“Don’t Give Up, Don’t Ever Give Up”.
These are words spoken by the late basketball coach Jimmy Valvano in 1993 during the final days of his courageous fight with cancer. Although the tough times the Saints have gone through are not a matter of life and death, this is certainly an attitude taken on by this year’s Siena team. Make no mistake Siena fans, this team will not quit.
It could have happened when Davis Martens hip surgery meant he would have to sit out for the year, or when Trenity Burdine’s setback with his foot injury meant he would be out for a while.
It could have happened in the preseason when Imoh Silas and Lio Gomis were ruled ineligible by the NCAA.
It could have happened on that day when it was announced that starting point guard Rakeem Brookins would miss the season with a back injury.
It could have happened when senior co captain and starter Owen Wignot went down with a head injury just six minutes into the season.
It could have happened after losing five straight. Four of those losses in which they had fallen down early, come back, only to come up short in the end.
And finally, it could have happened Monday night, when in the first half of the game against Albany, the Saints found themselves trailing by 19 points.
But it didn’t.
Will they fall behind again? Will they go through tough stretches? Will they lose games? Will they make mistakes? The answer to all of those questions is, yes. But will they give up in the face of injuries, NCAA rulings, point differentials, doubters and critics? No, they won’t. This Siena team is special. For a team that by all rights, some may say, has many reasons to consider just “packing it in”, it’s not going to happen. This team can take a punch, they get knocked down but they get back up. They fight. They stay together in the face of adversity. And last night they won because of it.
Last night’s win over U Albany was one which Coach B referred to as his best win as head coach at Siena. It is an annual game which both sides try to downplay to some degree. For the Saints this game was huge. It was a great opportunity to show everyone what they are made of. The Siena student section aka “Dog Pound” again turned out. Despite the Monday night scheduling a great fan base turned out. Many more watched on TV. And what we all saw was a team that has not, and will not ever give up.
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