Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - A&M-CC discovers magic of defense against UTSA

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Friday, December 10, 1999

A&M-CC discovers magic of defense against UTSA

By Matt Young
Caller-Times

Until Thursday, "the defense rests" wasn't a statement restricted to the courtrooms in Corpus Christi. At most Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's basketball games, there was plenty of resting from the Islanders' defense.
   Entering Thursday's game against Texas-San Antonio, the Islanders had been witness to more offensive acts than fans at a Chris Rock show. Allowing 83 points on 50 percent shooting had become as common as the frigid temperatures at Memorial Coliseum.
   All that, except the temperatures, changed Thursday. A&M-Corpus Christi used a novel approach to earn its 80-75 win over Texas-San Antonio. It did it with defense.
   "Without question that was the best effort we've shown on defense all season," A&M-Corpus Christi head coach Ronnie Arrow said. "No matter what defense you're in you have to pressure the ball, and we did that. The bottom line is we stopped easy layups."
   Of course, it also helps when the Roadrunners handled passes like they had icicles hanging off their fingers. Considering the frozen clime that is Memorial Coliseum, that may have been the case.
   Texas-San Antonio shot 40 percent and was forced into 22 turnovers. That proves that either the Roadrunners couldn't handle the Islanders' defense, or they wouldn't be advised to play an outdoor pickup game in Alaska.
   "I've never been in a basketball arena that's so cold; it's unique that's for sure," Texas-San Antonio head coach Tim Carter said. "You can't use that as an excuse though. I'd be stupid to stand here and tell you we didn't play well because we were cold. I'm sure they were cold, too. It was cold, but you know what? That's part of playing on the road."
   Even if the Roadrunners would have preferred to play the game in their parkas a lot of the credit for their sub-par performance goes to the defense Arrow calls "oh four."
   Listening to a description of "oh four" is similar to an explanation of nuclear physics. Basically, it's a 1-2-1-1 with the point guard sitting in the middle chasing the shooters.
   It's so confusing that when Arrow shouted "oh four" the first time, his players gave him strange looks and slipped into some other defense that looked just as confusing.
   "To be honest with you, I don't know what defense they were playing there for about three minutes after I called for it," Arrow said. "Whatever it was, it worked. I even told the players, 'Hey, when we get to practice tomorrow, explain to me what y'all were doing so we can use it again some time.' "
   After a timeout, the mystery defense was scrapped and the real "oh four" was installed.
   While the execution may have been a bit confusing, there was no doubt what the defense was called as Arrow stomped his feet and shouted "oh four" at the top of his lungs so many times, the kids at the local playground probably found themselves lapsing into "oh four" on accident.
   The best news is the Islanders' defense looked nothing like the playground variety it had shown in past games. In the Islanders three losses this season, the defense definitely rested, giving up 96, 95 and 99 points, respectively.
   "We only gave up 75 points tonight," Arrow said. "Hey, I guess we're starting to look like a real Division I basketball team."



Staff writer Matt Young can be reached at 886-4304 or by e-mail at youngm@caller.com

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