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Before ACC tournament, Jim Larranaga hopes Miami can learn from his run at George Mason Before ACC tournament, Jim Larranaga hopes Miami can learn from his run at George Mason
(about 5 hours later)
Jim Larranaga stood Monday afternoon at center court of EagleBank Arena surrounded by his players, the exact spot he had occupied so many times before, back when the place wasn’t called EagleBank Arena and his players wore the green and gold of George Mason. He instructed his Miami Hurricanes to look into the rafters at the white 2006 Final Four banner, the memorial to the moment that defined Larranaga’s 14 years in Fairfax.Jim Larranaga stood Monday afternoon at center court of EagleBank Arena surrounded by his players, the exact spot he had occupied so many times before, back when the place wasn’t called EagleBank Arena and his players wore the green and gold of George Mason. He instructed his Miami Hurricanes to look into the rafters at the white 2006 Final Four banner, the memorial to the moment that defined Larranaga’s 14 years in Fairfax.
Larranaga informed his team about “the sacrifices and the joy that surrounded that team.” He told them how their tallest player, Will Thomas, stood 6-foot-7 and they still beat three former national champions. He used it as proof that anything can happen in college basketball in March. “It’s motivation to see that banner up there,” Miami’s leading scorer Sheldon McClellan said. Larranaga informed his team about “the sacrifices and the joy that surrounded that team.” He told them how their tallest player, Will Thomas, stood 6 feet 7 and they still beat three former national champions. He used it as proof that anything can happen in college basketball in March. “It’s motivation to see that banner up there,” Miami’s leading scorer Sheldon McClellan said.
[Mason Madness: Inside the most unlikely run in NCAA tournament history][Mason Madness: Inside the most unlikely run in NCAA tournament history]
Larranaga brought the No. 11 Hurricanes to Fairfax to practice in advance of this week’s ACC tournament at Verizon Center, which begins Tuesday with two preliminary games starting at noon. Miami (24-6, 13-5 ACC) will not play until Thursday, having earned a bye through the first two days by virtue of its third-place finish in the regular season.Larranaga brought the No. 11 Hurricanes to Fairfax to practice in advance of this week’s ACC tournament at Verizon Center, which begins Tuesday with two preliminary games starting at noon. Miami (24-6, 13-5 ACC) will not play until Thursday, having earned a bye through the first two days by virtue of its third-place finish in the regular season.
The trip happened for practical purposes. Miami ended the regular season Sunday at Virginia Tech, and rather than return to Miami just to fly back to Washington, the Hurricanes used Larranaga’s old stomping grounds as their temporary headquarters. Larranaga said he planned the excursion in August. It also caused a wave of nostalgia for Larranaga and assistants Chris Caputo and James Johnson, who also served on his staff at George Mason. The trip happened for practical purposes. Miami ended the regular season Saturday at Virginia Tech, and rather than return to Miami just to fly back to Washington, the Hurricanes used Larranaga’s old stomping grounds as their temporary headquarters. Larranaga said he planned the excursion in August. It also caused a wave of nostalgia for Larranaga and assistants Chris Caputo and James Johnson, who also served on his staff at George Mason.
They took the team to dinner Sunday night at Brion’s Grille, owned by Larranaga’s close friend and longtime Mason supporter Brion Sumser. Monday before practice, they toured the Johnson Center and walked to the campus library to look at the new display choked with memorabilia honoring the 2006 Final Four team.They took the team to dinner Sunday night at Brion’s Grille, owned by Larranaga’s close friend and longtime Mason supporter Brion Sumser. Monday before practice, they toured the Johnson Center and walked to the campus library to look at the new display choked with memorabilia honoring the 2006 Final Four team.
“It reminded me of A Football Life with Bill Belichick when he’s walking around Giants Stadium, you know?” Caputo said. “ ‘I was on that treadmill for so many hours watching film.’ ” “It reminded me of ‘A Football Life’ with Bill Belichick when he’s walking around Giants Stadium, you know?” Caputo said. “ ‘I was on that treadmill for so many hours watching film.’ ”
Junior guard Davon Reed remarked to Caputo that the size of the arena surprised him. Caputo told him Mason had actually sold out the building for the final three games he and Larranaga coached there. Reed said they must have added seats since then; Caputo told him proudly they had not.Junior guard Davon Reed remarked to Caputo that the size of the arena surprised him. Caputo told him Mason had actually sold out the building for the final three games he and Larranaga coached there. Reed said they must have added seats since then; Caputo told him proudly they had not.
