By Kyle Taylor
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Heading into this season, Bacone coach Alan Foster said this was the best squad of talent he’s had in at least four seasons.
But that potential didn't show itself for some time.
After a 4-3 start in the first semester, Bacone dropped its first six games in the second semester. The next six games, they split to stand at 7-12
Then the turning point came for the team that makes its first-ever visit to the NAIA national championship tournament when it begins play today against the tournament's top seed, Mountain Valley State (W.Va.).
“I remember in San Antonio after we got beat, we lost by five, played pretty good but missed an opportunity here and there,” said Foster of a loss to Our Lady of the Lake, the Warriors’ last setback. “I remember talking about from here on out wins are what matter. Playing good, coming close, playing good on the road, really didn’t matter if it didn’t result in wins.”
That was a conservative estimate of what was to come. Bacone began a win streak which now stands at 12 consecutive contests. That includes a three-game stretch in the Red River Athletic Conference tourney, outlasting Texas College 86-85 in overtime to claim the berth that puts them in a 10:45 a.m. tipoff at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.
There was no magic formula, Foster said, just a realization that they were at risk of missing the conference tournament.
“At that point in time, only the top eight teams go (to the conference tournament), we were tied for ninth or 10th,” he said. “So our backs were against the wall and therefore I think everybody just kind of resolved and pulled together.”
Another problem the Warriors (19-12) have seemingly done away with was their inability to close out games, a problem that dated back to last season with nine losses by six points or less. This season, early on, the team lost seven games by that same margin.
Bacone has won 10 games by six points or fewer during its curing winning streak.
RRAC player of the year Ronnie Battle said with everybody stepping up they’ve been able to turn those close games into victories.
“Mainly we all just came together and started playing better as a team,” the forward said. “This semester we’ve figured how to close games out, play 40 minutes and finish it up.”
Junior guard Chad Tyler added that last season’s losses gave the squad the necessary experience to not waiver in crunch time.
“This year we’re more focused, we know what to do at the end of games. We didn’t rush; we took our time and made big shots.”
Nine years since starting a four-year program, Bacone is on a foreign stage. They arrived in Kansas City late Monday.
“I don’t think I’ve stopped smiling since it happened. Wow is the best way I can sum it up,” Foster said.
The prize for it all is the No. 1 seed Cougars (26-2), who are in the tournament for the 12th consecutive year and won the title in 2004. They are led by forward Nick Aldridge’s 23.6 per game average. That’s second in the NAIA, trailing only Battle, who averages 24.5.
Mountain State also boasts three other players who average double digits, and if that wasn’t enough, the Cougars also happen to have a bench player who stands 7 feet, 8 inches tall. He is junior center Paul Sturgess, who is currently the tallest college player in America. By comparison, Yao Ming, the tallest NBA player, stands 7-6.
“If they want to, I’d probably just let Ronnie and Nick Aldridge play one-on-one, and we’d take the result,” the Warrior coach said with a chuckle.
Sturgess, however, isn’t at the top of the list that Foster is game planning for.
“He’s the tallest player we’ve played against,” the coach said. “But Nick Aldridge and the other guys are the ones keeping me awake.”
Battle isn’t awestruck by the task ahead as much as they are curious.
“I want to see what the number one team in NAIA is going to be like,” Battle said. “I’m ready to play them.”
“To be honest I think it’s just another game on our schedule,” senior Millen Brown said. “I just look at it as that instead of looking at it as a big game.”
Foster is aware of a comfort zone for his team.
“We’re only guaranteed 40 minutes of basketball at this point, but if it’s two or three points (difference) with a minute to go, we got them right where we want them,” he said.
