![]() “Being a dad to them is the most important job I have,” Few said. He takes a similar approach in the hours before a game, hiking the trails near his house with the family dog to prepare mentally and gets some exercise while he’s at it. That’s why he heads home at the end of the day, watching film on his tablet in between spending time with his family instead of at the office. The only badge Few seeks is to be a good father, husband and coach. Most basketball coaches - football, too - consider it a badge of honor to spend endless hours in the office pouring over film. The roster balance is like an extension of Few’s life. Gonzaga led the nation in scoring margin at 23.8 points per game and was third nationally in defensive efficiency, according to. The Zags have a mix and match of players who can score, play unselfishly and are willing to defend. This year’s team is a nice mix of veterans, talented transfers and arguably the best recruiting class Gonzaga has ever had, headlined by 7-foot forward Zach Collins. “The farther along you get, the more resolve you get with that.” “In the back of our minds we kind of harken back to what really works here,” Few said. The net’s reach expanded as the program’s prominence rose, allowing Few and his assistants into the living rooms of top national recruits.Įven with more access, Few has remained true to the basic tenets of his recruiting philosophy, searching for the right fit, not how many stars are by a recruit’s name. 1 seed by winning the WCC tournament title for the 14th time under Few.įew has done it by sticking to recruiting principles developed during his years as an assistant at Gonzaga, when sleeping on a friend’s couch was often the best option on the recruiting road.īack then, Gonzaga cast a net toward a very specific type of recruit: High character, fits the Zags’ system. Gonzaga is headed to the NCAA Tournament for the 19th straight season and could earn a No. The Zags won their fifth straight WCC regular-season title and 16th in 17 years this season. Gonzaga has been remarkably consistent on that stage during Few’s tenure. “We just have to work every day to make sure that when the time comes that we’re ready to perform on that big stage.” “We do kind of get that stigma, that stereotype of being good just because of our conference,” said Gonzaga guard Nigel Williams-Goss, this season’s WCC’s player of the year. ![]() The Bulldog doubt figures to continue now as March Madness revs up, even if Gonzaga wins the West Coast Conference tournament, which the Zags start in the quarterfinals Saturday in Las Vegas. 1 in the West Regional in its initial rankings. 1 by AP Top 25 voters, again when the NCAA Tournament selection committee pegged the Zags as No. It happened when Gonzaga was elevated to No. Yet no matter what they do, what team they beat, the familiar Gonzaga-is-overrated refrain continues to follow the Bulldogs. Opponents from power conferences know, too: Arizona, Florida, Iowa State, Washington, Tennessee all lost to them this season. The Zags’ closest game before the BYU loss was 10 points. West Coast Conference teams certainly know Gonzaga’s dominance. 1 team and could win a national title,” Pacific coach Damon Stoudamire said after an 82-61 loss to Gonzaga last month. The setback does little to diminish this team’s identity: Perhaps the best in Few’s 18 seasons as coach, legitimate candidate to stand alone when the confetti cannons fire in Glendale, Arizona, in April. The Zags stumbled when the Cougars put up a roadblock to history, fumbling away two key possessions late in a 79-71 loss. 4 Gonzaga nearly had it, needing only to beat unranked BYU at The Kennel last Saturday to finish the regular season 30-0. ![]() Fly fishing is a never-ending pursuit toward perfection seemingly available only in glimpses.
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