Hamilton, ON- Riaz Saliu couldn’t think about anything else. His McMaster Marauders men’s basketball team had just dropped an overtime game to the Lakehead Thunderwolves 90-88 on Feb. 16. It was their third loss in a row.
The first-year forward couldn’t think about schoolwork afterwards. He couldn’t do the things he was supposed to do. Instead, he thought about the defeat. He felt the hurt.
“A different type of pain,” he called it. Perhaps those Marauder coaches, players and fans in the Burridge Gym crowd could feel the pain as well. The pain of being oh so close to winning it in regulation. The pain of those losses stacking up.
Saliu knew what to do with that pain he felt. We need to get it back as soon as possible, he told himself. He felt the urgency to do so.
He felt the urgency on the court – and off it as well. He feels it turning into focus. He feels it in basketball and school. “A different type of focus,” he called it. The urgency and focus pushed him to give all his energy and effort on the court. The urgency and focus pushed McMaster to an 81-76 win the following evening.
Saliu and his teammates came into their rematch with Lakehead with that focus. They also learned from their previous evening’s experience.
Head coach Patrick Tatham saw their inexperience in late fourth quarter and overtime situations creep in during the first game. Afterwards, he hoped they would value each possession.
McMaster only turned the ball over seven times but did so at inopportune moments. They were leading by three after guard Tyler Garcia hit a three-pointer with 36 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Lakehead then turned it over. The crowd was roaring – perhaps in anticipation of a home victory.
Then, the Marauders turned the ball over right back and Lakehead’s Nathan Bilamu nailed a game-tying three – part of his game-high 31 points.
“We were a little overconfident,” McMaster guard Parker Davis noted. “We thought we had it in the bag.”
Davis pointed out how they could have slowed things down and made some better reads and passes. They could have taken care of the ball better. It cost them.
He also knew they had to stay composed in those late game situations. “Play at our speed,” he noted. “They’re in our house. We’ve got to make them play at our pace.”
The game went down to the wire the following evening as well. McMaster had held a lead for most of the contest but there came the Thunderwolves again.
All those experiences from the previous game were being put to the test. They made those shots near the end. They got those stops. They took care of the ball and won.
What was the difference from the previous game?
“We just played harder,” guard Mike Demagus noted. “Made less mistakes. Ran our offence to a tee. Just really locked in on the defensive end, getting rebounds.”
He noticed them trying to get the mismatch they wanted. He knows they’re talented offensively. So, why not make it easier on ourselves with the weaker defender, he thought.
Head coach Patrick Tatham showed them the film – one of his favourite teaching methods. He showed them how Bilamu kept scoring by going to his right hand a lot. In the rematch, they forced him to go to his left hand more – forcing him to pass. He finished with 10 fewer points.
Tatham saw a different focus as well. The players had more intention and focus at the free throw line. He saw the focus come from the pain they felt after losing.
“Man, we should have had that game,” he described it. “We gave that game away.”
With that pain inside them, he saw them take care of the ball better in the fourth quarter. He saw them more committed to making the extra pass.
As the game came closer to the end, Saliu reflected. Remember, he felt the pain too. He knew the team had a tendency to be turnover-prone. He saw what happened last night. He felt it.
This time, Saliu knew they had to lock in. They couldn’t repeat last night’s mistakes. He saw his team have a different type of focus to finish the game. “We already know what happened,” he said. “We’re not going to do that again.”
The Marauders head into the OUA playoffs in a similar situation to last season. They go on the road to face the Toronto Metropolitan University Bold on Feb. 21 in the first round. They lost to the Bold at the same stage last season.
They’re not shooting that well from three, according to Tatham. They’re a little undersized – with Saliu and Nathan Charles having to fill in as forwards. However, Tatham said they have a chip on their shoulder.
Preparation will be important for him. How they understand the scouting report. How they can lock in. How they grow and learn from their experiences.
How they focus as well.
As the hours and minutes tick closer to playoff time, Saliu knows what he needs to do to focus. He prays and meditates.
When he does so, he’s in the present moment. “The present is a gift,” he said. He knows the saying and taken it to heart.
He focuses on what he has to do in the present. He stays focused. He doesn’t have any stress or fear. He’s never been someone to think too much about the future or have anxiety about things.
“The same mindset,” he noted. “I’m attacking when I’m attacking.”
Saliu also turns to his friends and family. They ground him. They help him not get caught up in things. He thinks of those in his inner circle. He thinks of his family members. He thinks of his teammates. They all allow him to succeed.
Saliu and his teammates will go into their playoff future. He will be focused on the present.
Featured Image: Kevin Lassel/McMaster Athletics