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Gillispie building something special at Texas A&M Billy Gillispie has Texas A&M’s basketball program soaring upward like a rocket – and at warp speed! With almost the same momentum, and probably just as critical to the success of the program, Aggie Nation now believes a Big12 basketball championship is within reach and is eagerly awaiting lift off of the 2006-07 season. For future A&M opponents that could be a deadly combination! I know you’ve heard of the 12th Man making all that noise at Kyle Field, haven’t you? Well then, imagine that same deafening roar inside a confined – and sold out – Reed Arena. It wasn’t called “The Holler House on the Brazos” (a name given to A&M’s old basketball arena – G. Rollie White Coliseum) for nothing. Texas A&M, once “just a football school”, is now rubbing elbows and making dance plans with some of the best college basketball powers across the country. Though football will always carry a lion’s share of the water cooler conversation around the state, a basketball ticket may soon be in much higher demand. A trip down memory lane reveals that the last effort at basketball greatness ended almost 20 years ago. Under Shelby Metcalf, the 1985-86 Texas A&M team won what was to be the Aggies’ last league (SWC) championship. A final NCAA tournament appearance would occur a year later - a 58 - 51 loss to Duke in the Midwest Regional 1st round. Aside from an occasional NIT appearance there has been nothing placed in the trophy case since the last championship. Nothing! That is, until Billy the Kid! What the 46 yr. old Gillispie has done in only his 3rd year as a collegiate head coach (2 at A&M) is nothing short of remarkable! He inherited a club that, in former coach Melvin Watkins’ last year, suffered through an abysmal 0-16 Big12 regular season (7-21 overall). Sure there was future NBA draftee Antoine Wright, and Joseph Jones and Acie Law were both in the pipeline, but, with the power of the Big12 running fairly deep, it was a complete shot in the dark to think that he could have taken that downtrodden, last place team to a 4th place Big12 finish (10-6; 22-9 overall) in just two short years. Wow! To take his first A&M team (8-8; 21-10 overall) and reach the NIT quarterfinals should have been warning enough. But after almost 20 years of futility, to march this second squad to a 2nd round March Madness contest against an eventual final four team, #4 seeded LSU, is even more noteworthy. Just as impressive as the destination, however, was the road the Aggies traveled to get to there. After starting the Big12 season 3-6, ATM grew up and won 9 of their last 10 Big12 games, including victories against #25 Colorado, #5 Texas and a final game thrashing (75-59) of Bobby Knight’s Texas Tech squad in Lubbock. Then, prior to the LSU game, the upset of Big East power and #5 seeded Syracuse (#21 ranked AP) in the NCAA 1st round. A&M has arrived and excitement abounds in Aggieland! And it’s just beginning! As if the success of last season wasn’t enough, I suppose this most recent hullabaloo is related to the early season polls which have the Aggies beginning inside the nation’s top 15. Maybe it’s the fact that Billy Gillispie has accomplished everything to this point with someone else’s players. How about it being because all those players return? Maybe Gillispie just excels at turning good players into great players. Could it be the realization that large crowds are sure to pack Reed Arena? Or is it because Billy Gillispie is a defensive minded coach in a defensive minded program – and those great defensive teams will only get better with better players and larger, louder crowds? I’m sure that even the average fan realizes that recruiting will improve….. Are you beginning to see all the positives that have this program tracking upward? Whatever the reason for optimism, it’s not too early to speculate about another conference championship – this time a ‘07 Big 12 variety. After everything is considered, many believe that A&M should be ranked to start the season in the nation’s top 15, and that a trip to the NCAA Sweet 16, maybe even more, could be in store. Did I mention that all the players return? Acie Law will be back to run the point. Whether it’s a last second shot to lift the Aggies past arch rival Texas, or just overall court awareness and leadership of the team, Law is definitely one of the bigger reasons behind this Aggie turnaround? Speaking of big, junior Joseph Jones will be back inside the paint. Big Joe’s growth as a player and his desire to excel, not to mention his presence on the floor, are just more reasons why the Aggies are knocking at destiny’s door. It was apparent to many fans last year that the team began to improve when Antanas Kavaliauskas and Josh Carter became Big12 caliber options. Those two excellent additions will only improve in their second season. Junior Dominique Kirk may be the best example to look to when trying to define the level of effort given by every player on this roster. Described as “the glue”, this defensive stopper makes all things possible on that important end of the court. Add Chinemelu Elonu, another top 25 recruiting class and possibly a last minute (national 100) surprise addition and you have the key ingredients to success for many seasons to come. Welcome home Billy Gillispie! Dream on Aggie fan!! |