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Buckeyes' bonds run deep during challenging season
It wasn't easy for the talented freshman class to mesh with Ohio State's veterans.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Ohio State basketball players only drop hints about this season's challenges.
Freshman point guard Mike Conley Jr., named the NCAA tournament's Most Outstanding Player in the South Regional on Sunday, gave a little more insight.
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"It's been real hard," Conley said. "We've been through a lot of ups and downs within the team. And we try to keep a lot of stuff between the team. And we do a good job of that. I think that's what's made us so good so far."
The coaching staff downplays (or denies) most normal internal issues, but if a team is like a family, families have challenges — even one with 21 straight wins and a date in Saturday's Final Four in Atlanta.
Among them:
• OSU had to integrate Greg Oden into the lineup after his return from right wrist surgery.
• The new guys and veterans had to get used to each other. At one point, the freshmen questioned the leadership of the upperclassmen.
• At times, Oden didn't get the ball often, and the guards were throwing up a lot of 3-pointers.
• Before Ron Lewis' amazing resurgence, Daequan Cook got more minutes. When Cook struggled, he got less. "He's one of the people holding this team together," Conley said of Cook. "He's probably the most talented player on the team."
• Close wins against mediocre teams brought questions, leading coach Thad Matta to throw out a swear word and then declare, "We're 25-3, and I'm sitting up here like I don't know what the hell I'm doing."
• Razor-thin tourney comeback wins against Xavier and Tennessee even had Volunteers coach Bruce Pearl wondering why OSU's talented team hadn't had a "breakout game."
The Buckeyes secret may be brotherhood. They can mess with each other, but nobody else can.
Memphis found that out Saturday after knucklehead Joey Dorsey called Oden overrated Friday. Dorsey scored zero points, bricked two free throws and had three rebounds and four fouls. Oden went for 17 points and nine rebounds.
"I think it affected us as a team more than just affecting Greg," Conley said. "Greg doesn't let a lot affect him. That was kind of a one-on-one call out. We're not a one-on-one team. We try to play team basketball.
"When somebody talks about Greg, they're talking about all of us. We took it upon ourselves to come out and play the game. And I think that's why we're so successful."
Matta, who has led Ohio State from a postseason ban to the Final Four in three seasons, admits there have been issues.
"We have hit some valleys," Matta said. "But they've responded and actually learned from them."
Apart from anything else, Ohio State has gotten different contributions from different players when others have struggled. The Buckeyes find themselves in the Final Four — despite of, or because — all of it.
"We're not a team that's just going down to Atlanta and stepping on the court and saying at least we were here," Matta said. "There's going to be three other great opponents there, and we've got to look at this week and figure ways to get better and go down there, lace them up and try to keep playing."
Contact this reporter at
(937) 225-6951
or
mgokavi@DaytonDailyNews.com
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Next game
Final Four semifinal: Ohio State (34-3) vs. Georgetown (30-6)
When: 6:07 p.m. Saturday
Where: Georgia Dome, Atlanta
TV: CBS, Channel 7
Radio: WING-AM (1410)
Tickets: OSU students and staff must pick up lottery numbers in person starting at 8 a.m. today at the Schottenstein Center. Winning numbers will be posted at www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com tonight. Season ticket-holders can apply by calling (800) GO-BUCKS.
