Mike Gminski's Blog

This weekend is always very special for me as it brings back incredible memories of my team’s trip to the Finals in St. Louis in 1978. A career game from Goose Givens lead Kentucky to the title that night, but the memories and bonds that were forged that year on my team exist to this day.That Duke made it to the Final Four this year only heightens those feelings as I know how this group is feeling as they chase a championship.

The best match-up may be the Duke- West Virginia. Coach K has done an amazing job with this team. They are a good team with great character, a huge reason for their success. Their core is still defense and their perimeter is outstanding, but the frontline has been a huge part of Duke’s success. Brian Zoubek has been healthy and has made a difference. He is a great screener and passer in the offense and has been a monster on the offensive glass. Lance Thomas is the heart and soul of the defense and the Plumlee brothers have given them great energy off the bench. The big 3- Scheyer, Singler and Smith- must all play at a high level for Duke to win this weekend.

Bob Huggins has done an outstanding job in bringing his alma mater back to national prominence. They reflect his persona on the floor, especially on the defensive end of the floor. Since the start of the Big East tournament, teams have averaged 55.9 ppg- just phenomenal! Devin Ebanks has developed into a lockdown defender while scoring 12ppg. The best big shot player in the Final Four is Da’Sean Butler. Look for him to have the ball if the game is on the line. Joe Mazzulla has done a great job taking over point guard responsibilities for injured Tank Bryant. How he handles Duke pressure will be a big key for the Mountaineers. Every possession will be hard fought and the first team to 60 may win this game!!

I’ll look at the Butler/Michigan St. matchup tomorrow!

It has been an incredibly hectic last couple of weeks for me during the most enjoyable time of the year- ACC and NCAA tournament play. I love having the ACC tournament in Greensboro. Having played in three straight championship games and winning two titles, it always brings back a lot of great memories for me. This year’s edition had a strange feel to it, the reason being Carolina’s sub-par year and first round exit from the tournament. They are the 800 pound gorilla as far as fan interest and passion goes and when they are gone, there is a different vibe to the event. That being said, all props to Duke and Coach K. They have now won 9 of the last 12 titles! That is an incredible run in this or any era. I just hope their fan base appreciates what he continues to accomplish in a Hall of Fame career.

After the tournament concluded, I drove home to watch the selection show on CBS and waited to hear my assignment for the weekend. The call came around 8:00pm and we were sent on our way to Spokane,Washington. Monday and Tuesday were spent prepping for my 8 teams in the region- Maryland,Houston,Michigan St., New Mexico St., Texas A&M,Utah St. Purdue and Siena.After 6 hours on the computer each day researching, it was off to Spokane. On Wednesday we bunkered down for a 6 hour production meeting, watching a little film of each team. Then, on Thursday, we went to the arena and watched all 8 teams practice.
Friday’s matchups all went chalk, with the higher seeds advancing in every game. This was the first time I have done four games in a row without a break. Believe it or not, it was easier to do that than having a break in between games 2 and 3. I was able to stay on form the whole time, rather than experiencing a let down and having to ramp my energy back up.
Sunday’s games were awesome. Maryland/Michigan St. was a classic. MSU really played well early and then held on despite a lot of adversity. It was a shame to see Kalin Lucas go down with an achilles injury. Delvon Roe was playing on one leg and Raymar Morgan lost a tooth. Despite all that, they held off a furious Maryland rally and won on Korie Lucious’ buzzer beater. I felt sorry for Greivis Vasquez, but what a magnificent career he has had at Maryland. Purdue then went into OT to beat Texas A&M. What a great coaching job Matt Painter has done with this team, despite losing Robbie Hummel. Chris Kramer is the most unique 6′3″ player I have seen. He is tough and defensive-minded, embodying what this team is all about. Duke will have a tough time with them in Houston.

It is hard to believe that it was 30 years ago that my Duke team won this title in 1980 against Maryland. A lot of great memories have come back being back here in Greensboro. I had the honor of playing in 3 straight title games, winning twice. Now I have the honor of calling the ACC Tournament for Raycom Sports.

What a stunning afternoon session today. Boston College has looked disjointed all year and was again today. Congrats to Tony Bennet and his first ACC tournament win! He did a great job holding his guys together. A terrific performance by Sammy Zeglinski- another in a long line of Polish success stories in the ACC!!

And yet another poor first round performance by Wake. They has several sub-par individual offensive performances and never could figure out Miami’s zone. This should help brighten up the spirits of Frank Haith and the Canes.Dino Gaudio might have some uneasy nights between now and selection Sunday.

What does this portend for the night session? The most intriguing game is the UNC/ G.Tech game. Tech must win this game to keep their tournament hopes alive. They did beat the Heels twice during the regular season, including a 17 point drubbing in Atlanta. Guard play will be critical so Udofia and Shumpert must be solid with the ball. It will be interesting to see if the Heels can muster any fight at all.

The last game, one I’m broadcasting, could be interesting. NC St. has played well down the stretch, winning 3 0f 4. They are using more sets and have been more patient. Javi Gonzalez and Farnold Degand must play well against Clemson’s press. The Tigers are a tired team and, therefore, must find some energy. A healthy and productive Demontez Stitt will be a huge key for Clemson. Let’s see if the upsets continue!!