As Larranaga watched practice from the sideline, he kept thinking how often he had sat in that same seat. When he stood in a circle with his team, he realized he had stood in the same spot for 14 years. Everything looked the same, except the Atlantic 10 logo on the court where it used to say CAA.As Larranaga watched practice from the sideline, he kept thinking how often he had sat in that same seat. When he stood in a circle with his team, he realized he had stood in the same spot for 14 years. Everything looked the same, except the Atlantic 10 logo on the court where it used to say CAA.
After practice, Larranaga walked from the court to a conference room down the corridor to meet with reporters. “Is this where they do press conferences now?” Larranaga asked. “They changed it.” He pointed to a replica of the 2006 Final Four court hanging on the wall and scanned the rest of the room. “No pictures of me anymore, though!” he said. “How quickly they forget!”After practice, Larranaga walked from the court to a conference room down the corridor to meet with reporters. “Is this where they do press conferences now?” Larranaga asked. “They changed it.” He pointed to a replica of the 2006 Final Four court hanging on the wall and scanned the rest of the room. “No pictures of me anymore, though!” he said. “How quickly they forget!”
Larranaga planned to practice at George Mason again Wednesday before moving Miami to Washington, where the tournament should be wide open. Virginia and North Carolina could each earn a No. 1 NCAA tournament seed. Duke finished 11-7 in conference, but the Blue Devils’ explosive offense makes them a threat. Notre Dame has emerged as a tough out. Miami has been ranked in the top 15 for months and has as much experience as any team in the league. Virginia Tech has won four straight. Even North Carolina State, the 12th seed and relegated to Tuesday afternoon, will be dangerous thanks to first-team all-ACC guard Cat Barber. Larranaga planned to practice at George Mason again Wednesday before moving Miami to Washington, where the tournament should be wide open. Virginia and North Carolina could each earn a No. 1 NCAA tournament seed. Duke finished 11-7 in conference play, but the Blue Devils’ explosive offense makes them a threat. Notre Dame has emerged as a tough out. Miami has been ranked in the top 15 for months and has as much experience as any team in the league. Virginia Tech has won five straight. Even North Carolina State, the 12th seed and relegated to Tuesday afternoon, will be dangerous thanks to first-team all-ACC guard Cat Barber.
[Virginia’s senior aim to burnish their legacy in tournament play][Virginia’s senior aim to burnish their legacy in tournament play]
“Having coached against those teams from Jan. 2 until this past Saturday, there wasn’t a game we went to where we thought that our opponent wasn’t every bit as talented as we were,” Larranaga said. “It was who played better that day. And it’s going to be true this week. . . . We have eight or nine teams that are capable of winning the national championship.”“Having coached against those teams from Jan. 2 until this past Saturday, there wasn’t a game we went to where we thought that our opponent wasn’t every bit as talented as we were,” Larranaga said. “It was who played better that day. And it’s going to be true this week. . . . We have eight or nine teams that are capable of winning the national championship.”
On the 10-year anniversary of George Mason’s Final Four trip, Larranaga will lean on the experience to try and coax Miami deep into March. He plans on revisiting Mason’s 2006 run with Miami again after the ACC tournament and impart one specific lesson. On the 10-year anniversary of George Mason’s Final Four trip, Larranaga will lean on the experience to try to coax Miami deep into March. He plans on revisiting Mason’s 2006 run with Miami again after the ACC tournament and impart one specific lesson.
“It’s really not about winning,” Larranaga said. “It’s about enjoying playing. Because if you have fun playing, you play really hard, you play really well, the score takes care of yourself.” “It’s really not about winning,” Larranaga said. “It’s about enjoying playing. Because if you have fun playing, you play really hard, you play really well, the score takes care of itself.”
The players seem to be listening. They lingered on the court after practice and attempt to make shots from the first row of the stands, which is elevated from the court and about 40 feet from the hoop. When a portly manager drained a shot, he sprinted the length of the bleachers. Players chased him and screamed and filmed it on their phones. The players seem to be listening. They lingered on the court after practice and attempted to make shots from the first row of the stands, which is elevated from the court and about 40 feet from the hoop. When a portly manager drained a shot, he sprinted the length of the bleachers. Players chased him and screamed and filmed it on their phones.
Watching from the bench, Johnson laughed and said, “Our guys are going to have more fun than any team in this tournament.”Watching from the bench, Johnson laughed and said, “Our guys are going to have more fun than any team in this tournament.”
He knows from experience, the experience he had back in his George Mason years, how valuable that can be.He knows from experience, the experience he had back in his George Mason years, how valuable that can be.