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posté par NiKoLa92 : | Teary-eyed, with a towel draped around his shoulders, Jared Sullinger made a bold declaration.
Before tonight’s last-second loss to Kentucky in the Sweet 16, he did not know if he would test NBA waters and try his hand at the draft — a place many see him as a consensus top-three pick.
But after feeling the sting of an unexpected loss, the dynamic freshman power forward is determined to win a title before heading to the next level.
“No, I’m going to be an Ohio State Buckeye next year,” he said. “It’s a decision I just made today. Winning is that important to me, I don’t like losing. This is not what I came here to do.”
Though emotions often get the better of young players during these moments, he was then asked why he was so certain, and why he’s sure he wont change his mind.
“I’m a man of my word,” he said. “I don’t change my mind for nobody.”
William Buford, another Buckeye with next-level potential, said he wasn’t thinking about leaving at the moment, but that he was going to discuss it with his family in the coming days.
Some players said the scene in the locker room after was quiet. Eventually, all the team’s seniors got up and spoke, relaying words of encouragement.
Sullinger knows how big of a part they were to their Sweet 16 run this year and how much harder the climb will be without them next season.
But the loss took all reasoning out of him as he promised another year to head coach Thad Matta in front of a horde of cameras.
“I came here to win a National Championship,” Sullinger said. “ I want tears of joy.”
The shots simply weren’t falling. That’s the explanation Buford had for a night when he went 2-for-16 from the field.
But it was the last one that will hurt the most. With time winding down, the Buckeyes trailing by two, Buford launched a 3-pointer from the left side of the key that bounced off the far rim.
The Kentucky sideline exploded.
“I know if I played better the result would have been different,” Buford said. “That’s why it’s so hard right now.”
Like a microcosm of the whole night, the look Buford got wasn’t a problem — a full, unobstructed view of the basket. But for some reason, it wouldn’t go down. Teammates passed through his locker from time to time after the game, offering a hug, or any other pick-me-up they could think of — but no real words.
Buford doesn’t expect them, either.
“They probably wont, we’re so close they probably won’t say anything,” he said. “I know I did wrong, I know I didn’t show up.”
When Ohio State started their final possession with just over five seconds remaining, they had two timeouts left at their disposal, but chose to go with the play that gave Buford the look as time expired.
Buford was asked in the locker room shortly after if he knew why they chose not to use a timeout and regroup.
“I don’t know,” he said. “You’ll have to ask coach (Thad Matta).” |
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