Memorable March Madness

Now that March has arrived, it’s time to get ready for the basketball “madness” that makes this time of the year so special. From “Cinderella stories” and underdogs to “buzzer beaters” and clutch free-throws, we all love seeing the bench players locking arms and pulling for their teammates. The NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament is one of my favorite sporting events of the year. A team must win six straight “sudden death” games in order to capture the championship. The tournament can thrill your soul one moment and tear your heart out the next. What other sporting event can provide that kind of drama? Let me ask you, “What is your most memorable moment from past tournaments?”

I have so many memories of tournaments over the past 30 years that’s its difficult to select just one. However, if I was forced to, I would probably choose Bryce Drew’s buzzer beater shot in 1998 that defeated a heavily favored “Ole Miss” team and sent Valparaiso University on to the Sweet 16. Sure, there are other memories that are probably more significant in the history of the tournament, but this one stands out to me because of the father/son aspect. I remember seeing a photo in Sports Illustrated of the exact moment when Bryce was taking the shot. His father/coach, Homer Drew, was standing in the background, arms folded, calming watching the play develop. I can assure you that he wasn’t as calm after the shot went in. What a special moment for a father and son to share.

While I never experienced the same kind of situation that Homer and Bryce Drew shared, I did have the wonderful privilege of coaching my own son through four years of college. I have a lot of memories from those four years, but they are not just from what happened on the basketball court. We traveled from Anchorage, Alaska to Zambia, Africa playing basketball. Each trip provided the opportunity not just to play the game, but to share a message. The message was the gospel of Jesus Christ. Basketball opened many doors and gave us many shared experiences as father/coach and son. Whether it was in regular season competition, off-season mission trips, or summer basketball camps, we have great memories of serving the Lord together while enjoying the game of basketball.

Shortly after Bryce Drew’s dramatic shot we added the “Valpo” play to our “playbook” hoping that we might have an opportunity to use it sometime. Just two seasons ago, we had a game situation in which the play actually worked to perfection and we won a game with a “buzzer beater” shot. No, it wasn’t my son that made the shot, but the moment was still very special. It taught us that, “when the opportunity comes, it’s too late to prepare”. We were prepared. Thank you Bryce and Homer Drew.

As you prepare for this year’s edition of March Madness why not take the time to share with the rest of us why a specific memory of March Madness stands out to you. Just click the comment button below and help us get ready for the madness to come.