BU Aspiring to Be Their Best

by Tim Larew

Before the season even began, it was all about the little things for head coach Patrick Chambers and his Terriers basketball squad. Whether the words came from senior captains Tyler Morris ('10), Corey Lowe ('10), or Chambers himself, it seemed everyone was on the same page. They all agreed to focus on one play, one practice, one game at a time to work towards their ultimate goal of being the best team they can possibly be.

After two consecutive losses to open up the season, it’s clear that BU is nowhere near the best team it can be. So naturally, it wouldn’t be strange to see Chambers fretting…but he’s not. In the wake of a road loss to Iona to open the season and a close contest dropped to George Washington at home, the mentality is unchanged and the focus remains on nothing but the little things. It could be his positive attitude on the sidelines and the trust in his veteran captains to lead the team that’s still got everyone believing. It could even be simply his optimism in the press conference following the tough loss to the GW Colonials. Regardless, it’s comforting that the man at the helm believes his crew is headed in the right direction.

“Tonight we never gave up. Tonight we kept going, we kept grinding, we kept coming back, regardless of making shots or not making shots,” said Chambers, “I see determination, and I see BU basketball starting to shape itself.”

If this is the kind of assurance and hope Chambers has after a pair of losses to start the season, imagine what the Terriers will be able to accomplish once they start clicking on all cylinders.

The best part of it all is that even after dropping two non-conference battles to start the season, the players are still buying into Chambers’ approach. Junior guard/forward John Holland ('11), who cashed in 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in Tuesday night’s loss, sees just as bright a future for the season as he saw two weeks ago. “We’re learning, and we’re going to get better with time, with everything that we’re trying to do,” said Holland.

For now, some of the little things the Terriers are going to have to watch out for are turnovers. They racked up 22 against Iona and improved slightly with 18 against GW Tuesday night. While this is the kind of stat that can singlehandedly turn a win into a loss, Coach Chambers remains unfazed. “We had 22 Friday night. We had 18 tonight. The way I see it we’re getting better,” said Chambers.

While the optimism is inspiring, it is a concept that can only be trusted for so long. If Chambers is going to remain trusted by his players, the Terriers need to start turning the little things that are costing them games into little things that are winning them games.

The shift in style and the meshing of veteran players who are products of an old system with a new coach and a new philosophy are obvious. Obvious too, however, are the hopes for the season, all around the team, despite an 0-2 start. “We’re still going to take everything a step at a time,” said senior guard and co-captain Lowe, “We’re going to do the little things, and that’s how we plan to chip away.”

Little things can quickly manifest into big things, but the way Chambers sees it, the big things are big in the sense that his team will be a force to be reckoned with come year’s end. “We’ve got to get better every day, and I know if we continue to work on the little things, there’s going to be some terrific basketball out of this group,” Chambers said with a smile on his face. “We’re going to get there.”