UMass Makes Calipari’s Dream Become Reality

He has played out the scenario in his mind too many times to count, always believing it could happen but not certain it would.

The vision was clearest during his early morning runs, when Massachusetts Coach John Calipari had time to think and reason to dream. It took eight years to get here, so Calipari feels entitled to the moment.

Calipari left the Georgia Dome content Saturday night as Massachusetts gave its coach what he craved--a spot in the Final Four with an 86-62 victory over Georgetown in the East Regional title game before 32,328.

“I did have this dream,” Calipari said. “I wasn’t sure if it was ever going to come true, but I wasn’t afraid to dream it. The thing I tell the guys all the time is don’t be afraid to be special. Don’t be afraid.”

Obviously, the message was well received.

Playing the team seeded second in the regional, the top-seeded Minutemen performed as they have in Calipari’s dreams. All-American center Marcus Camby was dominant with 22 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots in only 28 minutes, sparking a 9-0 run immediately after halftime that left the Hoyas reeling.

“He’s a great player,” said Othella Harrington, Georgetown’s center. “And those guys [around Camby] each understand their roles.”

Camby scored six points within the first 1:36 after halftime, extending a 38-34 lead to 44-34. The agile, swift Camby repeatedly glided past the Hoyas’ post players for short jumpers.

“We just had to pick it up after halftime and we knew it,” said Camby, selected the outstanding player of the East Regional. “I took it upon myself to make things happen.”

And his teammates quickly joined in.

With shooting guard Carmelo Travieso making three-point shots and sticking to Allen Iverson, the Hoyas’ All-American point guard, on defense, Massachusetts overwhelmed Georgetown from there. A jumper by forward Donta Bright gave the Minutemen a 55-40 lead with 12:53 to play and capped a 17-6 spurt. That wrapped up the game and secured Massachusetts’ first appearance in the Final Four.

“What you saw out there was Massachusetts basketball,” said Calipari, whose team improved to 17-1 against the NCAA tournament field.

“The great defense, diving on the floor for loose balls, playing with emotion and passion. That was the blueprint.”

The Minutemen (35-1) had four players in double figures, led by Camby and Travieso. Travieso scored 20 points, making six of 13 three-point attempts, and led Massachusetts with six assists.

“Their guard play was the key,” Hoya forward Jerome Williams said. “They were patient and they did a great job of controlling the game.”

And Travieso did even more defensively, considering his task. He was assigned to Iverson, who regularly makes would-be defenders look foolish. But not Travieso.

“Carmelo did a fantastic job,” Calipari said. “Look, you’re not going to shut Iverson down. The thing we talked about is that he’s going to get his 20, or 30 or even 35. But we knew we could still win the game if we made it hard for him.”

Iverson, frustrated by Travieso’s harassing defense, rarely broke free while the game was still undecided in the second half. Iverson scored 23 points, but made only six of 21 field-goal attempts. He had 17 points in the first half, but missed 10 of 11 shots in the second half.

“I think they just did a good defensive job,” Iverson said. “They held a lot, but they had a good plan coming in.”

The regional final was the ninth for Georgetown (29-8) and its first since losing to Duke, 85-77, in the East final at East Rutherford, N.J., in the 1989-90 season. Saturday’s defeat was Georgetown’s worst in NCAA tournament history.

“They were better defensively than I thought they were, even though I thought they were very good,” Hoya Coach John Thompson said. “We’re very disappointed, but we lost to a fine team.”

And that’s what Calipari enjoys hearing. Massachusetts was 10-18 during his first season in 1988-89, which isn’t long enough ago for Calipari.

“This team has been breaking down barriers all year,” he said. “This is another great one to break.”

Last season, Oklahoma State defeated Massachusetts, 68-54, in the East Regional final at East Rutherford, the site of this season’s Final Four. Massachusetts plays Kentucky, winner of the Midwest Regional, on Saturday. The Minutemen defeated the then-No. 1 Wildcats, 92-82, in the Great Eight festival last Nov. 28 at Auburn Hills, Mich.

“We beat them once,” Massachusetts point guard Edgar Padilla said. “We look forward to beating them again.”