In March 2004, we were on vacation at Maho Bay in St. John’s in the Virgin Islands. During that time, Bowdoin College played Wilmington College (Ohio) in the finals of the Division III Women’s Basketball Championship.

Games weren’t live-streamed back then, but Clark Truesdell, my former college roommate, was listening to it on the radio. So I called him from the beach and he relayed highlights as the game progressed. Bowdoin was up four points with 8 minutes left, but then things fell apart, and the Polar Bears lost 63-59.

In 2020, prospects looked excellent for the Bears to win their first national championship, but the tournament got cancelled because of COVID.

This past season, the Bowdoin women hoopsters had another great year. At the beginning of the season, the Bears were ranked 10th in the nation among 439 Division III teams. After winning 29 straight games, they climbed to second in the rankings behind New York University, the only other undefeated team. They reached the Sweet 16, but lost to Smith College 53-47 in a hard-fought contest at home. It was a terrific season by any measure, highlighted by wins over perennial rivals, including Amherst, Tufts, Williams and Bates

Despite not winning it all, the coaches and team earned significant post-season honors. Senior Sidney Jones was named NESCAC Player of the Year as well as All-NESCAC First Team. Sophomore Abby Quinn was named to the All-NESCAC Second Team. Megan Phelps and her coaching staff (Abby Quinn and Taylor Choate) received NESCAC Coaches of the Year honors.

Here are some thoughts as to why the Bowdoin women’s basketball team has been so successful year after year.

• An emphasis on the team, rather than the individual. Bowdoin recruits team players, not it’s-all-about-me divas. Every player is important, every person counts.

• A focus on defense. Bowdoin’s fierce, never-let-up defense catches opponents off guard, wearing them down over the course of the game.

• An alert offense. Pass, pass, pass. Find the open player. It’s about making the basket, not about who makes it.

• A 100%, give-it-all, take-no-prisoners mindset in practice as well as in games This philosophy demands that every player be in top condition. Work out with weights. Eat well. Get rest. Be smart, stay sharp. On the “be smart” front, Bowdoin women basketball players typically excel academically; their focus on the court carries over into focus in the classroom.

• Shared leadership. The coaches involve the players in making key decisions, beginning with recruitment and continuing through the season. Incidentally, the focus on leadership has yielded outstanding results. Many Bowdoin players have gone on to successful coaching careers. In fact, the head coaches of four current NESCAC teams played at Bowdoin. Moreover, NESCAC is considered the strongest Division III conference in the nation.

• The rabid, loyal fans. Bowdoin home games always draw at least 500 fans and over 1,000 fans during playoff games — far more than any other NESCAC team. In fact, coaches have said that the boisterous fan base is a fine recruiting tool. Several fans purchased plane tickets to attend the Final Four Championship in Salem, Virginia, even before the first round of the NCAA Division III tournament.

No one can predict what will happen next year, but I do know that Bowdoin will have some fine new players to join a proven cast of returning players. Talented athletes want to play with a proven winner under a top coach. Fans like me will be speculating about the teams prospects and who will start and on and on. And I know that Morrell Gymnasium will again be packed game after game with fans glued to the action, chanting, “Go, Bears!”

David Treadwell, a Brunswick writer, welcomes commentary and suggestions for future “Just a Little Old” columns at dtreadw575@aol.com.