[Herky] The big fella pushes Hawkeyes forward

Sue Bailey minburnsb at gmail.com
Sat Mar 19 04:55:03 PDT 2016


The big fella pushes Hawkeyes forward

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Yes, Iowa’s Adam Woodbury shoved Temple’s Obi 
Enechionyia out of his way before he caught Mike Gesell’s air ball and 
flipped it into the basket.

No, push-offs aren’t pretty.

No, this wasn’t a pretty game.

No, Woodbury isn’t a particularly pretty player.

So what? Winning in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament is beautiful, 
period. Woodbury cemented his place in Hawkeye basketball history with 
his catch of Mike Gesell’s airball and subsequent last-second basket in 
Iowa’s 72-70 overtime victory over Temple on Friday in Barclays Center.

“He’s not calling that foul with two seconds left in the game,”Woodbury 
said. “That’s just not something a referee does. It’s just part of the 
deal. It is what is, a battle down low. It was a fight for 45 minutes.”

How perfectly symbolic of Woodbury’s four-year college career. A play 
that was both rugged and intelligent paid off big-time for the big fella.

“Make sure you call him the big fella,” freshman teammate Ahmad Wagner 
whispered to me in a corner of the Hawkeyes’ locker room.

Big fella, it is. With broad shoulders. He has taken way more than his 
share of criticism over four years and stared straight ahead without 
blinking. He has always
known who and what he is. It didn't matter to him if the outside world 
appreciated him as long as his team did.

Iowa center Adam Woodbury (left) is hugged by guard Anthony Clemmons (5) 
after their overtime victory against Temple during the first round of 
the 2016 NCAA men’s basketball tournament Friday at the Barclays Center 
in Brooklyn, N.Y.

MIKE HLASI THE GAZETTE
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'I think Mike was honestly the hero on that last play,' Woodbury said, 
'because he actually got us a shot. If he doesn't put that on the rim, I 
have no chance to go get it.' The shot didn't actually graze the rim, 
and Woodbury made the hero play. But why quibble with someone who's 
being humble? Genuinely humble, by the way.

When Woodbury scored, he didn't go nuts. He didn't hop atop the scorer's 
table and tear off his jersey. He didn't climb into the fifth row of the 
stands. He stood under the basket and let his teammates pile onto him.

Some 1,300 miles fromhere, a group of 30 Hawkeye fans did enough roaring 
for their Sioux City native son. Included were Lance and Brenda 
Woodbury, Adam's parents.

The Woodburys have gone on so many trips to watch their son over four 
years, to North Carolina, to Orlando, to the Bahamas. It's required a 
lot of time, a lot of money. But they couldn't make this one.

The main reason is it's the busiest time of year in Lance's line of 
work. He is self-employed, owning a Kitchen Solvers franchise (Brenda is 
a payroll/administrative coordinator at Morningside College). Lance 
specializes in kitchen remodeling, and this a period when there are a 
lot of home shows to work.

'Others do what I do where I'm from,' Lance said by phone after the 
game, 'If you're notthere, the competition will get you.' Which is 
similar to something he has preached to his son.

'I've always told Adam if you're not in the gym, somebody's getting 
better than you.' Another reason was something Lance refused to use as 
an excuse. But it costs a pile of money to go to New York City, 
especially on short notice.

The NCAA doesn't help families of players here with travel costs. It 
does pay up to $3,000 in expenses for families of players who travel to 
the Final Four, and another $1,000 to families of players in the 
national title game.

The NCAA is in the middle of a 14-year, $11 billion contract with CBS 
and Turner Broadcasting. Somebody's making money.

'I wish we could have been there today. Ifthey win Sunday (here against 
Villanova), we'll try to go to Kentucky (for the Sweet 16). Adam 
understands.' That's what Woodbury's coaches say about him. He gets it. 
And he works.

'A great person from a great family,' Iowa assistant coach Kirk Speraw 
called him. 'He's bluecollar personified and has been from Day 1.' 'He's 
a guy who literally brings it for you every day,' Hawkeyes head coach 
Fran McCaffery added. 'For a coach, when they recruit somebody, they 
hope they get that guy.' Iowa barely had any offensive rebounds for most 
of this game, but suddenly it was getting second- and third-shots. 
Woodbury tapped the ball out to teammates to extend possessions.

In a game that often felt like it was slippingaway from his team, 
Woodbury grabbed his team's final misfire and nestled it in the basket.

'I didn't come to Iowa to make game-winning baskets,' he said. 'I came 
to play in the NCAA tournament, to help the team win big games, and be 
with a great group of guys. I've done all three, I guess.' Big fella. 
Big win. But not the biggest self-congratulations.

'I've already moved on to the next game,' Woodbury said. 'I know if 
you're resting on your laurels, you're going to get beat the 
followinggame.'His dad, who had to hurry across town to make a 5 p.m. 
work appointment after the game, will nod in approval when he reads that.

•Comments: (319) 368-8840; mike.hlas at thegazette.com 
<mailto:mike.hlas at thegazette.com>

The Iowa bench reacts to a 3-pointer against Temple during a firstround 
game of the NCAA men's basketball tournament Friday at the Barclays 
Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Cliff Jette/The Gazette

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