Our Krebs in thick of Gaels upset

SAINT Mary’s will be out to prove last week’s stunning West Coast Conference upset of America’s No.1-ranked college side was no fluke when it steps on to the court in the NCAA tournament.

The Gaels shocked basketball circles when they defeated Gonzaga 60-47 in the WCC grand final, ending the Zags’ six-year reign as champions while also creating program history by beating a No.1-ranked side for the first time.

Pivotal to the outcome was Tasmanian sharpshooter Tanner Krebs, who scored a game high 13 points in the first half.

Speaking to the Mercury before the Gaels’ clash with Villanova tomorrow, the third-year guard said the underrated group was confident of making a deep run at the tournament.

“We went into that game believing we could win, despite it being a shock to everyone else,” Krebs said. “As the year has gone on we have got better and the last month or so things have been going great. All the guys definitely feel we can have a good tournament and we feel we still have a point to prove.”

After struggling early in the season to handle expectations Krebs has flourished, and admitted it took him awhile to block out the external noise.

“I came into the season with some pretty big expectations and I struggled a little bit with that, until I realised I didn’t have to prove anything to anyone,” Krebs said. “I had already proven myself to my teammates, so relaxing a little bit was a big help.”

One of two Tasmanians (North West Coaster Kyle Clark is the other), five Australians and a pair of New Zealanders on the roster, Krebs returns to the NCAA’s March Madness for a second time, having experienced the hype in his freshman year.

“The whole season, you are striving to get to this point, it is where you want to be.

“Everyone in the country watches, it is such a big deal.

“The whole nation stops for this month to watch these games, it is a big deal, and a really cool thing to be a part of.”