Rapid Recap: Kansas State's Jerome Tang calls Coach of the Year award an honor
BIG 12 COACH OF THE YEAR
For those who might have missed it, Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year on Sunday afternoon. It’s a tremendous honor for him to be given that distinction by his peers because they know what coaches go through day in and day out with their players.
Tang knows that he has a tremendous staff and players who helped him claim the award. Keyontae Johnson and Markquis Nowell were both stars this season. If they and their K-State teammates do not play well, there would be no recognition for anybody. Winning is what brings awards.
The Kansas State head coach also gave a shoutout to his graduate assistants. They have spent a lot of times with the players after practice or at their apartments and do all the little things. That allows Tang and his staff to just focus on basketball.
He also thanked all the coaches’ wives for all they do for the program. They enable the coaches to be away from home for hours and hours and they take it upon themselves cook the meals for team dinners on Sunday and at other times.
It also doesn’t happen without Scott Drew helping Tang along the way. His coaching tree could have a large presence in this year’s NCAA Tournament. Paul Mills is having great success at Oral Roberts and Grant McCasland may bring North Texas back to the Big Dance.
HOW KANSAS STATE PLANS TO HANDLE POSTSEASON
We are now entering the postseason, which can be a challenge. At most, K-State has nine games remaining, but it could be just two as well. With that level of uncertainty, there is a few different ways to manage it.
First, a team has to like being around each other, according to the Kansas State head coach. They won the national title at Baylor the year that they were forced into a bubble for 30 days. They genuinely enjoyed being around one another.
That helped a great amount.
Tang feels that kind of camaraderie and those type of relationships exist with this year’s K-State roster, too. They like to hang out and be around each other. They have a lot of fun together, and that is apparent by their chemistry on the court and how they celebrate basketball and life.
The hardest part is winning the first game. Everyone prepares for the first one the longest.
K-STATE SURPASSES EXPECTATIONS
Kansas State was picked to finish last in the Big 12, according to the preseason poll released by the conference before the games began. However, the Wildcats finished third and just two games back of first place.
Tang admitted that K-State even surpassed his own expectations not just on the court, but off the court as well. They have an elite cohesion across the board between players and staff members, and they care about each other.
His players also really want to be coached and are very willing to be coached. That’s not always common.
ALL-BIG 12 FIRST TEAMERS
Nowell and Johnson became the first pair of Kansas State teammates to be named to the All-Big 12 first team since Barry Brown and Dean Wade did so in the 2018-2019 season. It is also only the 14th time in school history that K-State has had two members on the All-Big 12 team.
Nowell called it a blessing to be given that kind of recognition. Remember, Nowell was not given those accolades when the preseason lists were announced in November. Johnson called it a blessing as well, but noted that the real accomplishment and product of their hard work will be determined by how many wins they obtain in March.
