Alabama Basketball: Has Avery lost the Tide team?

Alabama basketball is at a crossroads. With an NCAA bid possible but not probable, has Avery Johnson lost the confidence of his team?

Alabama basketball fans know well the feeling of late-season failure. Only once in 10 seasons have NCAA Tournament hopes not been destroyed in late February or March. Even so, it is hard to comprehend the Alabama basketball program has played in one NCAA Tournament game in 10 seasons. A decade of basketball and the result is one NCAA Tournament loss in 2012.

There were six tough seasons at the end of David Hobbs’ and the start of Mark Gottfried’s tenure leading Alabama basketball. Even with that six-year NCAA drought, the Tide went to 17 NCAA Tournaments in the 25 seasons from 1982-2006. During that span, there were six Sweet Sixteen and one Elite Eight appearances.

That history ended in 2007. Avery Johnson was expected to bring the Tide back to NCAA Tournament respectability and perhaps national prominence. Avery has upgraded Alabama basketball. His recruiting has been a success story.

Suddenly the Avery revival is looking shaky. A four-game losing streak and little chance for an NCAA bid has changed everything. Alabama basketball fans are beyond un-buckled. Gauging the mood from multiple message boards, more fans are urging his dismissal than those who support him.

Team chemistry is trending to negative

Much more serious than fan discontent is the spreading worry that Avery has lost his team. Good teams peak in late February, March and April. Alabama is on a downward path. Those blaming player dissatisfaction make a strong argument. The last four games (and some earlier games) show a team not playing for each other and not playing for their coach.

The hard-working and talented Collin Sexton is not leading the team in anything but effort. Rumors abound that other players think Sexton and Avery Jr. are held less accountable for their mistakes. In this setting of apparent growing tension, Avery seems to be over-coaching each half-court possession. And it is not working.

Offensive failings are hurting defensive effort

The offensive performance has so deteriorated it has affected the defensive performance. What was earlier in the season a battling Tide defense has been out-shot, out-run, out-fought, and out-thought by Kentucky, Auburn, Arkansas and Florida.

Avery said after the Florida loss he would look at the video for what needs to be corrected. Maybe he needs to re-think his own performance more. The hearts and the minds of some, perhaps even most of his team are not conducive to winning basketball against tough opposition. That is no one’s fault but Avery.

Die-hard fans will hope a win against TAMU will eradicate the four-game nightmare. We certainly hope so. On Saturday afternoon, we hope everything we have written will be discredited by a stellar Tide performance. We like Avery Johnson and want him to succeed. Next season maybe all the pieces will come together for Alabama basketball. We wish we were more optimistic.

Next: The FBI, the NCAA and College Basketball's Future

Alabama basketball should be more than a diversion between football season and Spring Practice. There is no reason, including an out-dated Coleman Coliseum, that the Crimson Tide cannot excel in basketball. It has under C.M. Newton, Wimp Sanderson and Mark Gottfried. It can and should again.