A Wonderful Season

  And just like that, the season is over for the Air Force Basketball Team. It ended Saturday night in Ogden Utah against the Weber State Wildcats. And while there were tears and heartache, there is so much to be proud of if you played on this Air Force team or follow the program. Way back in October the Falcons were picked to finish dead last in the Mountain West. I remember the day the 5 seniors, Todd Fletcher, Mike Lyons, Kyle Green, Mike Fitzgerald and Taylor Broekuis sat in front of the media and told the world this year would be different and special. 5 months later they were right. 18 wins this year, in the toughest conference in America, and a post-season appearance, is very special. Head Coach Dave Pilipovich did a masterful job of bringing it all together. He took chances, played his gut every so often and told his team to believe-believe you can beat 22nd ranked San Diego State, believe you can knock off #12 New Mexico, believe there is post season basketball in your future. As good a coach as Pilipovich is, he's a better human being. I think it was that element, more than anything else that blazed the path for Air Force this year. He told the team to take more ownership of the program. At halftime he encouraged them to write on the chalk board what went wrong and how they were going to fix it. Every practice was a chance for younger kids to prove they deserved more playing time, and he rewarded it. His attitude was always positive and one of opportunity. He understands "athlete" is the second word in the phrase "Student Athlete." His teams 18 wins tied for 4th best in 57 years of basketball at the Academy. A magical season for 5 seniors. A special year for a 1st year head coach. And a wonderful season for all of us.

Better Than Nothing

   So Air Force loses in the MWC Tournament to UNLV last week in the opening round, and at the same time loses star Mike Lyons to a torn meniscus. Many of us thought despite the loss the Falcons were still heading to the NIT Tournament. Someone forgot to tell the committee. Air Force was bypassed and instead winds up in the College Insider.Com Tournament, and opens play Wednesday night in Hawaii against the Warriors. The committee chair CM Newton, said Lyons' injury was a factor. The other problem was, the NIT guarantees regular season conference champions a spot in their tourney. When those same champions lose in their end of the season conference tournament, and do not get selected in the NCAA tournament, they wind up in the NIT and this year there were more of those types of teams, leaving less room for at large squads like Air Force.
    Yes, there is disappointment the Falcons are not going back to the NIT. However, if you are Todd Fletcher, Taylor Broekhuis, Mike Fitzgerald and Kyle Green, you are still playing. Because in a month its all over for those seniors.  No more college basketball. Boys who grow up to be young men who play college basketball have two clocks. The first one is set according to the time of year when basketball begins. For many its all they have known for 15 years. The second and more disquieting clock becomes noticeable the summer before their senior year in college when they realize college ball doesn't last forever. And as your final year winds down you want to keep stiff arming the second clock, hoping to squeeze in as many games as you can. So while Air Force isn't in the "Four Letter Tournament" and missed out on the NIT, its still nice to be invited to someones party.

A Magical Day

   Every once in a while as an announcer you catch magic in a bottle. That magic was Saturday afternoon at Clune Arena as the Air Force men's Basketball team hosted 12th ranked New Mexico. It was the final regular season game and it was also Senior Day. Despite awful weather,  a season high 6100 plus jammed into Clune Arena, and what they saw was magic. Air Force beat the Lobos 89-88, and one could make an argument it was the best game EVER PLAYED at Clune-by both teams. New Mexico had a lot to play for, hoping for a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They brought their "A" game. The Falcons had been in a tailspin, losing 6 of their last 8, and needed some mojo heading into this weeks Mountain West Tournament. Over the course of 2 hours the teams beat the daylights out of each other, both shooting well over 50%. Air Force trailed by 4 with 19 seconds left. Then Senior Mike Lyons, hit a LONG 3 point shot to bring Air Force to within 1. The Falcons fouled Kendal Williams, and the New Mexico guard made 1 of 2 free throws leaving Air Force down 2 with 12 seconds left. The ball came to Lyons, and 3 Lobos went after him, as they should. He saw Todd Fletcher in the right corner and threw him the ball. Todd caught it, and in one motion let it fly, and it dropped straight through for a 1 point Air Force lead. New Mexico had a quick look at a long 3 late, which missed and the Falcons celebrated with delirious joy. That's a game they will talk about for years. And it propels Air Force into the Mountain West Tournament which begins at 1 Wednesday afternoon on Animal 1300 as the Falcons meet UNLV. They lost to the Runnin Rebels by 5 in overtime in January, then beat them up good in February at Clune. Don't tell Air Force they can't win Wednesday, and don't tell them they can't make a run in the Mountain West Tournament. After all, they can create Magic.

Sorry I have been Gone

  I was here, but I wasn't here. My apologies for not getting on the blog sooner. Its a long story for which you will have no interest I'm sure, so lets get to it!!!!


  Where is the Air Force Mens Basketball team going? I don't mean in terms of what tournament. I mean what direction. Having lost 5 of their last 7 the Falcons are playing their worst basketball at the worst time to do so, at the end of the regular season. 2 weeks ago some people mentioned Air Force as a bubble team in the NCAA tournament. But after disheartening losses to Nevada, Boise St, and Fresno St, all on the road,
the Falcons are giving the appearance of a team that's wants to finish the season and go home. What Dave Pilipovich and his squad have done this year has been amazing. They have spent much of conference play in the upper half of the division. They have beaten UNLV, San Diego St, Wyoming twice, and Boise State, all quality and tournament teams of one sort or another. They have won in the toughest conference in America this year. But their play on the road the last 3 weeks has been a mystery. No effort, no passion, no urgency, no "Want To." The clock is ticking on 5 seniors who will end their careers one way or another in 4 weeks or less. Pilipovich has done a marvelous job managing practice and giving his team as much rest as he can. But he can't make shots, He's can't dive on the floor for loose balls. He can't play with urgency. His team needs to do that.
   Now, 2 games remain in the regular season...Wednesday night at San Diego State, and home Saturday against 12th ranked New Mexico. Beat both teams and you have 18 wins, some momentum, and a chance to win a first round MWC Tournament game against a good opponent. And, the attention of the NCAA Selection Committee. Win 1 of the 2 and get an opening round tournament win, and you have some mojo back. The Falcons have it in them, and as tough as the Mountain West has been this year the Falcons COULD play for an automatic NCAA Tourney berth a week from Saturday. But it has to come from them, the passion, the urgency, the desperation, the "Want-To." Do they want it?