Men's Cagers to Close Out Disappointing Season

As a senior, Duke's Christian Laettner topped of one of the finest collegiate careers ever by helping the Blue Devils win the NCAA men's basketball championship. The title was Duke's second straight, and, incredibly, Laettner led his team to the final four in all four of his years.

As the Harvard men's basketball team enters its final weekend of the year, it appears that there is little chance for a Laettner to emerge. After all, the Crimson (4-20 overall, 2-10 Ivy) are mired in second to last place in the Ivies and have lost 17 of its last 18 games.

What this all means for Harvard's six senior players--captain guard Jared Leake, center Kevin Fricka, center/forward Paul Kubiak, guard Dan Morris, forward Fred Scott (who is injured and will not play), and guard James White--is that they won't be cutting down any nets regardless of the outcomes of the games versus Cornell (9-15, 4-8) tonight and Columbia (4-20,1-11) tomorrow night.

Fortunately, however, both games will be played at home in the Briggs Athletic Center, giving both the seniors and non-seniors added motivation to play a final sweet tune. And that type of note is sorely needed at the end of one of the most heart-wrenching and bizarre seasons in Crimson memory.

While players like Laettner seemingly lose any rewards in the world to come by magically sinking shots in clutch situations (see versus UConn in the 1991 tournament and versus Kentucky in 1992 said venue), Harvard players have not had to make such Faustian bargains this year.

Just the opposite--the Crimson has almost magically lost close game after close game in which it has led late. Moreover, these losses were not the result of any fundamental breakdowns: rather, they emanated from a cold spell here and an unlucky bounce there. (In 11 of its losses, Harvard has either led with under 10 minutes to play or been ahead or tied at half-time.)

Filling out this story is Harvard's statistical virtue--the team holds many statistical edges over its opponents, including better rebounding (34.6 boards a game versus opponents' 34.5), more steals (237 compared to 190), more field goals made (596 against 587)and more three pointers made (69 opposed to 63).

Add to this sinister brew the loss of junior forward Darren Rankin (last year's leading scorer and second leading Scorer and second leading rebounder) for the last half of the year due to a back injury--a problem that also left him at much less than full speed in the first half of the year--and a sad tale becomes almost as tragic as sports can get.

Fortuitously, Cornell and Columbia are not the class of the Ivies. The Lions are the only team behind the Crimson in the Ivies, and the Big Red are only team behind the Crimson in the Ivies, and the Bog Red are only a Bill Bradley away from being a contender. Harvard is more talented than its two upcoming foes, and the Crimson, as has been the case, is guardedly confident going in.

"We just have to play hard and leave it on the floor," sophomore guard David Demian, who has played well since being installed as a starter six games ago (average over 12 points a game in the span), said. "We want to have to regrets."

Demian and other players stressed both the senior and pride factors as animating the team's spirit heading into the final two games of the year.

"It's been a very frustrating year," Demian said, "And we want our last taste to be positive, especially for the seniors. Although the games mean nothing but pride, we've been practicing well."

"We'd like to go out on a high note," senior Kubiak said. "I'd say as a senior, these games are more meaningful."

Sophomore forward Kyle Snowden, the team's leading scorer and rebounder at 13.4 and 7.5 per contest, respectively, emphasized that although Harvard is taking nothing for granted, the players feel that can emerge victorious.

"We have to make sure we control the tempo," Snowden said. "We have to come out more intense than them, and we have to do all we can not to beat ourselves."

Implicit in Snowden's comments, and implicit in the team's attitude, is that Harvard is considerably better than its record indicates, and that it the team just stays its basic course and keeps working hard on the court, good things will happen. Of course, good things will happen. Of course, with only two games left, those good times must roll now, or be unrealized through the long and wistful summer.

"We feel that all year we've been good," Demian said, "But we come off as terrible (because of Harvard's record). We feel we're one of the best 4-20 teams ever, although all that matters... the final score."

As even the most disinterested fans know, Demian is correct--all that matters is the final score, But, unlike Laettner and his ilk, at least the Harvard players have built solid off-court reputations. If that matters.