When Sports Were Played: Amazing rally sent Cal to regional final in 2008
As we cap another Comeback Week in “When Sports Were Played,” we go back to March 16, 2008, when the California University men’s basketball team overcame a 16-point deficit in the second half of an NCAA Division II tournament game to beat Alderson-Broaddus.
CALIFORNIA – With 13 minutes remaining in the second half, and trailing by 16 points, the California University basketball team’s season was on the verge of ruin.
California was the top seed and host team in the NCAA Division II East Regional, but the Vulcans trailed No. 4 seed Alderson-Broaddus, 51-35, in the semifinals Sunday night and had no answer for the long-range shooting of the Battlers’ Sam Liggins. The 3,200 fans at Hamer Hall were silent.
“We had the fans sitting on their hands,” said Alderson-Broaddus coach Greg Zimmerman.
The Vulcans were a desperate group at that point. It was time to make a stand – more specifically, several defensive stands – before time ran out and their national championship hopes disappeared.
In an amazing display of determination, defense and heart, California overcame the deficit, using their most impressive 13 minutes of basketball of the season to stun the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion Battlers, 72-67.
It was the 12th win all-time in NCAA tournament play for California, and easily the most unlikely.
“Nobody said it was going to be easy,” said a relieved California coach Bill Brown. “The guys kept believing. I have seniors who realize the next loss is it for them.”
Now, the team that wouldn’t quit gets to play another round. California (27-5) will host PSAC rival Millersville (22-9) Tuesday in the region final. Tipoff is 7 p.m. The winner advances to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in Springfield, Mass. March 26.
Millersville defeated Pitt-Johnstown, 81-73, in the other semifinal.
Alderson-Broaddus forged the 16-point lead on its perimeter shooting and offensive rebounding. The Battlers led 30-26 at halftime and Liggins, a 5-10 guard who did not score in a first-round win over Cheyney, made four three-pointers early in the second half.
“We were a little too laid back. We came out sluggish in the second half,” said Cal’s Ron Banks, who led the Vulcans with 19 points. “We let them shoot from wherever they wanted and they were knocking ’em down.”
California got back in the game with a 14-2 run to close to within 56-52 after a dunk by Julian Logan at the end of a fast-break.
“We started making stops,” Brown said. “We got aggressive on the defensive end and got some easy baskets.”
With momentum clearly on their side and the crowd now in a frenzy, California continued to chip away at the A-B lead. A three-pointer by Theron Colao cut the Battlers’ advantage to 60-58 with 4:46 to play.
“After we had the 16-point lead, we had two really bad possessions,” Zimmerman said. “We took bad shots and didn’t get back on defense. That led to easy baskets and they got back to within 12. We never got in the flow the rest of the night.”
Less than a minute later, the Vulcans’ Ali Mabye made the first of two free throws, making it 63-61, but missed the second. Cal’s James Hairston, however, grabbed the rebound, leading to two more free throws by Mbaye that tied the score at 63-63.
Cal then completed the comeback when Banks, a rugged low-post player, converted a three-point play that put the Vulcans on top, 66-63, with 2:32 to play.
California even managed to pull away at the end, stretching its advantage to 72-64.
California ended the game with a 34-13 run.
“Considering what was at stake, and it being the NCAA tournament, that was the most amazing comeback I’ve ever seen,” said Hairston.
For Alderson-Broaddus (26-7), it was a painful reminder of its loss in the regional semifinals two years ago, when the Battlers squandered a 17-point lead and lost to Barton, N.C.
“That’s two out of three years we didn’t close it out,” Zimmerman said. “That’s the advantage of hosting – the crowd, the momentum. We knew they were going to make a run. Even with a 16-point lead, I knew it wasn’t over.”
A-B made only four field goals over the final 13 minutes, the last being a meaningless three-pointer by Stan Hall with four seconds left. The Battlers also were self-destructive at the free-throw line, going 6-for-14 in the second half.
Mbaye scored 16 points and Colao came off the bench to score 10. Hall had a game-high 20 for A-B, and Liggins and Jimmy Williams had 19 each.
“When we fell behind by 16 points, it became a matter of pride for us. We didn’t want anyone celebrating on our court,” said Cal guard Kenny Johnson. “There was nothing Coach could say to us. It was just a matter of us showing some pride in ourselves and start playing.”