| Aaron Toomey has had an
interesting couple of weeks since leading Amherst to its national
semifinal win. Photo by Ryan Tipps, D3sports.com |
By Brian Falzarano
D3sports.com
Before boarding a flight for Atlanta and channeling all of his attention into winning a national championship, Aaron Toomey found his attention diverted courtesy of the academic crunch that is life at Amherst College.
Perhaps now more than ever, the junior’s midterm exam in History of the Roman Empire and the paper he wrote for Cinema in Everyday Life were the best possible distractions from having to wait nearly two weeks before Sunday’s nationally televised tip-off against Mary Hardin-Baylor with the Walnut and Bronze at stake (CBS Sports Network).
However, as much as midterms stole his focus away from daydreaming about playing under the brightest spotlight in his collegiate career, nighttime proved a different story.
“When you lay in bed, it kind of comes back to you,” the first-team All-American said. “You really just want to get the game going.”
Although the No. 2-ranked Lord Jeffs, like unranked Mary Hardin-Baylor, enjoyed a two-week respite after being awarded first-round byes, this is entirely different. This is not about waiting to start the journey. This is about reaching the ultimate final destination, being 40 minutes away from cementing a legacy.
And for someone like senior and third-team All-American Willy Workman, this is the climax of a four-year career that has steadily built toward a One Shining Moment ending.
“It’s like Christmas morning,” Workman said. “You wish (the championship) was the next day (after the semifinals).
“But we’re ready. And I think that’s this time off has been good for us.”
Across a grueling season that included a challenging non-conference slate, the always rugged NESCAC regular-season schedule, and then rematches with conference rivals in the league tournament, the Lord Jeffs accumulated enough maladies collectively to make them embrace having a first-round bye despite the inclination to want to keep playing.
To a man, Amherst notes the coincidence of the two teams with first-round respites still playing on this, the final weekend of the Division III men’s basketball season. It enabled the likes of Toomey time to catch up on academics, Workman more time to heal hamstring and shoulder issues, and head coach David Hixon to brace his team for the schedule that will await it once it touches down Thursday -- especially the media interviews and external obligations that will accompany being part of the NCAA’s 75th anniversary.
“That’s a little more big time than any of us are used to,” Toomey said, “but it’s going to be fun being around all of that.”
Thus far, the Lord Jeffs have handled all of the scheduling quirks that have come with this year’s bracket admirably. Then again, it is hard to quibble with anything Hixon has done with a roster riding a 23-game winning streak into its season finale.
Case in point: How well Amherst has played since that first two-week break. Before impressive victories over Randolph-Macon, Cabrini, and No. 3 North Central (Ill.) delivered them to their first title-game appearance since finishing as runners-up in 2008, the Lord Jeffs used their 13-day hiatus after edging archrival Williams in the NESCAC final to throttle an athletic Plattsburgh State squad in the second round.
“We played really well,” Hixon said. “If we play that well again, we’ll win a national championship.”
| Willy Workman, a D3hoops.com
All-American, averages 12.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists
per game for Amherst. Photo by Ryan Tipps, D3sports.com |
As ready and rested as Amherst might be, this is a national championship scenario unlike any other Division III squad has experienced. Between the Lord Jeffs’ off-court obligations and getting to watch Saturday’s Division I Final Four games from a luxury suite at the Georgia Dome (they will stay for Monday’s championship game should they triumph Sunday), this is a far cry from winning two games in less than 24 hours before a smaller crowd in Salem, Va.
“It’s going to be a different feel in general for everyone on our team,” Toomey said. “No one’s ever played in an atmosphere like in Atlanta. It’s something that’s hard to prepare for because we’ve never been through it. You’re going to try to soak it all in, but it’s a business trip and our goal is to win a national championship.”
Soon enough, the Lord Jeffs will touch down in Atlanta and turn their attention toward winning their first national championship since 2007. On Sunday afternoon, all of the time spent staving off the anxiety of playing for the Walnut and Bronze will simply become 40 minutes in the spotlight in hopes of climbing the ladder, clipping down the nets, and securing a legacy.
“It’s an exciting time. It would be an exciting time regardless,” Workman said. “It feels like all the stars are aligned: I’m a senior, a starter, and it’s the 75th anniversary. We like playing in the big games ...
“What do you do when the lights are the brightest. That’s how people get remembered for their talents,” Workman continued. “I’m not saying if we lose this game the season is a failure. We’ve been on a mission all year to win the national championship.
“We don’t want to take second place to anybody.”