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Mohawks  still have  goals to  achieve

Unbeaten Madison won its league, but district, regional and state titles are left. 

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By John Bombatch, Staff Writer Updated 7:39 AM Wednesday, March 10, 2010

MADISON TWP. — What began as a team building exercise has become one of the key reasons for the Madison High School boys basketball team’s success this season.

Call it cohesiveness or call it family. Whichever you prefer, it’s been working quite nicely. Madison takes its 23-0 record into the Division III district finals Thursday, March 11, against Shroder Paideia.

Madison seniors Justin Brunswick, Mark Maloney, Cole Fennel and Tyler Dietz have met throughout the season with head coach Jeff Smith to address any issues that could possibly fragment the team’s united front.

“Over a six-week period, we probably met four times during the season,” Smith said. Lunch together during school, or in the coach’s office or even impromptu meetings in the locker room. Whatever worked for the good of the team was a good thing.

“We didn’t want to feel like we had any flaws or disadvantages when we’d go into a game,” said Brunswick, the team’s 6-foot-9 center. “We don’t panic or get on each other in close games like we did last season.”

Smith showed the group a motivational film about former Northern State men’s basketball coach Don Meyer. He also introduced them to Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski’s book “The Gold Standard: Building a Winning Team,” which was about how the college coach got a bunch of millionaire NBA players to play together as a gold medal winning team of Olympians.

“We just talked about our goals and what we needed to improve upon from last season. Just like the Olympic team, we have what they call gold standards,” Dietz said. “And we made out a list of goals of what we hoped to accomplish this season.”

The goal standard is taped to coach Smith’s door and each player’s locker door.

“Our main thing throughout the season was to become a disciplined, selfless, defensive-minded team,” Dietz said.

Check.

Other goals on the list have also been checked off.

Win the Southwestern Buckeye League title. Check.

Win the school’s first sectional title since before the players were born (1972-73 season). Check.

District, regional and state goals remain.

Fennel said team arguments fragmented the team a year ago. This season’s renewed team unity has kept that from happening.

“Yeah, as long as we’re winning and helping each other, we’re all happy,” Brunswick added. “That’s the main goal.”

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