By: Leo Woronov, Sports Director
One of the most storied programs in college basketball history walked into an NCAA tournament venue taken over by a student section supporting a small university from Riverside, Calif.
The 13-seed California Baptist Lancers knew the challenge that 4-seed Kansas presented.
“I told our team right away, this is one of the great college basketball coaches of all time,” Head Coach Rick Croy said pregame. “He’s going to have his boys ready to compete. I mean, the best version of Kansas will be here in San Diego, and that’s what we’re preparing for.”
Jayhawks legendary Head Coach Bill Self credited the Lancers in his pregame preparation, noting the talent of senior guard Dominique Daniels Jr.
“He’s good. And he can score on anybody, at any level,” Self said. “He’s capable of getting 30, 35 any night. You’ve got to limit his touches.”
Self clearly recognized the threat, but did not realize how prophetic his words would become.
A slow start held both sides without a field goal through the first three minutes until Jayhawk freshman forward Bryson Tiller slammed a putback dunk home.
Tre White III finished hard through contact to extend the early Jayhawk lead, 8-3 with 15:52 remaining.
After racing for a long rebound, Daniels Jr. streaked past every Jayhawk, euro stepping and finishing his first basket in up-and-under fashion to ignite the Cal Baptist crowd.
For Daniels Jr., that would be the only field goal he’d make the rest of the half, shooting 1/10, and clearly bothered by the constant denial defense played by Kansas senior Melvin Council Jr.
Daniels was not alone, as there seemed to be a lid on the basket for the entire Lancers squad, as they shot 7/32 and 0/7 from beyond the arc as a team through the first half.
Kansas had the same disease through the first eight minutes, as they themselves started 2/15, but after a media timeout, they remedied their shooting struggles, ending the half by making 12 of their final 20 attempts, half of which came from the future lottery pick.
After an 0/6 start, Peterson made six out of his next eight shots, including a contested step-back buzzer-beating three to end the half, and taking the team lead with 15 points.
The Jayhawks calmly jogged into the tunnel with their largest lead of the night, 38-18 going into the break.
Nobody could have predicted what was about to ensue.
With Council Jr. earning a few minutes of rest, Daniels Jr. finally connected on a triple, which also happened to be Cal Baptist’s first of the game with 14:30 to play in the second half.
A small flame began to spark inside of Daniels Jr.
For about 30 seconds, Daniels Jr. and Peterson put on the one-on-one show fans came to see. Daniels Jr. hit another step-back three, and Peterson answered with one of his own. Daniels then quickly converted a layup on the other end, but Peterson responded again, knocking down his fourth three to push his total to 26.
After an and-one from Daniels Jr. a few possessions later, the deficit suddenly sat at 15.
The flame spread into a wildfire.
In the face of the future top draft pick, Daniels pulled up from 27 feet and drained yet another triple, emphatically pumping his fist on his way back down the floor.
He wasn’t done.
After notching his 20th point of the night at the charity stripe with four minutes left, Daniels Jr. dove full-extension to save a loose ball, then hopped back into play to snatch it from Bidunga and draw a foul, running to the section of the school that idolizes him.
The Cal Baptist crowd roared in response.
Their school just cut a seemingly insurmountable 26-point deficit to only 12, powered by a 5’10” point guard with zero scholarship offers out of high school against a program that’s poured hundreds of millions of dollars into its facilities and players.
Could this really happen?
Daniels Jr. sure thinks so. Another step-back three. Tack on two more free throws on the ensuing possession. A 12-0 run fueled entirely by one man.
Down to single digits.
Council Jr. fully fronted Daniels Jr. after another Lancer stop. Martell Williams decided to join the fun. Layup good.
Down to six, 1:06 to play. Timeout Bill Self.
A valiant effort to say the least came up just short, as the final two shots that Daniels Jr. put up failed to find nylon. A White III transition dunk sealed the deal for a Kansas win, 68-60, setting up what should be an epic battle against St. John’s in round two on Sunday.
Kansas won the fight.
Cal Baptist won the night.
The entire arena applauded the Lancers, as Daniels Jr. walked off the floor for the final time as a collegiate athlete, waving goodbye to his hometown student section.
The pride and joy of California Baptist left behind a performance that an entire country will remember, one that epitomizes the classic American underdog story, and an inspiration for anyone facing adversity in the fabric of this wild place we call the world.
Coach Rick Croy could not have shown more pride in his players postgame, noting that some players wore shirts that read “A Thousand Moments.”
“Early morning lifts, our mile conditioning run, all the sacrifices these guys make, study hall, getting back late, getting up early, going to class,” Croy said. “That’s where trust and confidence is built, in those thousand moments. I can’t thank these guys enough for all the moments that we shared together.”
Croy’s best player had zero scholarship offers out of high school, and stands at 5 feet and 10 inches tall.
Dominique Daniels Jr. is the embodiment of heart over height.
To his doubters, he has one message:
“They see me now.”