Friday, March 22, 2013

Madut Bol, Bol Bol, and overrated Gonzaga

Manute Bol & Spud Webb
The big story from day one of the NCAA Tournament is 14th seeded Harvard knocking off a #3 seed, New Mexico.  But I want to talk about an upset that didn't happen.  Before I get to that however, I'm going to go off on a brief tangent on the late Manute Bol.  I met him once at a casino in Connecticut, he loved to gamble.  Manute had 10 children; one of which is named Bol Bol (seriously), who's 6'5" in 7th grade and considered to be one of the best basketball players his age in the country.  Another of Manute's sons is named Madut, and he's a 6'9" backup center on the Southern University Jaguars basketball team.

Southern earned a ticket to the big dance by winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference (known as the SWAC) tournament.  They did this with a 45-44 victory over the mighty Prairie View A&M Panthers in the final.  During the course of the season Southern lost games to such national powerhouses as North Carolina Central, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, and Alcorn St.  This resume earned Southern a #16 seed, and a first round matchup with #1 Gonzaga.

Yesterday with 3:47 left, that game was tied 56-56 (for comparison, in the other 1 vs 16 matchup last night Louisville beat North Carolina A&T 79-48).  Gonzaga ended up winning 64-58, but as I said a few weeks ago, there is no possible way they should be ranked #1 in the country.

 
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2 comments:

  1. Abacus RevealsMarch 25, 2013 at 2:19 PM

    You'll be officially old, though not necessarily past your prime, when you start watching the kids of players who are (or in some sad cases were) older than you.

    I'm now officially ancient -- my retired backside got to watch the last of my former students who went on to play college ball play her last game -- ironically for Prairie View. (My wife and the rest of the alumni appreciate the "mighty".)

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  2. Mark Van DeusenMarch 27, 2013 at 12:11 AM

    Wish I'd put some money on my lack of faith in Gonzaga (and the second generation Stockton). Thanks for the comment!

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