LOS ANGELES — Alabama basketball made historical past on Saturday night time, defeating Clemson within the Elite Eight and advancing to this system’s first-ever Closing 4.
Listed here are my ideas and observations from a wild and historic sport:
1. Mark Sears turns into an Alabama, and March, legend.
Mark Sears has already had a historic season for Alabama. He averaged over 20 factors per sport, the primary time an Alabama participant has executed so in a long time, was named first group All-SEC, and was picked as excessive as a second group All-American.
However what Sears did in opposition to Clemson within the Elite Eight was the stuff of legends, not simply in Alabama historical past, however in NCAA Match historical past.
To place it bluntly, Sears was not good within the first half. He scored simply 5 factors on 2-for-11 taking pictures, and with him having the off-night it appeared he was having, it felt like a miracle that Alabama held a 3-point halftime lead.
However one thing modified at halftime. Sears got here out blistering within the second half, and utterly put the group on his again. He answered Clemson bucket after Clemson bucket, conserving the group at arm’s size and conserving the gang at bay all through regardless of the depth of the sport.
And when the lights obtained brighter and the second obtained greater, he stored delivering, together with a stepback three with about 75 seconds left on the clock to increase Alabama’s lead from 4 factors to seven.
He made his first 5 3-point makes an attempt of the second half, scored 18 for the half, and totaled 23 for the sport. He stored taking pictures after his gradual begin, and in the end led Alabama to the promised land, cementing himself as one of many biggest gamers at school historical past.
The child from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, who got here again to play for his house state group, stepped up on the most important stage, and can ceaselessly be a legend for it.
2. Jarin Stevenson had a breakout efficiency.
Freshman ahead Jarin Stevenson has had an up-and-down first collegiate season. He reclassified over the summer time and joined the group as a highly-touted 4- or 5-star recruit relying on the recruiting service you take a look at, however it was clear that he was a uncooked expertise that wanted creating.
He wasn’t very playable in a whole lot of Alabama’s early-season video games, primarily resulting from his lack of physicailty and wanted phyisical growth. However he obtained an increasing number of comfy because the season went on.
Alabama performed in opposition to Stevenson’s hometown group final spherical, and usually, you’d suppose to observe for him to have a giant sport. However he did not. He performed his function, however wasn’t spectacular.
However Alabama wanted somebody to step up in opposition to Clemson. Nothing was going offensively early, and that included Mark Sears. The group was 1-for-11 from deep to begin the sport, and wanted a spark. So Stevenson went again to the identical lefthand nook of the ground the place he had simply airballed a 3, and pulled one other. And it was money.
That three opened the floodgates for Alabama from past the arc, ending 15-for-25 after beginning 1-for-11. Stevenson was an enormous a part of that, taking pictures 5-for-8 from deep for the sport.
Stevenson completed the sport with a career-high 19 factors on 7-of-11 taking pictures from the ground, and gave everybody a glimpse of what he has the potential to be. He appeared night-and-day totally different defending the put up in comparison with the primary matchup with Clemson, and had the arrogance to match Clemson shot-for-shot within the second half because the Tigers tried to make a comeback.
Often on Saturdays in March, 18-year-olds are going to promenade, not scoring 19 within the Elite Eight.
3. Nate Oats obtained this program over the hump.
Alabama goes to the Closing 4.
These phrases as soon as appeared not possible to fathom. Particularly within the decade-plus earlier than Nate Oats arrived, when Alabama was a frequent on ‘First 4 Our’ lists in late-February, and accustomed to NIT logos on the Coleman Coliseum ground in early March.
Even as soon as Oats obtained to Tuscaloosa and began having unbelievable success, profitable two SEC common season titles, two SEC Match championships, and making the Candy 16 twice in three years, the Candy 16 curse nonetheless loomed giant over this program.
Alabama nonetheless had a cap on its March success. The one Elite Eight run was in 2004, a group that was an 8-seed. The Crimson Tide had a 1-9 document within the Candy 16, by far the worst of any group with that many second weekend appearanced.
However Oats discovered a approach. He broke by way of, and obtained this program to the Closing 4. He is taken Alabama basketball to heights by no means thought conceivable, and proved that this program can accomplish what so many others have.
His first 5 seasons have been an unprecedented success, and along with his settlement to a different new extension just some weeks in the past, this will not be the final we see of it.