Thank Goodness

Now that men’s basketball season is officially over, I would like to give a huge thank you to Head Coach Max Good, and I think that every member of the student body should echo that. Along with the rest of his coaching staff and all of the players, Good has, in just two years, brought an excitement back to LMU Athletics that hasn’t existed in quite some time.

To say the men’s basketball team had a turnaround season would be an understatement. After going 3-25 a year ago, the Lions came back to put together their first winning season since going 15-14 in 2003-04. This year’s squad went 18-16 and at one point even put together a six-game win streak.

The freshman class should consider themselves extremely lucky. It wasn’t until my senior year that I, and the rest of the student body, was able to really get invested in the basketball team. With that came tailgates, greater attendance at home games and wins, as well as better caliber competitive games in general. This year’s basketball season was a blast, and I’m not just saying that because I was fortunate enough to be able to cover the team for the Loyolan. The entire season was extraordinarily compelling, and I am jealous of the students who will be able to continue to watch these guys play on a regular basis.

Although he would quickly pass the accolades on to his staff, Good deserves a ton of the credit for the turnaround. When he came to LMU just two years ago, he would have never predicted that he would ever be a head coach again. Now, not only is he a head coach, but he is the best head coach in the west coast conference.

Taking over for Bill Bayno in November of 2008, Good acquired a team that not only hadn’t won a game, but also hadn’t quite developed a style. The team may have had some great individual pieces, but nothing seemed to quite fit together.

It didn’t take Good long to right those wrongs. He quickly figured out most players’ specific role on the team and addressed the team’s biggest problem after just one year. In the 2008-09 season, depth was the Lions’ biggest problem. Now, depth is one of the Lions’ biggest assets.

And the future is only brighter for the team. All starters are expected to return next season, as are key reserves junior Larry Davis, freshman Given Kalipinde and freshman Alex Osborne. Freshman Edgar Garibay, who missed most of the season with a leg injury, will be back and should earn the starting center spot. Good and his staff also welcome two new recruits.

The Lions finished the regular season tied for fourth place in the WCC, and with only additions ahead for the roster I’m sure the entire LMU community and the Lions themselves expect nothing less than that next year.

I will stay as up-to-date with the men’s basketball team next year (even though I will be an alum) as I did this year, and before this season I may not have said that. I partially credit Good for the fact that I will graduate next month still feeling strongly committed to my school’s athletic program.

I expect others agree with me, and I expect the “young alums” section in Gersten to be a lot bigger next season. The ticket office can thank Good for that.

Lastly, it is important to give credit where credit is due. Therefore I would like to extend my thank you to the rest of the coaching staff, as well as each and every player on the team. Going 3-25 isn’t easy, and the Lions last year endured a season with a less than enthusiastic fan base. Every member of the team kept a positive attitude through the rough patches, and again, I thank them for that.