Zags: Branch Wants Gathers at St. John's
- Thread starter billthetruth
- Start date
billthetruth
Well-known member
I loved Lou, but you seem to forget that the '86 team had 5 starters plus Hempel and Baldi. The lack of depth killed them in round 2 of the Tournament versus Auburn when playing out West in the high altitude.
FWIW Lou's record is much like Jay Wrights at Nova the past 10 years, with Jay having a little more tourney success (4 times to S16 in 7 aooearances vs. Louie's 5 in 18). Yes we'd all be happy to have had that instead of Roberts (and Jarvis, and Mahoney for that matter). Jay hasn't won a national championship either. If you were all Nova fans would you be killing him for his lack of titles as well (not for this season but for the first 10)?
Lack of depth didn't particularly kill that team against Auburn. It might've played a role, but a very, small one in my book. What killed that team was Chuck Person, Chris Morris and the likes. Not to mention, we never adjusted to Auburn's Box-and-one defense on Berry.
We also didn't play in any high altitude. The game was played in Long Beach.
Terry Bross was also a part of that rotation. As for the Auburn game, I seem to remember Berry getting hurt (prior to the game?; his ankle?) and not giving a typical Berryesque performance. As a result, Bross saw sizable minutes in that game. Unfortunately, they were largely unproductive or even counterproductive.
Terry Bross was also a part of that rotation. As for the Auburn game, I seem to remember Berry getting hurt (prior to the game?; his ankle?) and not giving a typical Berryesque performance. As a result, Bross saw sizable minutes in that game. Unfortunately, they were largely unproductive or even counterproductive.[/quote]
did I hear correctly with the announcers in Marquette game referring Harkless to a modern day Walter the Truth?
all the best
did I hear correctly with the announcers in Marquette game referring Harkless to a modern day Walter the Truth?
all the best
Class of 72
Active member
LMAO!!!!!!
I am sure there was a correlation with the topic about 8 threads ago. Perhaps it was that both Terry Bross and Ricardo Gathers are tall. Then again, I expected Terry Bross to be brought up in the discussion involving Amir Garrett as they both were baseball pitchers.....but I digress! Back to the topic......what was it.
Class of 72
Active member
Why are you quoting me? I never mentioned Marco Baldi!
You're travelling to another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound... but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land, whose boundaries are only that of the imagination... you're entering... the Twilight Zone...
westchesterjoe
Active member
Walter Berry was college player of the Year in 86. Comparing Harkless to him , at this point in time, is unfair to both players.. Moe is still developing, THE TRUTH was already a legend. And, their styles are different.. Walter was a left handed magician in the low post, unorthodox to defend too.. Moe has a more classic game, still a work in progress..
as for the 86 Auburn-SJU game, I thought Berry was in foul trouble, not injured but, could be wrong. Officiating of that game was atrocious in favor of Auburn too.. And, Louie never could figure out the BOX and 1, in any game.. He failed
dismally in the 85 final 4 game against G'TOWN,when Wingate played man on MULLIN.. he never adjusted the offense to go to BERRY in that game, when Ewing got in foul trouble.. Also too, Mark JACKSON should have been in there instead of Mike MOSES but, Louie was loyal to a fault to senior PG's.. Mahoney was his Assistant at the time too, so Brian didn't influence any change in game strategy either.
All this, of course, does not diminish Lou as a HOF Coach but, when you have 1 shot at a NCAA chamionship against a BE opponent you've already played 3 times, you would think some adjustment would have been made..
it's a fantasy of mine too, of the FINAL 4 DRAW IN 85.. if Nova had played the Hoyas in the semi final instead of Memphis ST, would a SJU-NOVA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME provided the same result?
Rememberring that the Johnnies trumped the Wildcats 3 times in 85 in the BE season.
as for the 86 Auburn-SJU game, I thought Berry was in foul trouble, not injured but, could be wrong. Officiating of that game was atrocious in favor of Auburn too.. And, Louie never could figure out the BOX and 1, in any game.. He failed
dismally in the 85 final 4 game against G'TOWN,when Wingate played man on MULLIN.. he never adjusted the offense to go to BERRY in that game, when Ewing got in foul trouble.. Also too, Mark JACKSON should have been in there instead of Mike MOSES but, Louie was loyal to a fault to senior PG's.. Mahoney was his Assistant at the time too, so Brian didn't influence any change in game strategy either.
All this, of course, does not diminish Lou as a HOF Coach but, when you have 1 shot at a NCAA chamionship against a BE opponent you've already played 3 times, you would think some adjustment would have been made..
it's a fantasy of mine too, of the FINAL 4 DRAW IN 85.. if Nova had played the Hoyas in the semi final instead of Memphis ST, would a SJU-NOVA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME provided the same result?
Rememberring that the Johnnies trumped the Wildcats 3 times in 85 in the BE season.
Seems I remembered correctly (not always the case these days). The LA Times, in fact, ran a "Berry to Test Sore Ankle" headline. And when asked prior to the game about the Truth's ankle, Looie said (to paraphrase), "Of course, he'll play. He's got all summer to rest it."