Thursday, March 29, 2001
[ AT THE FINAL FOUR ]
Hawaii’s Nash highly
impressed with Maryland’s
Williams, BaxterEditor's note: University of Hawaii basketball coaches Riley Wallace, Bob Nash and Scott Rigot are at the Final Four in Minneapolis this week. They have agreed to provide the Star-Bulletin with their insights from one of the biggest spectacles in all of sports.Nash, the Rainbows' associate head coach, left Honolulu Tuesday night, headed for his 14th Final Four.
Although he will be working on firming up Hawaii's schedule for next season while there, he said the event never gets old:
By Bob Nash
"It doesn't matter if you're a basketball fan or a coach. It's the most exciting time of the year.
"I don't really have a favorite to win.
"You know it's going to be good basketball regardless, because the national championship is on the line and the teams who make it had to survive a lot to get here.
"You only have to win two more games now, so it's anybody's to take.
"As far as individuals, the one kid I really think has done the most for his team is Lonny Baxter of Maryland.
"He's really elevated his entire team, and it's good to see (coach) Gary Williams in there for the first time. The man's been a master over the years, and it just shows how hard it is to get to the Final Four.
"A lot of great coaches never get there.
"It's not as easy as it may seem, and a great deal of luck is involved.
"Of course it helps having all those McDonald's All-Americans."