City of Basketball Love

By Mark Jordan
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PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas — The Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament included a field of powerhouse schools including Michigan, North Carolina, Arkansas, Memphis and North Carolina. 

Maybe not the sort of place you’d want your team in when there are still lingering questions raised by a loss to Penn this season, and the team’s 17-17 record a year ago in Kyle Neptune’s first season taking over for Jay Wright. 

But Neptune put his full faith in his Villanova team, having noted before that this team is a veteran team, “they don’t panic.”

Friday night, at the Atlantis Resort in Paradise Island, Bahamas, the Wildcats celebrated racing through the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament minefield to claim the 2023 championship, defeating fellow finalist, Memphis University, 79-63. It was the Wildcats’ third time winning the event, also grabbing the title in 2013 and 2017.

“I thought we came out and really set the tone,” Neptune said, referencing how Villanova ran out to a thirty-point lead before heading into the locker room at the half, up 44-16. “I was really proud of our guys.”

The Villanova men's basketball team poses after winning the Battle 4 Atlantis championship on Friday in the Bahamas. (Photo: Mark Jordan/CoBL)

Villanova’s stoic leader, Eric Dixon, was rewarded with the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award for his performance.

Having improved every year from the time he arrived on campus, Dixon emerged as the leading scorer on the team last year, averaging a shade over 15 points per game. Struggling a little coming into this tournament, he immediately staked out his territory in the 85-69 opening win over Texas Tech on Wednesday, serving up 19 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals. 

The next day, Dixon raised his game yet again when called upon to lead the Wildcats over North Carolina and All-American forward Armando Bacot. He made Bacot look helpless and ineffectual, pushing to a career-high 34 points and 10 rebounds in an 83-81 overtime Thanksgiving win over the No. 14 Tar Heels, who came in undefeated.  The Abington High school product recorded his 1,000th career point in the game.

Then came the championship battle against a surprising University of Memphis team.

The Tigers delighted the crowds with aerial displays of scoring and shot-blocking defense while they pushed aside Michigan and then Arkansas in their first two games.

Villanova had methodically broken down Texas Tech first, then had to really grind in the semifinal to defeat a very tough North Carolina team in overtime. A defining game for them, but one that made you wonder how much might be left in the tank to fend off the high-flying upstarts from Memphis in the championship.

Turns out the tank was about full. 

Throughout the tournament, Dixon was masterfully supported by veterans Justin Moore and Jordan Longino, and newcomers TJ Bamba, Tyler Burton and Hakim Hart. Mark Armstrong and Brendan Hausen had established themselves as reliable ballhandlers and shooters. Lance Ware and Nnanna Njoku had provided steady relief when Dixon needed a break. 

In fact, when you looked at the first two games, you realized that perhaps the Villanova Way had returned. When the championship game was over, there was no question. The Wildcats blew Memphis out of the building.

“We lost to a really good Villanova team that executed, made shots, and played great “D,” Memphis head  coach Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway said. “We knew their pedigree.” 

What can one do against a high-speed engine firing on all cylinders when it’s headed right for you except to get out of the way?

And Memphis couldn’t do that. Fighting a cold hand and a ferocious Wildcat defense, Memphis shot just 4-27 (14.8%) and 1-12 (8.3%)  from outside the arc in the first half, while Villanova hammered home 44% of their shots and 42% from three. Things got marginally better for the Tigers in the second half, but not before falling behind by 35 points with a little over 10 minutes left in the game.

Villanova played the Villanova Way from the very start. Excellent ball control, scarily accurate three-point shooting, diving for errant balls and sharing the rock. Three Wildcats, Moore, Dixon and Burton all had 11 points. Armstrong had 10, and Bamba led the team with 13 points off a collection of hurtling downhill runs and momentum-stirring jump shots. Bamba and Moore had zero turnovers. In fact, the two guards had just one turnover each for the entire tournament. 

What really pleased Neptune was his team’s defensive performance.

“We just locked in on defense,” Neptune said. “We got a lot better defensively the last two games. That’s always been our thought process.” 

That defense has to be there for Villanova every night.

“We know we can make shots,” Neptune said. “But even really good teams are not going to make shots some nights – a good amount of nights actually – and if you’re going to be a good team, you’re going to have to get stops when you’re not making shots.”

There was also the matter of the elephant in the room. One of the reporters pointed out to Neptune that this was the third time Villanova had competed in the Battle 4 Atlantis, and asked if he were aware, before he brought the team here, that Villanova had never lost an Atlantis game. Neptune was silent for a very long time. A very long time. Then, he finally smiled and quipped, “Yes, I was aware.” 

That statement was perhaps the only indication of the pressure that Neptune has been feeling. He won’t say it, of course, but Jay Wright’s first three teams hovered around .500, and looked how that turned out.

Strong, resolute, and execute on the court. That’s the Villanova Way. Tradition is very much alive on the Main Line.