Saipan NCAA Final Four thoughts

All roads for college basketball lead to the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Missouri for the NCAA Final Four tomorrow.

With just two games to go before the 2005 champions of college hoops is crowned, the Saipan Tribune went around town yesterday to feel the pulse of the local community.

Just for the record, comeback kids Louisville and Illinois face each other in the first game, while proverbial powerhouse North Carolina takes on an overachieving Michigan State team in the second.

“Illinois, all the way. The Fighting Illini have been my pick since the beginning of the season. They have no weakness. Louisville may be the second-best team in the Final Four, but they have to play their best.

Michigan State is playing great ball, and North Carolina can be beaten—so the final will be an all-Big 10 affair—and a repeat of the regular-season domination by the Illini.

My sentimental favorites were my hometown teams, Villanova and Penn. Their chances were little and none, respectively, but ‘Nova almost pulled off the upset of the Tar Heels.”

Michael White
NMASA president

“I am rooting for the University of Illinois Fightin’ Illini.

Obviously, record-wise no one can mistake them for the underdog. I don’t think they’ve ever won the championship before, but they made the Final Four 16 years ago.

I thought that Illinois team was the most balanced and talented of the teams that year, but they were “upset” by eventual champion University of Michigan.

This time around I think it is the sheer desire to win plus the chemistry that is what is allowing them to succeed. I would once again feel disappointed should they not win it all.

I personally feel that Duke University is a perennial favorite, and rightfully so given their overall winning record and the number of tournaments they’ve been to, Final Four appearances and championships won.

Plus their current long-time coach Mike Krzyzewski is a certified winner with what he’s been doing with their program. WHICH IS WHY I HATE THEM.

I am always happy to hear news about Duke losses, no matter which team plays against them. Michigan State earns my praise for having done that this tournament, but recently I think the University of Maryland has been having the most success against my despised Blue Devils.”

Steve Lim
MATTA president

“I was terribly crushed that my boys from Syracuse lost in the first round to VERMONT. I grew up in Syracuse and have always followed Syracuse Basketball, which has been one of the winningest teams in the college ranks for many years and is always a contender.

I’m going for North Carolina as I would like to see Roy Williams and his boys return Carolina to prominence. I know Roy as he used to bring his Kansas team to Hawaii every year to play in pre- season tournaments and he is a great coach and a true gentleman. It would be a particularly sweet victory as it would be very hard for those goodie, goodies from Duke to swallow Carolina’s success.”

Thomas Welch
Assistant food & beverage manager
The Dai-Ichi Hotel Saipan Beach

“North Carolina and Illinois State will advance. Maybe North Carolina all the way because they’re more composed and aggressive on defense and good offensive crew. That’s how I feel but it all come to who play the best and who gets the break on the right place and time. Basketball is a game of physical strength and discipline and play as a team as well. Whoever plays good defense will get the offense going, that’s the way I see it.”

Ricky Itaas
General manager
Mid-Pac Micronesia

“I just think North Carolina is going to take it all the way. Since they made it to the Sweet 16, and when Duke got eliminated, I believed they were going all the way. They’re going to play Louisville. Illinois is going to experience an upset.”
James Lee

Marketing manager
SaipanCell

“I’ve been hearing about Illinois for the whole year so I am going with the Fighting Illini. For sentimental purposes, I would go foe the University of North Carolina—with Roy Williams looking for his first title, and that being Michael Jordan’s alma mater, but Illinois has been getting a lot of press. I like Louisville because of Rick Pitino too, but I don’t know if they are for real.”

John Blanco
Commonwealth Football League commissioner

“I am going for North Carolina. I just know that they come from a competitive place. Michael Jordan went there, what else do I have to say. I was going to go with Michigan State because our boys went to Taylor, but UNC really stands out from the pack.”

Joe Salas
Saipan Little League Baseball Association president

“It’s tough. I keep leaning toward North Carolina to win it all, but I see Louisville and the Tar Heels making it to the finals. The Illini should have an easier game than Louisville, with the game only a few hours from Champagne, IL. I’d love to see Louisville do it too, but I wouldn’t bet on it.”

Jay Worrall
Superior Court judicial clerk

“I preface this with the fact that I have never won a NCAA bracket pool, but here is my 2 cents worth.

First I think this is the most balanced final four I have ever seen, all four teams are a pick’em in my eyes.

But a breakdown as I see it first.

MSU is a very physical team with the ability to make great runs, team defense is great, however, if their shooters get cold they are out of it early. Tom Izzo has been very successful in getting his teams to the final four in the last four years but I don’t think this is his year to win it all.

North Carolina: Starts with Roy Williams. Is this his year? Hmmm… defense wins championships and although NC may have the most talented team on the floor, they don’t always play the best defense.

Louisville: my sentimental favorite, I have always liked the cardinalsCdating back to the Denny Crum years. I think Rick Patino may be the best tournament coach of the four coaches. They have a suffocating defense, and have all five starters averaging in double figures, so the balance on offense means they will not be relying on just one or two shooters.

Illinois: Like everyone else I have watched them win game after game, saying,”How did they win this game?” The Illini seems to struggle game after game but somehow find a way to win. I think Illinois has the best balance on both offence and defensive side of the game.

All that being said here are my picks.

MSU vs. NC: As previous stated I think defenses win championships, and NC doesn’t impress me on that side of the ball, so I take the coaching and motivation of Tom Izzo to be the deciding factor here. MSU over NC.

Louisville vs. Illinois: this really should be the final game as I think this will be the most exciting game due to great defenses in a low-scoring battle. I know Illinois has the best record in the nation, however Louisville has won 13 straight and 21 of their last 22. IE: the hottest team in the tourney. “Ride the hot team” Illinois’s struggling wins end here.

So in the Finals it would be MSU vs. Louisville. OK, OK I maybe going with my heart here, but Louisville is the hottest team, has five starters in double figures, and a great defense, not to mention the tourney’s most seasoned coach. My pick is Louisville in a double overtime buzzer beater from O’Bannon.

Take it for what it’s worth, but it hasn’t won me a dime yet.”

Michael Stewart
Saipan Swim Club coach

“All the teams have their strengths that’s why they made it this far, but I think Illinois and North Carolina will win and advance. The Tar Heels will then win another championship.”

Lito Cantos
Gilbert C. Ada Gym
maintenance

“I’m not really a college basketball fan, but from what I’ve been reading on the paper throughout the season, I think Michigan St. and Illinois will win and go to the championship game, then Illinois will beat Michigan St.

Illinois is No. 1 and I think they are going to take it all.”

Joe Mettao
Coordinator
Island Wide Volleyball League

(Mark Rabago, Shan Seman, and Brad E. Ruszala)