AS of this writing, the US National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) final four is set with undefeated Kentucky, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Duke making it to the big dance.
March Madness does not only apply to college basketball but also the National Basketball Association (NBA). Around this month, NBA teams are in madness to make the playoffs. Front office dangle bonuses to players to exert more effort so that the team can make it to the playoffs.
In the NBA, March Madness, therefore, means trying to get to that last bus going to the playoffs. In the east, the Nets, Celtics, Pacers and Hornets are all fighting tooth and nail for that precious No. 8 spot. In the west, the Oklahoma City Thunder are trying to hold off the Suns and the Pelicans to make it to the playoffs despite starting the season 3-12. The top 8 teams from each conference make it to the playoffs.
In the NCAA, the top 64 teams selected by the NCAA selection committee make it to the NCAA tournament. All games are one and done, you lose, you’re out.
The Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) could take a cue from the US NCAA and consider a “one and done” championship game rather than a best-of-three series for a truly NCAA tournament-like format. One and done games will add excitement and give teams extra motivation and incentive to give the game their all in the name of school pride and honor.
Kentucky is 38-0 and the overwhelming favorite to win this year’s NCAA national title. They are are led by former NBA Coach John Calipari, future NBA lottery picks Andrew Harrison, Karl Anthony-Towns and Willy Cauley-Stein. They escaped the upset ax by scraping past the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame 68-66 in the Elite Eight.
Wisconsin is coached by Bo Ryan with future NBA talent in Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker, they don’t turn the ball over much and play with a lot of discipline and poise, nothing fancy but they get the job done.
Michigan State will be making its ninth final four in school history. Tom Izzo led them to seven final fours, winning the national championship in 2000. The Duke Blue Devils need no introduction. Coached by one of the greatest coaches in college basketball history, Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski. Coach K, as he is called in basketball circles, will be guiding Duke to its 16th final four appearance though this is the youngest bunch of Blue Devils he’s ever handled.
Three (Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones and Justice Winslow) of their starting five are freshmen with big man and arguably the best college player in the nation, Okafor, leading the Blue Devil’s charge. Coach K will be making his 12th trip to the final four.
I’m going out on a limb and pick Kentucky and Duke to slug it out in the title game with the latter upsetting the former. Duke will upset Kentucky the same way the Blue Devils overcame the UNLV (University of Nevada in Las Vegas) Running Rebels.
Back to the NBA, the Oklahoma City Thunder overcame a 3-12 start and a plethora of injuries,and are now sporting a 41-31 win-loss record going into their game against the Phoenix Suns. It appears the Thunder have the inside track on the eight and final playoff spot. MVP candidate Russel Westbrook continues to play out of his mind, stuffing the stat sheet after every game. Westbrook may have to play more than out of his mind if his Thunder are to make the playoffs without their superstar Kevin Durant, who’s out for the year with foot-fracture problems.
I will again go out on a limb (this time in the NBA) and say if the Oklahoma City Thunder make the playoffs and play the No. 1 seed, Golden State Warriors, the Thunder will win over seven games, despite my heart rooting for the dubs and my admiration for MVP candidate, Step Curry of the Warriors.