"I Think You'll Find These Are The Exact Same Measurements At Our Gym Back In Hickory"

TigerBlog was sitting with Zach Martini in Jadwin Gym during Monday's media session for the Princeton men's basketball team when he learned something extraordinary.

TB asked Martini about the experience of being at the tournament last weekend in Sacramento, and he said this:

“I looked around the arena, and my legs were shaking. I didn’t have much control for about 10 seconds. After that, it was a basketball game. It might not have been Jadwin, but it was just another basketball game.”

From that point, this is where the conversation went:

TB: That's like the scene from "Hoosiers."
ZM: I've never seen it.
TB: (with a look of incredulity) You've never seen "Hoosiers?" How is that possible?

Indeed, how is that possible. How can a college basketball player not have seen "Hoosiers?" Is TB that old?

By the way, TB doesn't have to tell you which scene he meant, but if you need a refresher, it's this one.

TigerBlog was speaking with Martini to do a feature on him and another Princeton big man, Keeshawn Kellman. Both were outstanding last week, especially against the size of the Arizona big men.

The two of them spent a great deal of time during the Covid year as workout partners. Actually, you can make that "early morning workout partners." From there, they've become extremely close. 

You can read the feature story HERE.

The two big men and the rest of the Princeton travel party rolled out of the circle by Caldwell Field House around 1 yesterday afternoon, heading to Philadelphia Airport for a charter flight to Louisville. That's where the Tigers will take on Creighton in the NCAA Sweet 16 tomorrow night, with tip-off from the KFC Yum! Center at 9 pm.

It was a huge celebration of a send-off for Princeton. There was a large crowd gathered in front of Caldwell, and as with everything else the team has done the last week, there were television cameras to capture it all.

TB's favorite sign was one held up by members of the band that read "Cinderella Is A Jersey Girl." Now that's genius. 

There were claps and cheers and chants of "Let's Go Tigers. Let's Go Tigers." It was a pretty special moment. It was easy to see that the players were loving it. And why not? They've definitely earned all of this. 

At approximately the same time, but 1,250 miles to the west, Creighton was having a similarly festive send off, though TB isn't sure if Creighton's had free pizza, like Princeton's did. This is what happens when there are only 16 teams that remain in the men's basketball tournament. 

The KFC Yum! Center, by the way, is 702 miles from Jadwin Gym and 690 miles from Creighton's home arena, the CHI Health Center. That's about as neutral a site as you can get.

The NCAA tournament routine is the same for each of its three weekends. There is the travel day. Then the next day, today, would be for media availability, a one-hour walkthrough in the arena and then another gym somewhere for a real practice. The next day is Game Day.

The scene from "Hoosiers" is more than just a classic moment from a classic movie (that Martini needs to see immediately). There's a lot to be learned from that bit of coaching genius.

It is the same 10 feet to the rim as Jadwin. It is the same 15 feet to the foul line. All the dimensions are the same. 

There are multiple challenges here. You have to be ready for all of the attention, and has Princeton ever gotten the attention. Then you have to be able to switch off from the "this is an incredible experience" part to the "we're here to win a basketball game" part. 

First and foremost, you need to believe you can do it. If you don't start with that, then you have no chance. 

Then you have to figure out how. Then you have to go do it.

This Princeton team did just that a week ago in California. Now it's the same task in Louisville. 

TB's advice to the Tigers? 

Give it everything you have. Cherish the experience. 

Actually, that's what he emailed Martini when he sent him the clip from "Hoosiers."