The Gonzaga Bulldogs are on the cusp of achieving a remarkable statistic: 7 players averaging double digit points per game. After last night's game, we currently have 6 at that level:
Filip Petrusev - 17.2 (Wooden Award nominee)
Corey Kispert - 14.0 (Julius Erving nominee)
Killian Tillie - 12.6 (Karl Malone nominee)
Admon Gilder - 11.2
Joel Ayayi - 11.0
Ryan Woolridge - 10.3
Drew Timme, a freshman from Richardson, TX, is now averaging 9.9 PPG, needing 12 on Saturday to put him over the top.
For those who love team basketball, this is a team worth following. The Zags started the year with 9 new players, losing 4 of last year's top 5 scorers to the NBA and graduation (yes, two players actually earned their degrees).
Gonzaga is the only team in college basketball with nominees for each of the three post season awards. Rui Hachimura, now with the Washington Wizards as the first Japanese player ever drafted in the first round, won the Erving award last year.
My grandson's favorite player is Killian Tillie, and he finally met him when the Zags throttled Texas A&M in College Station in November.
One of my favorites for the past 3 years has been Corey Kispert. He took time out of his evening workout to give instruction to my grandson two summers ago, when we were in Spokane for a few days.
Two years later, they reconnected in College Station:
It warmed my heart when Corey recognized Dillon from their brief time together in Spokane. They apparently had a great conversation, though all Dillon could say is "we talked about 'stuff'." My daughter got a bit emotional when I told her about it. GU basketball has a very strong family vibe, and it's been evident during our brief encounters with the players.
As an alum, I can relate to it, there's something special about Gonzaga. I saw it up close and personal while my son was at camp in 2017. At the end of the day, I saw a former player shooting free throws. I knew he had been playing in Europe, so I asked him, "what brought you back?" He said he returns to Spokane regularly to "get his head right." Although I hadn't been on campus for over 15 years, I understood completely.
To make a run in the NCAA tournament, we'll need everyone to be healthy, something we haven't had the entire season. We'll also need a dollop of good luck, as anything can happen during that single elimination tournament.
