Hoosiers Part 2: Gordon Hayward and Company

I think we have all seen the classic sports movie “Hoosiers” (with the exception of my ignorant co-writer the Breeneback) about a small-town Indiana high school basketball team that wins the state championship. On the back of Jimmy Chitwood, Hickory High School is able to overcome overwhelming odds to beat a deeper and more athletic South Bend team. This movie is also the story of the Butler Bulldogs, who have proven time and time again this year that they are a better basketball team than the big schools with big money. Every day the Bulldogs walk into practice on the same court where Hoosiers was filmed, which is also a mere 6 miles away from where the Bulldogs will play their final four game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Fortunately, the Bulldogs also have their own Jimmy Chitwood in guard/forward Gordon Hayward, who has been so originally nicknamed baby faced assassin (pictured left).
Sure I knew Gordon Hayward was a good college basketball player when he was honored as the Horizon League Player of the Year this year, but until I watched him play against Syracuse and Kansas State, I didn’t understand just how good he really is. Hayward is arguably the most versatile player in college basketball this year and he has his father to thank for that. Both of Gordon’s parents are 5’9” so when he was growing up his father, believing that Gordon was destined to be short too, pushed his son to work on his guard skill set. To everyone’s surprise, Gordon actually grew to be 6’9” 207 pounds. So Gordon Hayward is a guard in the body of a power forward. How many power forwards can do this: (look at what he does at the 35 second mark)

These Hoosier teams are similar in their commitment to solid fundamental defense and just playing old school basketball. Having a dad who is a basketball coach who always preaches the old school style of basketball, I can’t help but appreciate what Butler does on the defensive end. The art of the box out is lost among most basketball teams across the country; now it is all about out jumping the guy on the other team. But Butler did a great job blocking out yesterday, enabling them to outrebound a bigger, more athletic Kansas State team 36-27. As for the man defense Butler runs the majority of the game, it is the best team defense I have seen all year. The Bulldogs are very disciplined and, as a result, have very few breakdowns and give up very few easy buckets.
As much as the Bulldogs have screwed my bracket over (I had UTEP upsetting them in the first round), they are my new favorite team in the tournament. Butler plays basketball the way it is supposed to be played, and the players have great (humble) attitudes that you never see anymore these days. Don’t be surprised if the Butler Bulldogs finish with a storybook ending and cut down the nets in Indy. Also, watch for Brad Stevens to continue to out coach whomever they face. He is only 33, but trust me, Brad Stevens has a very long, successful career ahead of him in basketball. Who knows, he may even draw up the “picket fence” to get Hayward an open shot to win a game.

-The Southern Gentleman