Alabama Basketball: Tide with SEC road win and most important is how

The Alabama basketball 68-62 road win over South Carolina was important but even bigger was how the Crimson Tide won.

After the game, Alabama basketball coach, Avery Johnson complimented South Carolina. Avery said the Gamecocks played like a NCAA Tournament team. The television announcers observed the second-half felt like a NCAA Tournament game.

This season Alabama basketball had not played well enough to win such a tight, determinedly contested game. It could be argued it has been farther back than this season when the Crimson Tide was the tougher and more poised team down the stretch.

Do not be fooled by the Gamecocks’ record. They may not make the Big Dance but they are a good team. Chris Silva is a load around the basket. He and his teammates play smart, tough and fearless.

For a change, Alabama basketball was even tougher, smarter and more fearless. Much credit goes to Avery Johnson. He again only used the players he needed to win. Except for four, foul-issue minutes that went to Galin Smith, Avery played just eight guys. The eighth, Daniel Giddens played only 10 minutes. Kira Lewis Jr. played 37 minutes. John Petty played 34.

More important than the player rotation was how the Crimson Tide played. Except for a few lapses, the Alabama basketball defense was sensational. Credit goes to Avery for calling on Herbert Jones to close out most of the last eight minutes. Herbert dogged Hassani Gravett relentlessly. Gravett can explode and single-handedly shoot South Carolina back into a game. Avery Johnson and Herbert Jones were determined that would not happen.

In the games’ last minutes, Gravett scored four points. Jones was not the only Crimson Tide player applying defense. The Crimson Tide made 10 of its last 20 shots in the game. South Carolina made 8-of-20 and just two of its last ten. Thanks to Avery’ s plan to double-team Chris Silva as soon as he touched the ball, Silva made only six field goals. He did add 11 points at the foul line.

But it was more than Avery’s plan and a tough defense. It was also a team effort on offense. Donta Hall, Kira Lewis, Tevin Mack and Riley Norris combined for 54 of the Tide’s 68 points. Hall added 10 rebounds. John Petty, whose shooting woes continued, was superb in every other way. He was tough on defense, pulled down 10 rebounds and added three assists.

Alabama basketball has tougher games ahead. It may have to play better than it did against South Carolina to win them. Fifteen turnovers are likely to be too many against LSU or Auburn. But Avery Johnson has brought this team back from the near-dead. There is reason to have hope again.

Kira Lewis Jr. was huge Tuesday night. He made key baskets and plays on the SEC road that a 17-year old is not supposed to be able to do. Even bigger for the Tide emotionally was Riley Norris. Riley played like a man who refused to lose. Norris made play after improbable play.