“Could this be their year?”
Around watercoolers, at sports bars and in chat rooms, the hope-filled whispers of men’s basketball fans grow bolder with each impressive win. Kansas: dethroned. Gonzaga: outmuscled. Arizona: outhustled (twice!).
“Could THIS be their year?”
At press time, Stanford was ranked second in the country, having reeled off 20 consecutive victories to start the season. Most notably, on December 6, the Cardinal led then-No. 1 Kansas nearly wire-to-wire on its way to a 64-58 triumph at the John Wooden Classic in Anaheim, Calif. Later that month, at the Pete Newell Challenge in Oakland, Stanford dispatched Gonzaga, 87-80, behind Matt Lottich’s career-best 34 points. On January 10, Stanford defeated then-No. 3 Arizona, 82-72, for the fourth straight time in Tucson, then rubbed it in with an 80-77 buzzer-beating win at home on February 7.
If recent history is any indication, the strong start bodes well for March Madness. Stanford won 18 games to begin the 1997-98 campaign en route to the NCAA Final Four in San Antonio (also the site of this year’s championship); the 2000-01 team won its first 20 games and advanced to the Elite Eight.
But this squad has much more than history on its side. Six players are averaging 8 to 13 points per contest. The bench is deep; five nonstarters average 10 or more minutes per game. “Everybody top to bottom is a good player and has worked hard to be a good player,” says forward Josh Childress. “That’s why we’ve been successful.”
Which is fortunate, since the squad has been beset by injuries: Childress, ’05, missed the first nine games with a stress reaction in his foot. Justin Davis injured his knee in late January and was expected to sit out at least three weeks. Shortly thereafter, his backup, sophomore Matt Haryasz, sprained his ankle.
This Cardinal bunch is also more experienced than many of its opponents, especially now that players frequently bolt college for the NBA (or skip it altogether). Lottich, the fiery senior, is the team’s emotional leader and most dangerous clutch shooter. Davis and Joe Kirchofer, both fifth-year seniors, lead the squad in field-goal percentage. And 6-foot-6 utilityman Nick Robinson, the hero of the second Arizona win and the 24-year-old redshirt junior nicknamed “Pops” by his teammates, has filled in at every position but center. Speaking of center, junior Rob Little is playing more adeptly than ever after shedding 25 pounds during the off-season.
This team has played for head coach Mike Montgomery so long that they fully execute his system, focusing on defensive intensity, rebounding and smooth offensive play. Childress, one of the most versatile offensive threats to ever wear a Stanford uniform, recognizes that scoring isn’t everything. “If we stay constant in our attitude toward defense and rebounding, then the sky’s the limit,” he says. “Offense will come [on its own].”
Perhaps the most important characteristic of this year’s squad is tough, hard-nosed play at every position. “This is the most physical team I’ve seen this year,” said USC coach Henry Bibby after Stanford beat the Trojans, 77-67, in what Montgomery referred to as “a war.”
“It’s nice to have people recognize us as being tough,” says point guard Chris Hernandez, a redshirt sophomore. “The reputation Stanford has gotten over the years is, ‘They’re soft, nice guys. They’re very passive so you’ve got to be physical with them.’ ” Now, he adds, “the mentality when we step on the court is, ‘We’re not gonna get pushed around. Let’s try and change this attitude people have about us.’ ”
Stanford will try to do just that as the NCAA tournament begins on March 18. Because despite all the positive signs, one lingering doubt remains. In four of the last five years, the Cardinal has failed to advance beyond its second-round game. Will these players break through to the second weekend of tournament play . . . and beyond?
This could be their year.
