An experience at the Patriot League Semifinal game between Boston and Navy
College Basketball has over 350 teams at the Division I level, but there might not be a more unique atmosphere in college basketball than with the military schools. Navy recently hosted Boston University in the Patriot League Semifinal, where the winner of the tournament would punch their ticket to a guaranteed spot in the March Madness tournament. In the Patriot League format, the higher seed hosts the game. The Navy Midshipmen were the one-seed, so the game would be played at Alumni Hall in Annapolis, MD.
One unusual thing that you most likely won’t encounter at a normal college basketball game, is a random car search before entering the campus. In addition, you needed a military ID just to be able to attend the game. However, with those restrictions an 18-dollar ticket got you seats in the second row behind the basket by the Navy bench.
With an amazing view, it was really apparent how tall all of the players were, like Navy’s 6-11 center Aidan Kehoe. The arena was relatively small, with just a capacity of 5,700. Only the lower bowl had fans, but the arena still got extremely loud in key moments throughout the game. One downside to the arena was the speakers, as they went way overboard during breaks, with the music being deafening. With it being such a small arena, the food options were very limited. The choices were a hot dog, soft pretzel, or candy with fountain drinks. Not the best if you hoped to get a meal at the game.
On to the gameplay, a big thing that you get in person at a game rather than watching on TV, is the number of off-ball screens and movements in every half-court set for both sides to initiate the offense. Boston played a very modern, NBA-like game ran by their two star guards Michael McNair who played every minute, and Chance Gladden. The Terriers put up 24 three-point attempts throughout the game, sinking 11 for a 46% mark, including a 5-8 performance from McNair.
As for the Midshipmen, it was a polar opposite approach. The game was centered around floor general guard and conference player of the year Austin Benigni, and 6-11 Aidan Kehoe dominating the post. It was a back-and-forth match, with Boston leading 36-35 entering the half. Fortunately, Navy’s halftime adjustments were to let Kehoe dominate, and in the only way Boston could stop him was to foul, leading to their center fouling out late in the second. Navy would make runs, getting up 5 or 6, but every time it seemed like they would pull away, McNair or Gladden would nail a three on the other end.
The game was tied at 68 with just over a minute to play, when Austin Begnini drove into the post, but his layup was blocked. An offensive rebound by Cam Cole, a pass to Mike Woods, he misses the layup. But he grabs his own rebound and puts it back up to give Navy a 70-68 lead. 1:07 to play, Boston goes down the court, McNair takes a three, but misses, Navy with the rebound. On the other end, Navy runs the clock down under 20 seconds, where Begnini takes a tough layup, but can’t convert. Boston have to hurry, and
Chance Gladden makes a mid-ranger with eight seconds on the clock.
Timeout from Navy. It’s a nervous moment inside Alumni Hall. Begnini gets the ball off the inbound, he drives down the floor, takes another layup but his time, it goes down. With three seconds left, Alumni Hall goes into a frenzy, Navy is up by two. Boston is out of timeouts, so they have to go immediately. Gladden gets the ball, takes a few dribbles, puts up a 40-footer for the win…good. A silence across the arena, just the small packet of Boston fans behind the Terriers bench going crazy. Boston wins, 73-72, and advances to the Patriot League final to face Lehigh. Although it was not the result wanted by the home crowd, it was one of the best games of the year in the Patriot League, and an overall great experience.
