Final Four....but we want more!

“We’re not here to just go back to Indy and go to the Final Four and celebrate that way,” said sophomore guard Ronald Nored, whose pestering defense held the Wildcats’ leading scorer, Jacob Pullen, to 14 points on 4-for-13 shooting.

“We want to win the whole thing.”

"Defensively, they just try to hound everybody, try to stay in the lane, pack it in so there's nowhere to drive," Pullen said. "Then they just send five to the glass every time. Did a good job rebounding."

“The power of ‘we,’” Stevens said.

“It’s all five of us,” Hayward insisted. “It’s not just one of us.”

"Our dreams definitely didn't stop at getting to the Final Four," said Hayward, voted outstanding player of the West Regional. "We want to win the whole thing."

"This is a very special moment in our life," Mack said. "We all believed in each other."

"God is good all the time, and all the time God is good." - Julian Mavunga and Gale Watson

Keep it up G-Time and the Butler Bulldogs!

What does it take to beat #1?

Gordon Hayward: We are so very proud of you and the Butler Bulldogs! Keep holding the rope fella!


"We're not going to say we have the best athletes in the country, but we've got a system and we have to be crisp to execute it," Butler forward Matt Howard said. "We're not going to beat you one-one-one. We play for each other. There's not one guy on this team who is selfish and that's why we win."

"We said this word over and over in Indianapolis, and that word is 'resolve.' These guys have resolve," Butler coach Brad Stevens said. "It's hard to measure, but they've got it."

What does it takes to beat #1?

That's Ali Farokhmanesh, the Northern Iowa guard who hit the game-icing 3-pointer Saturday after Kansas had whittled its deficit to one. Typical of an underdog, Farokhmanesh concedes that when he was in high school, he wasn't even sure he'd play Division I basketball.

"To go from that to, we're in the Sweet Sixteen, we just beat the No. 1 team in the country," Farokhmanesh said. "I mean, if someone would have told me that back then I would have laughed at them probably. But I think it shows that hard work really does pay off."

Another example that attitude and discipline makes the difference.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/tournament/2010/columns/story?columnist=oneil_dana&id=5000022

Obstacles and Opportunities

Recently a few of our 8th graders played in a tournament in Fishers, coached by our junior varsity coach Donald James. Their solid play reminded me of some important lessons.

"Beat 8" - When you are playing any game with officials, judges, or referees, you must practice with the intention of beating the five players on the court and (in high school) three officials. Officials are human. They call the game in favor of the team who works the hardest and plays the strongest. So regardless of whether you think the officials' calls are going your way or whether you are getting messed over, beat eight! If your team has this mindset, you will be much more successful.

"TNT" - "Takes No Talent" There are so many actions, movements, gestures, and contributions that you can make to your team and coaches that makes your team successful which "take no talent". Let's try to list a few: Sprinting back on defense every time, closing out with a hand up on a shooter while your bottom stays low, calling "mine" on a closeout, cheering your team on from the bench, staying in a defensive stance, pointing to the passer after hitting a shot, calling out screens, setting screens, blocking out, jump stopping, holding one's follow-thru, being coachable, clapping for a teammate, taking a charge, cutting hard, sliding one's feet to cut off the dribbler, high-fiving a teammate, talking about who has the shooter on the free-throw line, catching the basketball with two hands, pump faking, pass faking, coming to meet passes, and as Gordon Hayward did against Murray State, diving on the floor.

We should all view obstacles as opportunities. Enjoy the story below.

A Lesson on Overcoming Obstacles
In ancient times, a king had a huge stone placed in a roadway, then hid and watched to see if anyone would remove it. Some of the kingdom’s biggest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many of them loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none of them did anything about getting the big stone out of the way.

Then a peasant farmer came along, carrying a load of vegetables on his back. When he came to the boulder, he laid down his burden and began trying to move it to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded.

As he was picking up his vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold pieces and a note from the king indicating the gold was for the person who removed the stone from the roadway.

The peasant had learned what many others have learned since: Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one’s condition.
From Bits & Pieces on Leadership, November 2009

Boys Basketball Banquet March 23!!

2010 Team Banquet: March 23, 6:30 P.M. High School Cafeteria, Door #4

Itinerary:

5:45 Coaches and parents help set up the cafeteria

6:30 Introductions by Coach Kendrick

6:40 Coach Don Endress: The Freshman Season

6:55 Invocation by Jacob Eldridge

6:56 Eat

7:20 Honoring the support staff of the Varsity and J.V. teams

7:30 Coach Donald James: The Junior Varsity Season

7:45 Coach Kendrick: The Varsity Season

Approximately 8:30 Dismissal

*All family including relatives and siblings are invited. Please give your head count to Sonia Roach at 317-508-2210 by Monday, March 22, at 12:00 noon.

Relaxed business attire can be worn by all; however, players should dress in this attire.

Food Items and responsible persons:

Pizza – Boys’ Basketball Program

Dessert Items - Varsity and Junior Varsity Parents

Drinks – Freshman players (since we are serving the masses, a variety of drinks, non-alcoholic of course, is acceptable)

Ice – Boys’ Basketball Program

Paperware – Freshman players

Serving Utensils – Coach Kendrick

Each player will be recognized by having his name called. Each player will receive a certificate of participation unless they have met the requirements to letter at the varsity level. Award winners will be recognized by coaches when they discuss each season.

