesive group that shot 51 percent from the field and often seemed more like a family than a sports team, our boys established their long-overdue place in the ranks of the basketball elite.
With our first exhibition game against St. Francis looming on October 30, it’s time to keep the basketball rolling and show that we’re not quite done yet.
Tried-and-true talent
A calmer preseason schedule will make way for a brutal road through the ACC Conference, stacked with national title contenders like Virginia and reigning NCAA champ Duke. Although Notre Dame’s loss of superstar seniors (and NBA draftees) Grant and Connaughton will show, the returning talent of junior point guard Demetrius Jackson will help lessen the blow and keep things under control. Furthermore, high-energy forward Zach Auguste brings a trifecta of senior leadership, rebounding finesse, and sharp shooting.
Other returners include junior guard Steve Vasturia, who shoots 41 percent from the arc, and sophomore forward Bonzie Colson, who is quietly emerging as a strong player and potential powerhouse. Junior forward V.J. Beachem contributes a little bit of everything, including similar 3-point numbers, and will be an even more essential factor as a potential starter.
Fresh faces
Start the “freshmen” chants, and keep your eye on the three ESPN 4-star recruits that the Irish have penciled in on this year’s roster. Hailing from Santa Ana, California, guard Rex Pflueger will add athleticism and a hoops maturity well beyond his freshman status… and his high school dunk videos will give you chills. Those hops, though.
Freshman forward Matt Ryan, named New York’s “Mr. Basketball,” has also been called a “fourth quarter shooter” and could be a valuable asset when the game gets down to the wire. Finally, forward Elijah Burns, who stands at 6’9” and averaged 9 rebounds for his high school team, may be capable of some damage as well. These guys may be young, but they’re coming in with a passion to play and a passion to play here.
So ladies and gentlemen, basketball season is upon us. Before we know it, the sweet symphony of bouncing basketballs and the satisfying squeak of shoes on hardwood will be filling our ears.
We’ll be losing our voices and dreaming of brackets with “Notre Dame” scribbled into that coveted champion slot. We’ll be scoring our *free* student tickets. We’ll be up and we’ll be down. We’ll be overjoyed and — every now and then — we’ll be disappointed. But above all, we’ll be hopeful.
I predict impressive things to come from Irish basketball this year. We got a taste of what winning feels like, and we’re all ravenous for more. It might be ambitious to suggest, but another ACC tournament championship banner would look pretty nice hanging from the rafters (you heard it here first, folks).
Because, hey, we’re a basketball school. Remember?
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