LUKE’s LOCKER ROOM
And just like that, the Final Four is set.
The highlight of the college basketball season is upon us, and one of the most exciting times of the year in the sports world will captivate basketball fans everywhere.
Last year’s Final Four ended with perhaps the greatest national championship game of all time.
Despite an off-balance 3-pointer from North Carolina point guard Marcus Paige, Villanova point guard Ryan Arcidiacono dribbled quickly down the court in the final seconds before dishing the ball to guard Kris Jenkins, who nailed a buzzer-beating three to end the game and crown the Villanova Wildcats the 2016 national champions.
The 2016 Final Four was one for the books.
One glance at the matchups for this year’s national semifinals and some might think three of the four teams just don’t belong in the Final Four.
The Tar Heels are back again, looking to avenge last year’s heartbreaking loss in their 20th Final Four appearance in school history.
Aside from one of the premier basketball programs in the country, the other teams in the Final Four will be on the biggest stage they have ever been on in their respective programs.
The Gonzaga Bulldogs and South Carolina Gamecocks have never reached the Final Four — the Gamecocks hadn’t won an NCAA tournament game in 44 years until this year.
The Oregon Ducks haven’t been to a Final Four since 1939 — the year my grandmother was born.
One look at the four teams and the Tar Heels seem like the likely favorite to win the tournament.
Head Coach Roy Williams always has his kids ready to play, and last year’s game had to have left a nasty taste in the mouths of those returning players.
After destroying Texas Southern in the opening round and handling a couple of scrappy teams in Arkansas and Butler, the Tar Heels faced the Kentucky Wildcats in the Elite Eight, prevailing on a last-second shot to take down an NBA-bound starting five coached by John Calipari.
The Tar Heels will have a size advantage down low against any team they face, and guard Justin Jackson is one of the best in the country at scoring at will.
The biggest competition the Tar Heels could face would be the Bulldogs.
Mark Few is a great coach, and his team has only lost one game this season.
Guard Nigel Williams-Goss can ball, and Polish big man Przemek Karnowski is a big presence in the paint at 7’1,” 300 pounds.
My only hesitation with the Bulldogs is the lack of competition they faced this year.
Playing in the Western Coast Conference didn’t give them a lot of opportunities for quality matchups against the better teams in the country.
The NCAA tournament does though, and now they will have the chance to prove themselves to the
entire country.
If we’re judging teams according to their seeds, then the No. 7-seeded Gamecocks are this year’s Cinderella team.
After finishing third in the SEC in the regular season, the Gamecocks caught fire in the NCAA tournament and have played strong.
But I can’t blame them.
Have you seen Head Coach Frank Martin? As terrifying as he looks when he gets angry, I too would be playing out of my mind in order to avoid his wrath.
When he’s mad, he gets that look that your dad had when you were little and he found out you threw a rock that broke a window.
Guard and SEC player of the year Sindarius Thornwell is a treat to watch on the basketball court and reminds me of San Antonio Spurs All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard.
Thornwell and the rest of the Gamecocks play with incredible aggressiveness on defense, and they are a legitimate threat to beat Gonzaga and advance to the national championship game.
The Oregon Ducks reached the Final Four after clobbering the No. 1-seeded Kansas Jayhawks and have surprised many this tournament.
Personally, I thought the Ducks have mostly been overrated this season and wouldn’t make a lot of noise in this year’s tournament.
March Madness proved me wrong.
The Ducks are led by Pac-12 player of the year Dillon Brooks, one of the most talented, all-around players in the country.
Their matchup with the Tar Heels will prove difficult for the Ducks, but they have surprised me up until now, so what’s to stop them from surprising me after the game tips off?
All in all, this year’s Final Four promises to be an entertaining one.
If I had to pick a winner, I would have to go with the Tar Heels. They are just more talented than the other three teams and have one of the greatest head coaches in college basketball history.
I’m pulling for the Heels.
I remember watching the postgame press conference last year and Williams was crying because of how close he knew his players were to winning the title.
That showed me he really cares about his players, and I love to see that. Plus, I picked them in my bracket — so there’s that.
If they do win, I can’t wait to see another video of him dancing in the locker room after the game. It’s hilarious.
Enjoy the Final Four y’all.
DILLARD is the sports editor.