Veteran Aztecs do things their way, reach rare air

Final Four was more than goal; it’s team pledge

San Diego State’s recruiting pitch to Darrion Trammell certainly sounded intriguing.

Coach Brian Dutcher asked the former Seattle University guard to come to Southern California and play in a Final Four.

What Trammell found was a mature, talented group of players with two NCAA Tournament appearances — a team that convinced him it was possible. Now, after matching his season high with 21 points in Friday’s 71-64 win over No. 1 seed Alabama, Trammell and his teammates are one win away from fulfilling their ambitious goal.

“I felt like we were going to a make deep run, so yeah, I did believe it,” Trammell said Saturday. “I felt as a team, we were the only people to believe that, but that’s ultimately what matters is the confidence and the belief that we have in our own team.”

The fifth-seeded Aztecs (30-6) don’t look like many other teams.

In an era when one-anddones and the ever-swirling transfer portal threaten to break up teams and keep rosters young, San Diego State has relied on size, strength and experience to keep dancing through March Madness, right into the South Region final against No. 6 Creighton.

Seven of its 12 players, including Trammell, are seniors. Five have only played at one school and everyone was sold on the same Final Four pledge. And now this veteran lineup, which endured everything from a canceled postseason to a tournament bubble to last March’s excruciating 72-69 first-round overtime loss to Creighton, can earn its ticket

to Houston on Sunday.

“I said before the year our plan is to make it to a Final Four, to win a national championship, so we can’t act surprised we’re sitting up here,” Dutcher said. “This is what the goal has been.”

Trammell is the playmaking guard who was an all-conference defender at Seattle. Adam Seiko is the thick, gritty guard who prides himself on being a fearless 3-point shooter and a strong defender with 118 career wins.

Forwards Keshad Johnson, Jaedon Ledee and Arop provide the brawn and skill in the post against beefier, more touted opponents, and at 6-foot-10 and 230 pounds, Nathan Mensah is second on the school’s career blocks list (231).

Then there’s Matt Bradley, the Mountain West tourney MVP and first-team allleague selection.

Timothy D. Easley The Associated Press San Diego State’s Miles Byrd and Darrion Trammell celebrate Friday during the Aztecs’ 71-64 win against top-seeded Alabama.