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Scott's Fire, Princeton Approach Rocketed Air Force Into NCAAs
By Bill Alden
As an assistant coach for the Princeton men's basketball team in the 1990s, Joe Scott's intensity burned bright even in daily pick-up games at Jadwin Gym.
While some of the participants at the lunchtime games may have shown up looking for a relaxing break from their desks, they quickly learned that Scott wouldn't tolerate half-hearted efforts.
In no uncertain terms, Scott, a 1987 Princeton grad and basketball captain, would scold any player who had the temerity to go through the motions with his most frequent admonition being "stay wide" to those caught drifting around the paint.
In 2000, Scott took his competitive fire out to Colorado Springs, Colorado where he took on the head coaching job at the Air Force Academy and the task of turning the moribund program into a winner.
Prior to Scott's arrival, the program hadn't been to the NCAA tournament since 1962 and hadn't finished above .500 since going 15-10 in the 1977-78 season.
After enduring three losing seasons, Scott's adherence to the Princeton style finally paid dividends this winter as the Falcons became one of the great stories in college basketball, winning the Mountain West regular season crown and earning an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.
Although Air Force had the good fortune of being assigned to play in nearby Denver for their opening round NCAA game last Thursday, they were matched against one of the game's glittering programs in powerful North Carolina.
With the fiery Scott exhorting them from the sidelines, the gritty Falcons built a 28-23 halftime lead over the lordly Tar Heels. In the second half, however, Air Force, which had four starters play all 40 minutes, started running on fumes. North Carolina took advantage and pulled away to a 63-52 win.
Afterward, the hyper-competitive Scott was in no mood to accept a pat on the back for a job well done. "This is a hollow feeling," said a hoarse Scott, whose team ended up 22-7, smashing the school's previous season best of 17 wins.
"All I talked to my guys about the last four days was winning. This is how we are going to beat North Carolina, this is what we have to do to beat North Carolina. To go out there and play very well but not play well at key times leads to a hollowness."
North Carolina coach Roy Williams, though, made it clear that Air Force had no cause for regret. "They shouldn't allow tonight's game to destroy what they have done this season," maintained Williams. "They had a great season and I hope Air Force players remember that."
One of Scott's former Princeton colleagues, Tiger assistant coach Howard Levy, is not surprised at the magic Scott worked this year.
"Joe's demanding, he's fair," said Levy, as he sat with other Princeton assistants at the Pepsi Center last Thursday cheering Scott and his charges after the Tigers' loss to Texas earlier in the evening.
"He makes sure that the guys do everything right all the time. They play true Princeton basketball, he brings out the best in them. They weren't good before Joe got them."
Levy added that Scott is applying the lessons learned by playing and coaching under legendary Tiger coach Pete Carril. "He has them playing completely unselfishly and working on all aspects of the game," added Levy, a star center and co-captain at Princeton in his playing days in the mid-1980s. "They play hard all the time. We learned from Pete Carril that's how you're supposed to play."
Scott, for his part, acknowledged his pride in being on the same NCAA card as Princeton. "To be here with Princeton, North Carolina, and Texas, that's a special night of basketball," said Scott, managing a grin.
"I hope that people think that we represented ourselves well and that we competed to win. I hope that's the impression we gave tonight because that's what Princeton kids do, that's what North Carolina kids do, that's what Texas kids do. I think that's what everybody in America knows. If that's the case, then my team and myself feel pretty good seeing where our program has come in four years."
With a competitor like Scott at the controls, it's no wonder the Falcons zoomed past nearly all of their foes this season.
