One Chapter Closes, but Much More to Write
Mar 02, 2023 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
The special end to a special night for a special team arrived at 9:04 p.m. Wednesday. That's when Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang grabbed the microphone on the basketball court, yelled, "OK, fellas!" and K-State players rushed into the student section as Tang joined the pep band like many times before. Except this would be the last time this season. Yes, in a season of so many bright beginnings, there arrives an end. And Thursday, in front of an eighth consecutive sellout crowd at Bramlage Coliseum, it marked the final home game for the Wildcats.
Except Tang saw things differently.
"This is just the start!" Tang yelled.
Yes, K-State has set up shop in the Big 12 Conference, Tang has planted his flag, and K-State seniors one by one thanked their families and coaches and teammates and fans following an 85-69 win over Oklahoma. Yes, K-State played a game, but it felt more like a two-hour celebration. It was one last Little Apple showing as the Wildcats put the finishing touches on a home season that'll be treasured for a long time.
Wednesday was about Markquis Nowell making one final 3-pointer. It was Keyontae Johnson with one final reverse layup. It was Desi Sills with one last sweeping left-hander in the paint. It was Tykei Greene with one last put-back, Abayomi Iyiola with one final touch, and Nate Awbrey sinking two free throws in the final minute. It was everywhere, the emotion, and the coaches, players, fans and students rode it like one last magical wave that rocked Bramlage. A goodbye party. And nobody wanted it to stop.
"It's the best feeling to play here," Johnson said. "It's the loudest fans. They brought out a different side of me. It's like you're playing back home with your friends. I'm definitely going to miss it."
K-State bade farewell to its six-man senior class, the first senior class under Tang, and Tang had been through many senior nights before — 19 as an assistant/associate head coach at Baylor, to be exact — but this one hit differently, because these were his guys, and this was his team, and he hoped for everything to go smoothly.
"It was nerve-wracking," Tang said. "I didn't know how I'd respond out there."
He wanted to make sure the team was locked in. He wanted to make sure the seniors were able to celebrate. He wanted to make sure they received a proper curtain call. He wanted to make sure everything was right. He had been to Senior Nights that didn't finish well. He wanted a proper ending for this senior class.
"When they started calling the young men out and giving them their jerseys at midcourt prior to tipoff, I was thinking about each one of them, 'This guy had one year left and he trusted us … this guy could've gone someplace else, and he trusted us …'" and on and on.
"It was pretty emotional early," he said, "then he was like, 'All right, this is pretty cool.'"
No. 11 K-State is 23-7 overall and 11-6 in the Big 12 with only Saturday's game at West Virginia remaining in the regular season. Then it's onto the Big 12 Championship. And then it's onto the NCAA Tournament. Each day is a constant reminder about where the Wildcats have been — they were picked 10th in the Big 12 in the preseason — and where they might go.
They might be a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
"Who would've thought we'd be talking about this?" Tang said. "We thought we had a tournament team. I didn't think we'd be fighting right there on the verge of a two seed. But these guys have proven everybody wrong. The people who believe in this, that's who we're doing this for."
The believers are everywhere. Last Saturday, the allegiance of K-State fans were causing such a ruckus in Stillwater, Oklahoma, that Gallagher-Iba Arena had to crank up the music to drown out the "K-S-U" chants — and Tang might never tire of talking about that feat. And there's no telling the size of purple that'll follow this team to Kansas City — and beyond.
But there are moments already that players treasure.
"I'm just so thankful and grateful that I decided to finish my career here at K-State," Nowell said. "I've been on both sides of the field. I've been on the losing side and now I'm on the winning side. I'm just thankful for it. It's been a good ride."
Added Sills: "Just coming out I wanted to leave a legacy. I wanted to leave my dog mentality on the floor. I knew this was my last game at Bramlage and wanted to give it my all. I'm just happy we got the W."
Added Awbrey, a Manhattan native and walk-on, "These guys did their job, so we got into a position where I was able to get into the game. That was a really cool experience. Something I'll never forget."
