The Game Plan

It was the perfect BYU sports story, and I don't even know that much about basketball.

It was on a night when the exact two universities, where I went to law school, were playing each other in basketball. A night where my favorite team was undefeated, with a 29-0 record; was ranked the number one team in the nation; was playing at home, the last game of the season, against BYU, and was hoping to have its first undefeated season in school history!

The team that won, won for several amazing reasons.

Gonzaga had defeated teams all year by an average of 24.5 points per game, almost unheard of in college basketball.

In front of its hometown crowd, Gonzaga started the game, as usual, by taking a big lead and, within the first 5 minutes of the game, BYU had only scored 5 points. At that point, the Cougars were down 20 to 5. Most teams would have given up. And, over the season, many did.

But not BYU, and not that night.

The reasons BYU won are a lesson to us all and, believe it or not, an example of gospel principles.

First of all, BYU didn't give up at the first sign of trouble. The Cougars faced what appeared to be an insurmountable task: beating a favorite, at home.

Second, they didn't listen to the media. They didn't let the news reports and hype, generated by the spectacle of this particular game, get in their heads and get in the way of their having an amazing night.

Third, they didn't let their own past, affect the present. BYU had suffered some unfortunate losses, throughout the season, had no real promise of promising post-season tournament action. They could have let their past performances set the tone for the game and dictate the way they played. But they did not.

Fourth, and here is the part where I don't know much about basketball, but where I experienced some magic on that special night. BYU followed a game plan and they followed it perfectly.

The game plan, as I saw it, was to go to, and rely heavily on a big man in the middle, and let him score. And if he couldn't, kick it out to shooting guards, outside the 3 point range, and hope the guards could light it up from the perimeter. And, finally, when that didn't work, send someone up the lane to score a lap up or dish the ball off to the big man, for an easy basket.

But basketball also requires defense, on the other end of the court, and requires that the same players have a defensive game plan as well. A plan that includes, protecting the rim, blocking the lanes, forcing shots from the perimeter and getting steals by agitating the opponents passing game.

And it worked. The BYU big man scored a phenomenal 29 points. And when he wasn't scoring, he kicked it out for a downpour of 3 pointers.

BYU also drove successfully to the net for layups and assists. And, at the other end, they stuck to the game plan, protected the rim, frustrated the outside shooting, and grabbed the much-needed rebounds.

The game was close until the end, but BYU pulled off the upset.

A fifth reason BYU won is because they didn't rely too much on one person, and every team member did their part. Even those who may not have been heralded as stars did their part by putting bodies and pressure on Gonzaga and getting a few fouls along the way to keep their own starters out of foul trouble. It took everyone doing their own part and doing their best, no matter their station and no matter their ability.

Perhaps the most amazing thing of all is BYU tore the blueprint for success right out of Gonzaga's own playbook. They executed the exact game plan, to perfection: doing the exact things that Gonzaga had done all year.

Sixth, they had confidence in each other and as a team.

And seventh, they whittled away at Gonzaga's big lead, in small steps, one basket at a time, with executed plays. They didn't try to do things differently, their own way and they didn't ignore the coaches instructions. They obeyed and followed directions.

What I realized, that night, about basketball is that so much of it is about making choices.

There really are only two good choices on the offensive end. You and I might jump to a conclusion and simply assume that the two choices are to shoot or not to shoot--to take the shot or not take it. But I don't believe that is the right strategy, at all, in basketball. I believe the good coaches, if not the best coaches, teach their players this secret.

And it is the secret to basketball and life.

Before you shoot the ball,

Before you take any shot,

First, know who you are going to pass to if the shot is not open.

If you knew where the ball should go if the shot isn't taken, before you took the shot, you would have a continuous backup plan.

So, in reality, there are really just two shots:

the shot you take and the pass you make.

Think of how accurate your passing would be if you put just as much emphasis on assists as you do on baskets.

That your fellow ball player is a target to throw to, as the basket is a target to shoot for.

The selfish ball player, however, thinks only of himself and whether or not to take a shot.

And, when shots not available, and the panic sets in, instead of looking for a better option, too often a ball player just tosses up a bad shot that misses.

But if the player had practiced the concept of predetermined assists, then when the moment wasn't right to shoot, there was already a plan in place: someone else to pass to who is just as open and just as capable.

It requires unselfishness and it requires trust.

The Plan of Salvation is the perfect game plan. To assist in this, the mission of the church has a four-point game plan.

Perfecting the saints could be like the big man in the middle.

Preaching the gospel is often like the 3 point shooters beyond the arc. It's often a long shot, but when you find success it has a high reward.

And, the cutters, driving down the lanes, and pushing up the middle, are those assisting in redeeming the dead.

At the other end, the aid provided to others, the poor, the needy, and those who have cause to mourn, is a game plan all its own.

I don't mean any disrespect when I say, maybe the big man is your bishop, your stake president, the prophet, or even the Lord. Or maybe your are the big man, and the Lord is your coach, giving you instructions.

Your team could be your ward or your family, and you are relying on them to help you as they are relying on you to help them. It is a team effort and it requires faith and trust.

And maybe the temptations we face in life are like our shot selection choices. Maybe, when we are faced with the pressure of temptation, whether or not to be strong or give in, we have already determined our choice and we look to our predetermined backup plan. Then, we are less likely to panic, because we have made the choice, early on, avoiding the temptation and not make the wrong decision.