Thursday, January 25, 2024

Basketball: Ten Reasons Our Team Won a Sectional Championship in 1973

The game evolves. In 1973, there was no high school shot clock, no three-point line, and the pick-and-roll wasn't a major force. 

Parents didn't comment on playing time, private schools didn't recruit away top players, and teammates often played together for years starting in 'junior high' school.

Basketball wasn't better; it was different. Everyone wasn't happy. In fact, a behind-the-scenes struggle existed as a local politician whose son didn't make the team sought to oust the coach. 

Here are ten reasons the season ended with a sectional title in the top Massachusetts division. No other local hoop team did that before or will because of population changes. 

Take away something to help steal a game or two. 

1. Coaching. Coach Sonny Lane (New England Basketball Hall of Fame) was in his third season as a varsity coach. The first two yielded an 11-29 record but a three-game winning streak at the end of season two. Coach Lane built a program with principles of John Wooden and Dean Smith, from the Pyramid of Success, to 2-2-1 three-quarter court and run-and-jump presses. Coach execution. "Do it again." 

2. Teamwork and unselfishness. All five starters averaged in double figures. Nobody cared who scored the points. Scoreboard > scorebook. 

3. Experience. Many of the players played together since seventh grade. There wasn't any backstabbing. The club had eight seniors. It was "now or never."  

4. Game understanding. We watched a lot of film, grainy black-and-white with an emphasis on correcting mistakes. We didn't know that Paula Lane (Coach's wife) made two hour drives for delivery and pick up. Film was the truth machine. 

5. Size. We had six players at least 6'5". Several were highly mobile with the ability to play different styles. When behind, we played full court, run-and-jump press. That created live-ball turnovers and allowed us to score 65 points/game while allowing 51. 

6. Shot quality. Bob Moore (6'6") and John Pacillo (6'7") got a lot of great looks inside versus either man or zone defense. When defenses doubled down, they'd kick the ball out for open jump shots. 

7. Quality practice. Practice usually began with five minutes jumping rope. If you can jump rope for five minutes, you're in condition. If that weren't enough, see #9. 

8. Advantage-disadvantage. After a disappointing overtime loss to the twice-defending State Champions, we practiced 5 versus 7 full-court every practice without dribbling. It reinforced pass and cut mentality and neutralized pressure defenses. Harder practices make easier games.

9. Free throw proficiency. We shot four rounds of ten each practice with a partner. The daily 'winner' faced off against the coach for the right to avoid 'suicides', the old-fashion free throw line and back, half-court and back, and so on. That paid off close and late. 

10.Sacrifice and gratitude. A lot of people -coaches, players and families invested in kids from a blue collar town. Half of the high school was lost to arson and students were on double sessions. We felt fortunate to have any place to play. Have a gratitude practice. 

Lagniappe. 

Post by @humjeetenge
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Lagniappe 2. Paying the price.  

Lagniappe 3. We beat the defending State Champions on the road by 18. I had two points on one shot and held their All-State guard to ten points. Probably the most satisfaction I got from a game.  

Lagniappe 4. "Movement kills defenses" and "the ball has energy." Almost a beautiful play turns into an effective one.  


Miami with a baseline drive and opportunistic cutting.
 
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