On a night of celebration in defeating Oklahoma, 14-16 and 4-13, there'll be little memory of the fact that the Wildcats actually trailed by five points, or shot 39% in the first half and 70% in the second half, or that K-State out-rebounded Oklahoma 37 to 26.
We'll remember that Nae'Qwan Tomlin came alive with 19 points and had a few monster dunks. We'll remember that Johnson had 16 points and sank two 3-pointers. We'll remember that Nowell had 11 points and 10 assists and just one turnover during another incredible point-assist double-double. And we'll remember Sills putting up 15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, nearly recording a triple-double in his final home game.
And afterward, everyone seemed to want to look ahead — at the promising horizon.
"A lot of guys didn't believe in us, but Coach Tang says, 'Crazy Faith,'" Sills said. "He was talking about the NCAA Tournament from the get-go. To see where we can be seeded at is a beautiful thing. We're not done now. We've got a long way to go. We've got to keep pushing and striving and continuing to get better."
Count Oklahoma head coach Porter Moser among the believers.
"Keyontae Johnson is an All-American. They have Nowell, who in their system is doing great. Tomlin with a guy like Nowell, he's really good because he can cut. He's a big target, he's a bouncy cutter and now he's knocking down 3s. He's a great piece to go along. Desi Sills is an older veteran guard. What strikes me is they had Nowell and what they brought in next to him or around him is elite.
"I think they've got two All-Americans. I really believe that."
There was a time about five months ago when Nowell, Johnson and Tomlin sat alongside each other at T-Mobile Arena at Big 12 Men's Basketball Media Days. Want to know how many people were around them? Zero. K-State wasn't even in the discussion.
Now everyone is talking about K-State.
And the Wildcats are still hungry.
"I still feel like we're hunting," Nowell said. "I still feel like we have a lot to prove. A lot of people have been counting us out from day one. We've just been approaching every day like that. We have a lot more to prove and a lot more to do. I don't think my guys are satisfied.
"We're still hunting the top teams out there."
There aren't many teams better than the Wildcats.
Wednesday was a night to formally honor and appreciate.
But this season continues to be one to celebrate.
The special end to a special night for a special team arrived at 9:04 p.m. Wednesday. That's when Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang grabbed the microphone on the basketball court, yelled, "OK, fellas!" and K-State players rushed into the student section as Tang joined the pep band like many times before. Except this would be the last time this season. Yes, in a season of so many bright beginnings, there arrives an end. And Thursday, in front of an eighth consecutive sellout crowd at Bramlage Coliseum, it marked the final home game for the Wildcats.
Except Tang saw things differently.
"This is just the start!" Tang yelled.
Yes, K-State has set up shop in the Big 12 Conference, Tang has planted his flag, and K-State seniors one by one thanked their families and coaches and teammates and fans following an 85-69 win over Oklahoma. Yes, K-State played a game, but it felt more like a two-hour celebration. It was one last Little Apple showing as the Wildcats put the finishing touches on a home season that'll be treasured for a long time.
Wednesday was about Markquis Nowell making one final 3-pointer. It was Keyontae Johnson with one final reverse layup. It was Desi Sills with one last sweeping left-hander in the paint. It was Tykei Greene with one last put-back, Abayomi Iyiola with one final touch, and Nate Awbrey sinking two free throws in the final minute. It was everywhere, the emotion, and the coaches, players, fans and students rode it like one last magical wave that rocked Bramlage. A goodbye party. And nobody wanted it to stop.
"It's the best feeling to play here," Johnson said. "It's the loudest fans. They brought out a different side of me. It's like you're playing back home with your friends. I'm definitely going to miss it."
K-State bade farewell to its six-man senior class, the first senior class under Tang, and Tang had been through many senior nights before — 19 as an assistant/associate head coach at Baylor, to be exact — but this one hit differently, because these were his guys, and this was his team, and he hoped for everything to go smoothly.
"It was nerve-wracking," Tang said. "I didn't know how I'd respond out there."
He wanted to make sure the team was locked in. He wanted to make sure the seniors were able to celebrate. He wanted to make sure they received a proper curtain call. He wanted to make sure everything was right. He had been to Senior Nights that didn't finish well. He wanted a proper ending for this senior class.