A sincere ‘thank you’ to all players, parents, team moms, the BHS athletic office, and to Greg Hill and Bret Daghe for the tremendous support throughout the year. A special ‘thank you’ goes to senior parents and players. We will miss you and your sons!

Champions!

Our 5th grade Hoops team won their divison by beating Franklin Central 41-38. The players led by Coach Hall had an 8-1 record going into the tournament before claiming the grand prize! Congratulations Coach Hall and our future varsity Bulldogs!

WHAT VOLCANOES HAVE TO DO WITH CHAMPIONSHIPS, by Tyler Costo

Check out the entire blog in the blog list.

WHAT VOLCANOES HAVE TO DO WITH CHAMPIONSHIPS, by Tyler Coston - 208 Views
March 10, 2010

I have been a part of teams that have won championships at every level; as highschoolers we won the state championship, as college athletes we won championships, and as a college coach we won championships. I have also been a part of teams that have been the worst in the conference - both as a coach and an athlete. Through these experiences I have learned some poignant lessons that will benefit you if, that is, you are in the business of winning championships.

In 7th grade I participated in my first science fair. I had been home schooled up until that point so I was very excited about the opportunity to display my creativity to someone other than my mother and my imaginary friends. I picked an extremely original idea for my first science fair; I chose to craft a volcano. I worked tirelessly for a week. I refused any assistance from my parents and even Bagbom, the most intelligent of my imaginary friends. I was quite proud of my creation and couldn't wait for Friday to show it to the world.

Friday came around; I put on my Smurf glasses, tucked my t-shirt into my jeans, and carried my volcano to the car. I was one of the first to arrive. I set up my station, unfolded my cardboard display and set my tiny, non-working model in the center. I stood with pride to survey the competition as the other students began to arrive and unfold their creations. (By creations I mean the fully functional monstrosities that their parents paid NASA to create out of rare metals!) I began to feel betrayed by Bagbom the imaginary friend. To make matters worse, just across the row from me was Timmy. He also had made a volcano. His, though, was the size of a small SUV, with lava pumping out the top, smoke he could turn on and off and audio bellowing sounds of desolation and destruction. It was the soundtrack of my pride going up in flames.

I quickly packed up my sad little mole-hill of a volcano, and ran home. It was 10 miles away. On the way I blamed the teacher for not explaining the assignment properly. I blamed my mom for not helping me more. I vowed never to play with Bagbom again. I even fogged up my Smurf glasses with my tears.

Since my recovery from this experience I have asked thousands of athletes to update me on their season. I ask how their team is performing. The vast majority of the time I hear them tell me how their coach isn't very good. How their team doesn't care enough. How no one is as committed as they are. How their big man won't rebound. How their point guard won't pass the ball. How their team doesn't defend.

I then ask what they do every day in practice to change the issue. I am answered with a blank look. Most athletes don't own their teammates' - like I refused to own my sorry little volcano.

What these athletes failed to realize - as did the younger version of myself - was that champions own each drill they participate in. Winners own the performance of their teammates. Special players will not allow a teammate to do something incorrect over and over again throughout a season. Leaders take ownership of everything.

I have a group of elite 15 year olds that I coach. They are the best players for their age in the area. We have had our first week of practice and I was amazed at how easily they allowed each other to be average. When I asked them if they knew their teammate was doing the drill incorrectly, they said yes. When I asked them why they didn't say something, they said that it wasn't their job.

I asked them then, 'Is it your job to win?'

All athletes seek to own the success of their teams. Most athletes will easily celebrate a pass they make that leads to a basket. Winners, on the other hand, will always seek to own the missed passes too. Special leaders seek to own the mistakes made every day in practice. They know that failure lies at their feet and that is why they are driven with manic energy to be constantly reminding, encouraging, correcting and inspiring their team every moment they are around them.

- Tyler

In March Madness - Congrats to Titus, Mavunga, and Hayward

Mark Titus, Big Ten Champion, concludes his senior year at Ohio State. Check out the Big Ten Network to get a glimpse and read his blog ClubTrillion. Congratulations Mark - We are proud of you! (Click on Mark's picture to go to the Big Ten Network.) Good Luck to Mark and the Buckeyes in the Big Ten Tournament here in Indianapolis.

Julian Mavunga, All-MAC Honorable Mention Team, and his Red Hawks begin the MAC tournament tomorrow against Buffalo in Cleveland, Ohio. Mavunga leads his team in blocked shots with 28. Click here to read more. Good Luck to Julian and the Red Hawks this week in their MAC Tournament.

Gordon Hayward, Horizon League Player of the Year, and his Butler Bulldogs just finished conference tournament play and made history winning all of their league games. After their conference tournament championship last night, all hope their seed in the NCAA is favorable. Check out the clips of the championship game last night by clicking on Gordon's picture. More news here! Good Luck to Gordon and the Bulldogs in the NCAA Tournament.

Manual ends Dogs' season in Sectional 12 bout.

The boys' basketball team lost Tuesday night 59-48. The Dogs shot a mere 32% from the field throughout the game. Thankfully Mycah Whetstone came off the bench and provided some sizzling play going 5-9 from the field for 16 points and grabbing nine boards. Kurtis Runyon led the Dogs in rebounding with 11. And Chase Dutra led the team in assists dishing out three. Coach Kendrick would like to thank the seniors Alan Paddock, Levi Roach, Jacob Eldridge, and Kurtis Runyon for their dedication to Brownsburg Basketball, the cheerleaders for their hard work, and to our loyal fans for your support.