Sunday morning feel good story

[frogcycle]

Let me start out by acknowledging that I am a Tennessee Volunteer supporter. I like the Vols and everything they stand for.I think they are by far the most deserving of the SEC championship.

Their policies, their work ethic, and their experience make them by far the best team for the position.

For those completely unfamiliar with college basketball, the conference championship is determined by a series of preliminary contests leading up to a final one between the last two contenders. These are hard-fought contests; emotions run high, and sometimes things are said that might be regretted later.

Yesterday one of those preliminary contests pitted Tennessee against the Arkansas Razorbacks. While Arkansas has a good team with a lot of talent, their 22-9 record was less impressive than Tennessee's 29-3, and Tennessee had beaten them by 22 points in the regular season.

The game was tight throughout, with several lead changes. There was one point halfway through the second half when Tennessee opened up a nine-point lead, but it quickly closed and the score remained within three points one way or the other for the rest of the game. Tennessee hit a shot to go ahead 91-90 with eleven seconds left.

Steven Hill is a seven-foot senior from Branson, Mo.
He is not a regular starter. He averaged 16 minutes (out of 40) per game, and just over four point. He is noted for defense, was the SEC defensive player of the year last year. But he generally does not take shots; he blocks shots. He played a total of ten minutes in this game, and took two shots. He was in the game for his defense, to try to prevent the score Tn. had just made and keep the lead Ark. had had. There was no chance to swap him out for a shooter in those final seconds. The other four were the ones expected to run the floor, get open, get off a miracle shot. Tennessee pressed and had them all tied up.
http://utsports.com/basketball/article.aspx?id=54418

Trying to create something off the dribble, Gary Ervin nearly slipped to ruin Arkansas' final chance. But the guard kept his footing and worked the ball inside to Hill, a bearded, 7-foot senior who had missed his lone shot of the game. Working down low, he caught the pass along the baseline, calmly turned and sank the winning basket from about 6 feet over Wayne Chism.

"I obviously did not expect to take that shot," Hill said. "Or any other shot that late in the game. They gave it to me and time was running out, so I kind of threw it up there and put it in."
Tennessee rushed the ball upcourt and put it in the hands of its most reliable player. Chris Lofton, who hit a 3-pointer with 11.4 seconds left to beat South Carolina in the quarterfinals, had another shot from just inside the arc. This time, it rimmed out.

"It was a perfect setting," Lofton said. "It just didn't work out for me."

Most of the Arkansas players jumped around wildly and pumped their fists to celebrate. Hill calmly walked toward the bench, not even smiling until he was mobbed by his teammates.

"It was just the best greeting I could have imagined," Hill said. "They were jumping all over me. It was impressive, the kind of emotion they put forth. It was very special."

http://www.utsports.com/basketball/article.aspx?id=54430

In the postgame interview, the reporter seemed to be trying to make a human interest story out of the play, but Hill wasn't having it:

Q. Steven, did you expect to take that shot, and how difficult was it getting it over Chism?

STEVEN HILL: I obviously did not expect to take that shot or any other shot that late in the game (laughter). They gave it to me and time was running out, so I kind of threw it up there and put it in.

Q. Steven, on that front, is that a shot you practice a lot, though, in practice? I mean, that one shot in particular, the turnover?

STEVEN HILL: You know, not really, maybe in horse for fun or something like that, but that's not really my go to move. But it went in, like I said, so I can't complain.

Tennessee's coach, Bruce Pearl was asked about that particular play:

Q. Just how shocked are you that Hill hit that shot? He's not known for offense at all?

COACH PEARL: Is he a senior?

Q. Yes.

COACH PEARL: It's wonderful. It's a wonderful thing for him to get that ball and make that shot and have them advance. He's a great defensive player, and I think as a senior it's great.

Bruce Pearl is a class act. I want him to run for president.


And congratulations also to the Georgia Bulldogs, who had a miserable season but won not one but TWO upsets yesterday (schedule adjusted due to tornado) to get to the championship game today. I want them both to win.