Last season college basketball was a nightmare. Covid made basketball on every level of play the worst we’ve ever seen. “I think the impact of covid really hurt college basketball. I know I definitely wanted to go to some games but couldn’t because of no fans, and it also made for a worse March Madness,” said Zion Hampton, a varsity basketball player. On the contrary, through the first three weeks of this NCAA season, there is potential for it to be one of the best seasons of all time.
Before indulging into what has happened so far, first we must define what a successful college basketball team is. Like all sports, in basketball there are different aspects that are each as important as the other. Hampton explained that “communication on the court, knowing how to talk, is the best thing about basketball.”
Several programs continue to be successful year after year. Kansas, Kentucky, UNC, and Duke are all a part of a group of teams called “The Blue Bloods” because of their recurring success.
Hampton’s favorite is “Duke but I’m really liking North Carolina and Florida State because Cam’Ron Fletcher and Caleb Love are from St. Louis.”
However, currently the top 25 have been battling night in and night out to be considered the best team in America. Drew Timme and Gonzaga sat at the number one spot for two weeks until being upset by Duke in a thriller. Purdue, being led by star sophomore Jaden Ivey, is likely to take the throne at the start of week four after a hot 9-1 start. Reigning champs, Baylor University, has also started off 9-0 and are showing signs of being a force in the latter half of the season. Other teams like UCLA, Alabama, and Arizona have all been playing great as well, but the players are a key area of interest this year for basketball fans.
Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren, and Emoni Bates are all names that seem like they have been in every sports headline since the season started.
Saying these freshmen have been putting up numbers for their team would be an understatement. Both Paolo and Emoni have been the number one guy in their team’s offense from the jump with Duke’s Banchero averaging 17.0 points per game, and Memphis’ Bates averaging 10.8 points per game. Chet and his counterpart Drew Timme have been an amazing duo for Gonzaga so far this season with Holmgren averaging 13.5 points per game along with 8.2 rebounds per game, and 3.9 blocks per game. “I expect Chet to come in and be the best freshman and end up the number one overall draft pick in the NBA,” Hampton said. These players are all names we’ll be hearing throughout the foreseeable future in the basketball world.
When thinking of college basketball, only one thing comes to mind. March Madness. March Madness is arguably one of the best and most riveting sports events of all time. The 64 team bracket creates a challenge for fans to create the highly sought after perfect bracket. March Madness has delivered some iconic moments over the years like Jordan Poole’s buzzer beater over Houston, Loyola Chicago’s miraculous cinderella run in 2018, and of course the classic Villanova 2016 buzzer beater to win the national championship, but when asked about a favorite moment Zion Hampton said “Jalen Suggs’ buzzer beater probably because it was very recent but still crazy.” One of the many great things college basketball presents is its priceless moments.
Although it is the beginning of the season, this year is promising more, electrifying plays, talented players, and timeless moments.