Saban, Oats clear air, ’Bama ‘enjoying the moment’
LOUISVILLE — No. 1 overall seed Alabama hit the court for the first time in Louisville on Thursday in preparation for the South Region semifinal, two victories from the Final Four in Houston.
Head coach Nate Oats said the Crimson Tide (31-5) are “having a blast” while working to understand more about San Diego State (29-6), the No. 5 seed and Mountain West champs who bring experience and a chip on their shoulder on the perception they’re being overlooked as massive underdogs Friday night.
Oats had a visitor at practice on Wednesday — Crimson Tide football coach Nick Saban. Earlier this week, Saban opened a few eyes in the way he applied Oats’ words and initial reaction to All-american Brandon Miller’s connection to the murder case involving other teammates.
Oats said Miller, alleged to have delivered a handgun used to commit murder to ex-alabama teammate Darius Miles, was in the “wrong place at the wrong time,” and later apologized for downplaying the matter. Jamea Harris was shot to the death in the Jan. 15 incident in Tuscaloosa.
This week, Saban suspended defensive back Tony Mitchell following a high-speed police chase and an arrest on drug charges. A police report said Mitchell was clocked at 141 mph during the police pursuit and authorities recovered about 8 ounces of marijuana and $7,000 in cash from the vehicle. Authorities also recovered a loaded firearm from the vehicle and charged the passenger, Christopher Lewis, with carrying a concealed firearm without a permit.
“Everybody’s got an opportunity to make choices and decisions,” Saban said. “There’s no such thing as being in the wrong place at the wrong time. You’ve got to be responsible for who you’re with, who you’re around and what you do, who you associate yourself with and the situations that you put yourself in.”
The coaches talked the night Saban delivered the quote, according to Oats, clearing the air.
“I didn’t take it that way at all. I got a ton of respect for coach,” Oats said. “I said, my opening press conference when I got hired at Alabama, that he may be the best coach for team sports in modern sports history. I mean, when I was a high school coach back in Romulus (Michigan), I had a whole section of Saban quotes in our practice plan. I still have it. I probably use them a little less now that we’re here, and they get plenty of Saban quotes just in the regular media. I’ve got a ton of respect for him. He has been tremendously supportive of our program since he has got here. He says it all the time. He wants the entire athletic department to do well. He has been at multiple games this year. He came yesterday to speak to the team.
“He was good (visiting practice Wednesday). Players loved it. He and I have got a great relationship, and I’m really thankful for the support that he has given us and continues to give us with the basketball program at Alabama.”
Oats said his players are enjoying the Sweet 16 experience, his second in three years, even with the emotional strain on the program due to direct connections to what the Alabama coach called “a heartbreaking situation surrounding the program.”
“You play basketball from the time you were young to get to these moments, and we’re going to enjoy these moments. They’ve earned the right to enjoy the moment they’re in, and I think our guys are having a lot of fun,” Oats said Thursday. “You know what, I delete all social media apps off my phone before the season. I encourage our guys to spend more time watching film and everything. We just — we’re going to control the stuff we can control, and our guys have done a great job being cognizant and aware of the entire situation we have going on and the big-picture stuff, but they’ve done a great job of being where their feet are at and focusing on the details at hand. When we’re in a video session, that’s where our minds are at. When we’re in practice, that’s where our minds are at. We’re focused on practice. When we come into the games and the ball goes up, our entire focus is on what we need to do to win that basketball game. “