Oh, what a beautiful game of basketball that was played on April 5, 2016, when the number 2 seeded Villanova Wildcats squared off against the number 1 seed North Carolina Tarheels. This game was indeed all it was cracked up to be. Villanova seemed to live up to the "Philly Toughness" image that the media had plastered on them, describing their players as "gritty" and "rugged" on several occasions. On that night, we saw just that.
The small, but effective Wildcats' scrappy nature that Coach Jay Wright instills in his players in something that can't be mimicked. Throughout the game, whether down or up in points, the Wildcats clung to the men they were guarding, being pest like bees on a honeycomb. In a sense, this game was equivalent to Tyson and Holyfield, Ali and Frazier, or even perhaps Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran. The lead swung several times, giving viewers that feeling that we've been craving for all year, an even fight.
The game of basketball is a lot like war because it revolves around one thing—attrition. It's a gruesome game, in which it takes a 40-minute, and sometimes longer, toll on your body in which at the end of an evenly matched game, we see who is more durable. While it may be true that on paper, UNC may have been bigger and arguably more talented team, Villanova had much, much more heart and passion. Team camaraderie is a big thing that Nova has and prides themselves on, as well as the term "attitude." Coach Wright emphasizes that term in order for his players to be "coachable," while accepting and welcoming criticism. All of these things in total is what provides Nova with that "Philly Toughness."
With all that being said, Nova still found themselves with their backs against the wall in several occasions during that game, trading baskets with UNC during the last seconds of the match. It was set in stone that Nova was going to escape with a victory until a nearly-impossible double pump three pointer was made by UNC's Marcus Paige to tie the game. That wasn't convincing enough for the Wildcats. It wasn't but a few minutes later when we got a final glimpse of that Philly Toughness as Philadelphia product Ryan Arcidiacono dribbled down the court calmly pacing his moves as he handed the ball to the trailing junior forward Kris Jenkins, who smoothly dropped a game-winning, buzzer-beating three-pointer to send a worldwide shock. No pressure, no outside voices, just the shot. That's what you call "Philly Toughness."
