Zags lack team-first approach

After watching Gonzaga vs. Davidson, a few (no pun intended) thoughts come to mind. Pendergraft, Kuso, Gray and the team battled like college players should, and built an impressive 11-point first-half lead. In came substitutions to unravel things within minutes.

To a fan it appears some players have team-first lapses. It reminds me of the selfish play of the NBA style, one of the reasons I, as a fan, do not follow the NBA.

Several times it was 1-on-1, with no regard to finding the open man. Juke step here, juke step there, lean back, take the shot and miss.

Some of the Zags know how to play the game. If you don’t have a team-first concept, you may win a lot of games, but expect an early exit from the Big Dance.

I liked watching the early years of the Zags when all the teams had great heart and team-first concepts. It seems the program has gotten a little ahead of itself. As a fan, I wonder if Coach Few can handle this new wave of recruits who will expect the perks and comfort most colleges can’t or don’t afford.

These past two years, I have enjoyed watching the Cougars more, not for their winning, as both programs have, but for the way college basketball should be played. Go Cougs!

Pat B. McSpadden

Spokane