"The Club at The Pub.."

      'ThePantherExpress' packed with fans old and new is rolling into the Pioneer Valley looking for some old-fashioned payback for the two dings that have smudged 'TheBoys' otherwise perfect record. For the rookies, and those expecting the 'new normal' - and given recent seasons why would they expect anything different - the staff has added an extra lamaze therapist, to regulate the breathing starting tomorrow at 3p.m. We've heard (although not confirmed) that one newcomer swooned at first sight of a 'Willy Workman for Mayor' banner hanging from the ramparts of the North Hampton city hall, but was revived by one of the Panther Faithful, who said remember you're in foreign territory, until you get to "The Club at The Pub". So the fan sipped on the reviving brandy as the train rolled past the UMass station, quietly repeating The-Club-at-the-Pub, that new slogan for the Williams/Amherst disaffected.

      Barring asteroidal interference, the blue-n'-white clad crowd will be streaming into The Pub (in Amherst) at noon tomorrow, with a meeting with 'the Makers' on their mind. Some will say that we have to stop meeting this way, but although it's not at Pepin, the better thing to focus on is that it's not at Chandler. The high spirits and excitement will be fueled by the lunching, or pre-game beers and Bloody Mary's, and the tales of this incredible run by The Panthers.

      Then it's down to business at Lefrak where NolanT., Pedro and the rest of our 'Boys' will be required to do the heavy lifting to get us past Williams. From my perch here in the skyboxes it looks like this definitely do-able. Everything went just about perfect for Robertson and Mayer the first time around, so with some tinkering Midd ought to hold the upper hand. Things didn't go so well for Epley their leading scorer, and there doesn't promise to be any respite because Nolan's efforts at locking down big scorers or playmakers are finally drawing rave reviews beyond The Addison County Independent. TheBoys need to be able to crack the Williams zone early. That was problematical last time for two reasons. Lynch only got 16 minutes to damage them inside, and wasn't available for those big possessions late, and three big shooters clunked up at 4-for-25. Ouch. Very different late game scenario if we're near the 40 percent mark. on the 'D' end, If LongJack can get out and be more active in fronting Mayer when he's down low that will keep him from the big start that they need, allowing us to defend on the perimeter against Klemm and Epley. If Mayer wants to shoot treys, then James can defend better out there, and he will be there early to make it happen. The key in cracking the zone is that a more up-tempo favors our G.s driving by them, hitting the cutters, and finding the open man. Last time we had them almost to the cusp of getting away and they got the tempo back down, so it appears that TheBoys won't play into their strategy a second time. A lot riding on this outcome- trip to the finals, hosting in the ncaa's, and the feeling is that 'ThePantherExpress' should continue to roll in this difficult spot and earn the rematch with TheLordJeffNation for bragging rights to the northeast.

      A finals repeat with Toomey and Pals promises to be great theater. Whether it will match the instant classic status of the first game is difficult to believe but if you plug in the fact that the last 3 meetings, have been decided through four OT's and a total of six points, all on the final possession, the ingredients are all there. This is not for the faint of heart, or those with long fingernails (too much chewing involved), but 'TheBoys' can do it. We know that it will be pointed out by prognosticators that the last time The LJN lost at home was during the Eisenhower administration. So what! You gotta believe! The best G. trio in the nation, Jake, Nolan and "Mr. Ice" (Joey) offer more than Toomey has. One of the best inside guys around, it says here that Pedro outlasts Kaasila in the foul-prone area. Maybe LongJack wakes up aggravated and stays that way. He's been acting that way, inching up the leader charts in blocks. Now that HunterM. realizes (with all of two games postseason experience) that the basket looks as big as a swimming pool, his treys will make a splash. And then we've got James with all the intensity focusing the way that late juniors make it happen, and you know that Amherst is do-able. A couple of hidden keys to the weekend are how far Churchill has come. He still has big upside, and needs to be a factor against Williamson, and Willy on the boards. We're also hoping that NateB. and DeanB. can give us some meaningful minutes, particularly the former because his athleticism is a good matchup against what Amherst tries to do, and his block of a Williamson dunk at the rim last year is not forgotten. At stake is not only the nescac title, but the one-seed in the ncaa's that ought to be enough. It says here that Midd's won the nescacs the last two odd-numbered years, so why not go for the three-peat!  

      And remember: "down The Alibi stairs, into the caboose on ThePantherExpress, past the Willy Workman banner, and off the keg at The Pub, nothin' but net!' Be well. Clubbo.