Cinderella was in full costume Saturday night as she two-stepped past the UT-Chattanooga Mocs in a 97-90 victory. She always makes her many omniscient appearances this time each year and on this occasion she danced with Zakee Wadood and company.
College basketball is centered metaphorically around the “Big Dance.” Only the best can attend this dance –the ones with skill and some luck on their side.
There are the exceptions, or the Cinderella’s.
Cinderella is not necessarily a team that does not belong at the ball, just a team that seems to have the odds stacked against them. They might have a good first half of the season then get shot down with injuries or have great players under poor coaching. But sometimes all falls into place and Cinderella gets to dance in the big one.
That’s exactly what took place this week at the ball in Charleston. All fell into place for the Bucs and they danced past powerhouse College of Charleston Friday and met with Chattanooga Saturday at the ball.
Jeff Lebo, coach of the Mocs, spent time under Dean Smith at North Carolina. To make a very long story short the Bucs, with amazing play from freshmen Tim Smith and Brad Nuckles, not to forget the rest of the team, quenched the spirit of Dean Smith, playing no less than the legend Bucs of the early ’90s.
I remember those ETSU teams that beat Arizona in the first round and regularly beat such ACC teams as N.C. State.
Former Buc great Keith “Mister” Jennings lived his collegiate basketball career in glass slippers. When game time approached he hit threes like an NBA pro.
Smith and Ryan Lawson hitting those monstrous threes Saturday reminded me of Mister Jenning’s bombs from above the arc.
Automatically, I’m reminded of Cinderella making the dance last longer than midnight in March. Valparaiso with those last-minute shots from Bryce Drew, our own ETSU in the upset of Arizona and the so-close second-round game against Iowa. The Chattanooga Mocs in 1997 moving at a fast early pace in the tournament and Seton Hall’s almost magical run against Michigan and Rumeal Robinson in overtime remind us of the difficulty in keeping the dream alive.
The question is how long can Cinderella dance past midnight and remain in perfect form?
Let’s hope when our own Cinderella dances in this tournament, she makes her ball last all night.

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