A game of inches

While football may be commonly associated with the phrase, basketball is always "a game of inches". By this point, every single detail of the game on both ends of the floor has been drilled and drilled repeatedly over the course of the season.  In late February and March, when the season eventually becomes a “win or go home” reality, the ability to carry over everything from practice to “that” game and those proverbial “inches” are what will determine who wins and who loses.

Every once in a while, things happen to remind your team of the importance of these details.  We had the opportunity to be involved in a high-level conference game a few days ago in which the game was decided by a three at the buzzer.  We were very fortunate to be on the winning side that night thanks to a series of details or “inches” that came to fruition at the end of the game that night at the Patriot Center.

Before we talk about the game, let’s talk about a reinforcement technique that Coach Hewitt has implemented this season in order to address the “inches” on a daily basis: A Post-Game “Grading System”.  In addition to the traditional post-game report and breakdown of the game, each assistant coach is responsible for grading their assigned 4-5 players when it comes to the “details” that we have deemed crucial for our success here at George Mason.  We have identified seven components that we emphasize on a daily basis with our players to grade them on after every single game: box outs, sprinting to the offensive glass, transition defense, first three steps (offensive transition), high hands on closeouts, middle drives (given up) and jumping to the ball.  Each player receives a handout after every game with an actual percentage grade (Ex: Box outs – 12/15 = 80%) so that when we can provide actual data to our players to help them strive for perfection in these seven categories of the game!

Now back to the game the other night.

So being down two with 3.8 seconds left in regulation and having to go the full length of the floor is hardly a situation that would seem to be one of those details or “inches”.  After all a two-point field would tie it and three-point field goal would win a game that we desperately need in order to hold on to a share of first place in the CAA.  This is as big as it gets!  And now throw in the kicker, the fact that we were out of timeouts!  So now with almost 7,000 people going crazy and a huge conference win on the line, here is a way that this one possession comes back to a few details (other than making or missing the shot) that most fans might not be aware of.

Coach Hewitt has done a great job of preparing our players for a situation like this all season.  We often play a game called “5,4,3,2,1” in our individual workouts in which we work on having a plan and learning how to make a play the appropriate play in a “short clock” situation depending on how many seconds remain.  So this is why Sherrod Wright (the young man that ended up hitting the game winning three at the buzzer) said the following to a reporter after the game, "Coach Hewitt always stresses that you have this many dribbles in this time, two dribbles in this time, and he says to always be aware of that.  So, with 3.8 left, I knew I had at least three dribbles, so I took my three dribbles and let it go."

Needless to say that after a game winning three at the buzzer the Patriot Center was electric for a few hours and the entire George Mason campus continued to buzz for a few days.  In the moment, everyone realized the magnitude of “the shot”.  But when you watch the game again, you are reminded how that the shot was only one of the “inches” along the way.  Nonetheless on that night, it will be the one memory that will be most remembered by our team and the rest of the Mason Nation!

GO MASON!

Chris

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