North Carolina crowned champs
By JASON REID / Los Angeles Times
ST. LOUIS — No timetable was set for coach Roy Williams' rebuilding
project at North Carolina, because trying to restore a tradition-rich
program can be difficult.
Of course, everyone's pace differs.
Williams preferred to complete the job quickly, putting the finishing
touches on a rapid turnaround Monday night after North Carolina outlasted
Illinois, 75-70, winning his first national championship in front of 47,262
at the Edward Jones Dome.
He shed the label of being a coach who couldn't win “The Big One,”
claiming the prize that had previously eluded him, defeating the nation's
No. 1 team on the game's biggest stage.
All-American center Sean May, selected the most outstanding player of
the Final Four, scored a game-high 26 points and grabbed a team-leading
10 rebounds. He became part of only the third father-son championship
tandem in NCAA history.
All-American point guard Raymond Felton had 17 points, seven assists and
only two turnovers, and made three free throws in the final 25 seconds
to seal North Carolina's fourth national championship.
Even what amounted to a home-court advantage for the Illini, whose fans
descended on St. Louis in huge Orange-clad waves, wasn't enough to deter
Williams and the Tar Heels from reaching their top rung of the ladder.
From 8-20 three seasons ago, North Carolina is atop college basketball
again, and everyone knows who led them there.
“I'm really not that much better a coach now than I was about three
hours ago, but I surely, surely thank these youngsters sitting beside
of me,” said Williams, a four-time national coach of the year.
“It's a great moment for our staff, not just for me. It's a great
moment for our families. It's a great moment for these youngsters, who
have these moments and these thrills and these memories for the rest of
their lives.... They took me for a heck of a ride.”
After twice losing in championship games while guiding Kansas, Williams
delivered North Carolina's fourth national title, and first since 1993,
in only his second season back at Chapel Hill. The North Carolina alum
and former Tar Heel assistant coach helped to heal the “Carolina
Family,” fractured during Matt Doherty's brief and tumultuous reign,
lifting the spirits of at least one school on Tobacco Road.
The players Doherty recruited, however, provided the difference for North
Carolina (33-4) against Illinois (37-2) in the first championship matchup
of teams ranked first and second in The Associated Press Top 25 poll since
No. 1 UCLA defeated No. 2 Kentucky, 92-85, in 1975.
Illinois had been ranked first since Dec. 6, won the Big Ten Conference
regular season and tournament titles and matched the NCAA record for victories
in a season. Coach Bruce Weber, the national coach of the year, described
it as a “fairy tale.” And it appeared the season might end
on a happy note for Illinois, which fought back from a 13-point halftime
deficit to tie the score, 70-70, with 2:40 remaining. The Illini, however,
missed their last five shots, and, trailing 72-70 after Marvin Williams'
tip-in with 1:27 remaining, had a costly turnover.
“We had a tremendous year,” said Weber, whose mother, Dawn,
died during the Big Ten tournament.
“It was just a special journey. I didn't think we fought very hard
in the first half, and they played with a lot more urgency.” With
31 seconds to play in the game, Felton stole Luther Head's cross-court
pass, intended for Deron Williams, was fouled by Williams and made a free
throw to extend the lead to three points.
The Mays join Marques and Kris Johnson and Henry and Mike Bibby as the
only father-son national championship winners.
Although pleased to have joined the exclusive club, May was especially
excited to have helped Williams break through.
“For me, it's very gratifying,” said May, who rushed to hug
Williams at the final buzzer while confetti fell and the Tar Heels celebrated
“For many years down the line, (Williams will) always talk about
this 2005 team, how special we were, and the things we did.
“How through adversity we stuck together, even when the outside
world didn't really give us a fair shot.
When you talk about some of the great coaches out there who have won
championships, you have to say Coach Williams, because he's now done it
all.”
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