Tide wins thanks to precise planning

Sporting News, The, Dec 31, 2001 by Mike DeCourcy

The remote is in Mark Gottfried's hand. This is the head coach's privilege. If the Alabama Crimson Tide loses to Temple this evening, the defeat will go on his permanent record. So he gets control of the television.

Of all the games Gottfried and his staff plan for this season, none will be as extraordinary as the Tide's game against Temple in the Jimmy V Classic. Competing against the Owls will be unlike anything Alabama faces in the Southeastern Conference, unlike just about any other game that could be scheduled.

"They do make you play different," Gottfried says.

If Alabama's players get nothing else from playing Temple, they can leave with an appreciation of the value of detailed game preparation. Through watching videotapes and talking with coaching colleagues, the Tide's staff identifies four significant areas that require proper management. By the end of the night, every one is a factor in constructing their team's 70-67 victory.

"We won. That's the main thing we had to do," says Tide freshman guard Maurice Williams. "We followed the game plan and got the win. That's the goal."

Getting ready for Temple's differences is different than it used to be. The Owls' peculiarity no longer is limited to their notorious matchup-zone defense. That has been the trademark in John Chaney's career, but now his offense demands an equal amount of attention. Now, teams must worry about point guard Lynn Greer.

Greer's dominance of the ball and the magical things he does with it make Temple unusual not just on defense. This is something the Alabama coaches know well by the time they gather in Gottfried's hotel suite the morning of the game to compile a final list of keys to the game. This will be presented to the players during a short post-breakfast film session and the shootaround that follows.

As a tape of Temple's game against Maryland in early November spins through the VCR, Gottfried and assistants T.R. Dunn, Orlando Early and Philip Pearson try to concentrate on the best means of attacking the matchup zone.

Gottfried notes Maryland's players were not seduced into firing every open 3-pointer they encountered. After seeing a deflected pass, Early mentions that his former boss, Charlotte coach Bobby Lutz, told him the Owls do a great job of getting their hands in passing lanes.

While they watch, though, the Alabama coaches find their attention snapping toward defensive strategy. Greer makes so many exceptional plays, Gottfried is compelled to declare, "He's fun to watch, fellas."

"I'm going to remind you about that at the second TV timeout," Pearson says.

Gottfried becomes convinced his team can't allow Temple to assert total control over the game's tempo. He does not expect to make this a run-and-gun affair, but he would like to have some say in how the game is played. That heads the list of items the players are asked to address against the Owls:

* Attack after missed shots. Gottfried does not want to face the full Temple defense too often, which means getting the ball off the boards and generating a transition game. "Our defense is going to be the key to our offense," he says. "If we're digging the ball out of the net every time, it could be a long night."

Result: Temple is held to 35.4 percent shooting. The Owls find so little operating room that more than half of their attempts come from 3-point range. The abundance of long rebounds allows Alabama guards Terrance Meade, Earnest Shelton and Williams to combine for 17 boards and frequently get Temple on the run.

* Get the ball inside. Gottfried doesn't want to settle only for open 3-pointers. When Temple deploys its 1-3-1, he wants to attack from behind the zone and get the ball to big men Erwin Dudley and Kenny Walker.

Result: Eight of the first 16 points are generated inside, and Walker has 9 at the half. That softens the perimeter for Meade, whose two 3-pointers help create a 3-point halftime lead.

* Keep Greer from the middle of the floor. That's where he will try to go whether he receives the ball on the left or the right. Several players are to rotate the responsibility of defending Greer, but Dunn tells the rest they must keep track of Greer.

Result: Williams drives Greer to the sideline much of the game. With 2:35 left--before Alabama panics a bit against a frantic Temple press--Greer has 12 points. That he finishes with 23, only 4 below his average, makes the last couple of minutes frightening but does not change the result.

* Double-team Greer off high screens. When a Temple post player sets a pick on the perimeter for Greer, the Alabama big man must step out and double-team him.

Result: This aids in keeping Greer contained and, on the game's decisive play, helps Williams execute a game-clinching steal. Dudley and Williams trap Greer, and Williams knocks loose the ball.

With his team almost desperate for a win, Chaney tries not to be stubborn. With Alabama attacking the zone effectively enough to build a 9-point lead, he orders the Owls into a man-to-man defense.

"I was shocked," Gottfried says. "That was kind of a moral victory."