"When they started calling the young men out and giving them their jerseys at midcourt prior to tipoff, I was thinking about each one of them, 'This guy had one year left and he trusted us … this guy could've gone someplace else, and he trusted us …'" and on and on.
"It was pretty emotional early," he said, "then he was like, 'All right, this is pretty cool.'"
No. 11 K-State is 23-7 overall and 11-6 in the Big 12 with only Saturday's game at West Virginia remaining in the regular season. Then it's onto the Big 12 Championship. And then it's onto the NCAA Tournament. Each day is a constant reminder about where the Wildcats have been — they were picked 10th in the Big 12 in the preseason — and where they might go.
They might be a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
"Who would've thought we'd be talking about this?" Tang said. "We thought we had a tournament team. I didn't think we'd be fighting right there on the verge of a two seed. But these guys have proven everybody wrong. The people who believe in this, that's who we're doing this for."
The believers are everywhere. Last Saturday, the allegiance of K-State fans were causing such a ruckus in Stillwater, Oklahoma, that Gallagher-Iba Arena had to crank up the music to drown out the "K-S-U" chants — and Tang might never tire of talking about that feat. And there's no telling the size of purple that'll follow this team to Kansas City — and beyond.
But there are moments already that players treasure.
"I'm just so thankful and grateful that I decided to finish my career here at K-State," Nowell said. "I've been on both sides of the field. I've been on the losing side and now I'm on the winning side. I'm just thankful for it. It's been a good ride."
Added Sills: "Just coming out I wanted to leave a legacy. I wanted to leave my dog mentality on the floor. I knew this was my last game at Bramlage and wanted to give it my all. I'm just happy we got the W."
Added Awbrey, a Manhattan native and walk-on, "These guys did their job, so we got into a position where I was able to get into the game. That was a really cool experience. Something I'll never forget."
On a night of celebration in defeating Oklahoma, 14-16 and 4-13, there'll be little memory of the fact that the Wildcats actually trailed by five points, or shot 39% in the first half and 70% in the second half, or that K-State out-rebounded Oklahoma 37 to 26.
We'll remember that Nae'Qwan Tomlin came alive with 19 points and had a few monster dunks. We'll remember that Johnson had 16 points and sank two 3-pointers. We'll remember that Nowell had 11 points and 10 assists and just one turnover during another incredible point-assist double-double. And we'll remember Sills putting up 15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, nearly recording a triple-double in his final home game.
And afterward, everyone seemed to want to look ahead — at the promising horizon.
"A lot of guys didn't believe in us, but Coach Tang says, 'Crazy Faith,'" Sills said. "He was talking about the NCAA Tournament from the get-go. To see where we can be seeded at is a beautiful thing. We're not done now. We've got a long way to go. We've got to keep pushing and striving and continuing to get better."
Count Oklahoma head coach Porter Moser among the believers.
"Keyontae Johnson is an All-American. They have Nowell, who in their system is doing great. Tomlin with a guy like Nowell, he's really good because he can cut. He's a big target, he's a bouncy cutter and now he's knocking down 3s. He's a great piece to go along. Desi Sills is an older veteran guard. What strikes me is they had Nowell and what they brought in next to him or around him is elite.
"I think they've got two All-Americans. I really believe that."
There was a time about five months ago when Nowell, Johnson and Tomlin sat alongside each other at T-Mobile Arena at Big 12 Men's Basketball Media Days. Want to know how many people were around them? Zero. K-State wasn't even in the discussion.
Now everyone is talking about K-State.
And the Wildcats are still hungry.
"I still feel like we're hunting," Nowell said. "I still feel like we have a lot to prove. A lot of people have been counting us out from day one. We've just been approaching every day like that. We have a lot more to prove and a lot more to do. I don't think my guys are satisfied.
"We're still hunting the top teams out there."
There aren't many teams better than the Wildcats.
Wednesday was a night to formally honor and appreciate.
But this season continues to be one to celebrate.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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