Column: Celebrate, San Diego: Aztecs win over Alabama ranks among city’s five biggest wins in sports history

Where does San Diego State’s basketball victory over Alabama go in the San Diego sports annals?

Put it in the top five, but be sure to use the pencil.

Coming off the top seed in the NCAA Tournament, 71-64, on Friday in the school’s first Sweet 16 win, the San Diego State men will write themselves at the top of the city’s win list by claiming the national title.

That would take three more wins.

Whatever happened in Sunday’s Quarterfinal game at Louisville itself where they beat Alabama every half, the Aztecs put a big black and red flag on the national basketball scene.

Recruitment doors will open. SDSU alumni will write more checks for the Brian Dutcher program. Television moguls would dangle bigger rights fees.

What would resonate with Cognoscenti Basketball was that there was no need for fender dusters. Relying on their deep, sound defense, the Dutcher Crew held the fifth-ranked offense in the country 18 points below their scoring average. To offset Alabama’s height advantage, SDSU used positioning and power to grab 17 offensive rebounds from the nation’s top rebounding team.

The victory made an exclamation mark, what the Dutch Aztecs did to Alabama is what Nick Saban often does to a football opponent. They fielded several adult men who had been well taught the rudiments of defense and physical offenses, and won a convincing victory.

Send strength and fitness coaches a game ball. The Aztecs edged past the SEC’s double-champion, squeezing its star player, Brandon Miller, on a shooting night 3-for-19.

If the tough style sounds familiar, she described the physical move that produced San Diego’s biggest major sports victory to date: the Chargers’ 17-13 victory in wet, cold Pittsburgh that sent Bobby Ross’ team to the franchise’s only Super Bowl.

The Chargers’ defenders criticized the Steelers’ fierce ground game shutout. Chargers running fenders deflected into the front strobe. A moment after throwing the game’s most important feat, a salute to wide receiver Tony Martin, quarterback Stan Humphries took a vicious shot.

Silver medalist San Diego’s victory list?

Steve Garvey’s game, like Garvey’s home run in Game 4 of the 1984 National League Championship Series, revived the Padres’ bid for the franchise’s first World Series berth, and it ultimately succeeded. Nearly 40 years later, the explosion in Mission Valley, accompanied by Jerry Coleman’s euphoria, stands as the most exciting moment in local sports history.

It’s a crowded photo behind Dennis Gibson hitting the Steelers’ final pass and Garvey approaching Cubs field near Lee Smith.

Want to go with the 1963 Chargers defeating the Boston Patriots, and winning the NFL title at Balboa Stadium?

Take your time.

Would you rather, instead, have the Padres’ 1984 and 1998 victories that sent them to the World Series?

Nobody stops you.

And if the Aztecs defeat Creighton on Sunday, then Florida Atlantic or Kansas State in Houston, and finally, on April 3, in Houston, where that rank?

Let’s do the math, as we note that Houston native Gideon Liddy on the front line at SDSU pulled off an amazing block and threw a slam dunk on Friday versus the NBA Draft stars.

The Chargers have won zero Super Bowls in 51 opportunities. The Padres are 0-for-54 in their quest for the awards.

So yeah, one NCAA Tournament title would move SDSU to the top of the list. UCLA, often regarded as the kings of basketball, has won only one NCAA title in the past 48 years. The likes of Duke, Kentucky and Kansas were knocked out from this year’s tournament. North Carolina did not qualify.

You won’t find any of the Aztecs in the first round of mock NBA drafts. It’s strength in numbers. Eight Aztecs beat Alabama by at least four points. Four defenders blocked a shot led by Nathan Mensah’s five. Four players grab four or more rebounds.

The ball rises again on Sunday. Not only are the Aztecs of interest in San Diego, but they are also of interest to the state.