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Hacksaw’s Monday Bonus Podcast..1:30
“March Madness Edition”
You Tube-Lee Hacksaw Hamilton
Hot Topics-Stay for Fans Forum
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“AZTECS BASKETBALL-MARCH MADNESS”
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It did not end liked we hoped, the farewell game in Mountain West Conference play.
But in the big picture of things, San Diego State fans need to be thankful.
The Brian Dutcher era has given us the all time highs this school has ever had, and yes there have been setbacks this year, but consider everything.
Dutcher cares about his kids; teaches enormous values; sells them on team play-team over us; recruits good kids; and is a strong in-game manager.
Dutcher is so different than any other mid-major coach. He has stayed here for 23-years, unlike what goes on in Laramie-Albuquerque-Logan-Ft Collins and other locales. Hete today-gone tomorrow.
Of course this is also tied into our community, which has fallen in love with all things hoops. The Alumni suppot, to step up and fund the NIL program, and to fill up Viejas Arena, is a remarkable story.
A prime example of the strength of Dutcher’s program, the win over New Mexico and the near win vs Utah State in the final game of the MWC tourney.
I take notes all the time, and my headlines of those two games included:
..War Zone
..Relentless Assault Defense
..Pound the Paint
..Never Surrender
..In game adjustments
Dutcher’s leadership checked off all those boxes.
Thus Magoon Gwath plays two of his best games of the year, big minutes, big points, blocked shots, rebounds.
Reese Dixon-Waters finishes his career with memorable big games and clutch baskets.
BJ Davis finds his game, game winning shots, big outside shots.
Miles Byrd becomes a superb college defensive player.
The growth of such a very young group of recruits to play key moments. Maybe not consistent, but showing flashes for the future.
They survived New Mexico and were in the USU game till the controversial 5-point Video Replay play that broke their back. The Aztecs eventually ran out of gas.
And ran out of chances to gain access to March Madness. But that is the result of going (4-11) against good teams on the schedule. And yes, it was not what we expected, and there were all types of circumstances that played into this season. Even their 22-win season and the tough guy schedule they took on did not impress the NCAA Selection Committee. Just too many costly losses.
But in the big screen picture of this season, understand where the Aztecs are and what they have become, going into the next chapter of their life, the Pac 12, with Gonzaga-USU and a chance to become a really good basketball conference.
For Dutcher, the next challenge. Get Gwath to stay and finish his journey for a final year. Keep-his recruits from leaving. You know what you have, quality guidance, a great program in a great city. Keep adding quality to your schedule, you’ve locked down UNLV, now go schedule home and home with New Mexico-Grand Canyon. Would rather see that than Point Loma Nazarene, USD or these other gimmes.
National recognition with that type of schedule is a positive.
A (22-11) season is very good, even if the ending was disappointing.
But in Brian Dutcher, we should all recognize, ‘Great Coach-Great Man’. We should appreciate and say thank you for what he has continued and what he has built in the toughest time any coach could go thru, when his mailing address is: Mid Major Basketball.
Helluva leader-coach-person. Appreciate that.
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