Here's hoping that Montana Grizzly basketball coach Wayne Tinkle puts Cameron Rundles at the point next season and keeps him there.
Rundles made great strides as a true freshman for the Griz while splitting time between the point and shooting guard. It's time to put him charge. It isn't just that he has the skill to get the job done, which he does. The Griz need a clear leader, and Rundles can be that guy.
While we're dispensing unsolicited advice, there's two more items. One, Tinkle would be well served to take a page from Lady Griz coach Robin Selvig's playbook and establish a set rotation of eight or nine guys. Most players respond better to constancy. Second, the critics need to cut Tinkle some slack. The man had a tough act to follow this season, he learned a lot, and he'll be the better for it.
Sure, losing back-to-back postseason games was a lousy way for the Lady Griz to end a marvelous season. But it reflects a) the new reality of the Big Sky, where talent is deeper and more wide spread, b) the fact that teams are no longer intimidated about coming into Dahlberg Arena, and c) UM was very young, and played like it in the crunch.
The Lady Griz paid the price for a sub-par game against Northern Arizona in the Big Sky semifinals, then ran out of gas in the WNIT at Utah, always a tough place.
Mandy Morales seemed worn down by season's end; finding ways to keep her fresher will be a key next season. Beyond that, the Lady Griz came into this season as sophomores and juniors with little tournament experience - and it showed at the end.
Bobby Knight suggests the best NCAA basketball tournament would eliminate all automatic bids and trim the field to 32 teams, chosen in a completely dry, scientific and rational fashion by a super computer nicknamed “The Whining Jimbo,” in honor of Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim.
OK, we made up the last part.
Thankfully, that vision will never come to pass, because a) there's already enough controversy dealing with the selection of 34 at-large berths (just ask Boeheim, whose Orange were squeezed out), and b) the NCAA knows the surest way to kill its golden goose would be to eliminate the little guys.
What are your favorite NCAA moments?
Well, if you're anything like me, they're not Lew Alcindor scoring over Elvin Hayes, or Michael Jordan beating Georgetown. They're Bryce Drew hitting a buzzer-beating bomb to lift Valparaiso over Ole Miss; Hampton coach Steve Merfeld being carried around the court after an epic upset of Iowa State, or, as happened Thursday night, Virginia Commonwealth guard Eric Maynor drilling a 17-footer in the final two seconds to edge Duke.
The tournament thrives on dreams and underdogs - the ones that are crushed just as much as the ones that are fulfilled. It's the secret to the whole shebang.
Those of us from the Hi-Line town of Shelby have a little more reason to puff out our chests today, now that Larry Krystkowiak has been named head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks.
In my generation, Shelby produced an NBA player and coach; world-class scientists such as Jack Horner and Leroy Hood; novelist/screenwriter James Grady; Missoula icon Pat Dodson; numerous white-collar professionals, and at least one third-rate columnist. Go Coyotes!
Rial Cummings can be reached at 523-5255 or rcummings@missoulian.com. His column appears Sundays.
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