Every year around this time the sports nation becomes as exciting as ever: the NHL and NBA regular seasons are winding down as the playoff picture becomes clearer; spring training begins in Major League Baseball and families prepare for afternoons at the ballpark; NASCAR is in full swing -- even the NFL is in the news with the upcoming draft. But with all of these to look forward to and more, March Madness and the NCAA tournament captivates everyone's attention. And for this year's Oklahoma Sooners, it can't get any more exciting than now.
From Controversy to Capel
Oklahoma has certainly come a long way from the Wayman Tisdale years in the 1980s, and their perennial appearances in the tournament in the 90s. Even though the holy grail of an NCAA national title has eluded them, this year seemed to bring a bit more promise, with the emergence of top candidate for Collegiate Player of the Year, Blake Griffin. But only a few years ago, having Oklahoma in the discussion for the national championship seemed like a pipe dream. In 2006, the athletic department narrowly escaped the controversy between the league and its recently departed head coach Kelvin Sampson, who was being investigated for ethics violations concerning recruitment of players. This finding prompted a three-year investigation into recruitment violations by the school itself, and saw three of their top recruits leaving to play at other colleges, dashing any hopes of the team competing for titles. The Sooners hadn't missed a postseason run for 12 years before the 2006 season, but with the school cleared of any wrongdoing, Oklahoma refocused their attention to basketball, hiring Jeff Capel as head coach that same year.
The Dominance of Blake
The Sooners recruited Griffin that next year, and they haven't looked back. This season, they coasted through their first 13 games, winning the first twelve before succumbing to Arkansas in their final game of 2008. The new year brought new prosperity, running off another 13-game win streak and solidifying themselves as odds-on favorites for the Big 12 Championship, staying atop the Top 25 rankings in the nation. Griffin was an unstoppable force every game as a sophomore, averaging 22.7 points a game, including a Valentine's Day tour de force against Texas Tech. Things looked like they couldn't get any better for the Sooners-- until the unexpected occurred.
Coming off that victory, Oklahoma was in for a test as conference rival Texas hosted the Sooners on February 21. Ten minutes into the contest, Griffin received an inadvertent hand to the face by Longhorns center Dexter Pittman, literally knocking him out of the contest. The Sooners lost that contest 73-68. MRI results indicated Griffin suffered from a concussion, and wasn't cleared to play in their next game against Kansas. Griffin's absence showed, as their narrow escape versus the Jayhawks was uncharacteristic of their dominant victories to date. The absence was short-lived, however, as Griffin was cleared for their next game at Texas Tech.
Big 12 Tournament and Beyond
The Sooners rolled on, winning two of their last three games, headed for the Big 12 Tournament. Although they came up short on the title, losing in the semifinal round to Oklahoma State, they knew where they were headed: the NCAA tournament, securing the #2 seed in the South region. Griffin also recieved personal accolades, becoming the Big 12 Conference Player of the Year. Though staggering into the tournament, they were the early favorites to advance to the Final Four. Their first two victories between Morgan State and Michigan were textbook, with Griffin leading the way every time with 28 and 33 points respectively. They punched their ticket to the Sweet 16 and a matchup with the Syracuse Orange. Griffin led the way once again, scoring 30 points and grabbing 14 rebounds as the Sooners win 84-71, earning the opportunity to stake their claim in the South region against the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Another dominating game by Griffin, however, wasn't enough for the Sooners to climb the ladder and cut down the nets to another Final Four appearance, as the Heels outplayed Oklahoma en route to a 72-60 victory. As Griffin seemed to be the only player on the team to show any offensive prowess, scoring 23 points and corralling 16 boards. The only other Sooner to score in double digits was freshman guard Willie Warren with 18. This loss marks the seventh consecutive year the Sooners fail to reach the Final Four, where they lost to the Indiana Hoosiers in 2002.
Professional or Sooner Future
As the season comes to an abrupt close, the Oklahoma Sooners have very little to be ashamed of. They have a solid chance of returning to the tournament in 2010 and making another run at the title. But they may be doing so without their top player in Griffin who, according to many reports, is projected to forgo his junior season and enter the NBA draft. If he decides to jump to the pros, experts at reputable publications like Sports Illustrated are calling him a lock for the #1 pick. Nonetheless, the Sooners are looking forward to their next season with high hopes for success.
Editor's Note: Recently awarded the Naismith College Player of the Year trophy, Blake Griffin decided on Aoril 7 to forgo his final two years at Oklahoma and enter the 2009 NBA Draft.
Omar Bobb-Semple - Omar Bobb-Semple has made Los Angeles, CA his home for the last five years. This New York City native sought fame and fortune, but instead ...
Join the Conversation