We all have favorites; we the faithful who pray at the Basilica of the Cardinals.
Favorite games. Favorite players. Favorite seasons.
Even favorite plays. I know I do.
One of mine came in the game that was a harbinger of U of L’s first title and the program’s success that was to come in the seasons that followed.
12/19/80. Cardinals 75, #2 Ohio State 65.
The good guys rattled the stunned Buckeyes early on with that intense, disruptive full court press Denny Crum brought with him from UCLA. Discombobulated, the visitors had trouble getting into their offense, getting the ball past midcourt.
At one point a Buckeye tried to pass the ball from backcourt past the center stripe to a teammate in the corner forty plus feet away. Derek Smith, with his long arms and huge hands, was checking that guy with the ball from about five feet away.
As the befuddled visitor attempted to hurl the rock over Smith’s head, the Cardinal guard, like a Venus Fly Trap snaring an unsuspecting visitor buzzing close by, reached up and snared the rock, firing it to a teammate streaking toward the hoop for an easy deuce.
Which memorable moment of Cardinal hoops history flashbacked last evening at the 11:03 mark of the opening stanza of U of L’s workmanlike dismantlement of the hapless Ramblin’ Wreck.
When Ryan McMahon, shorter of stature, shorter of arm, shorter of talent than his predecessor Smith, similarly snared a pass by GT’s Brandon Alston. The exclamation point came fourteen seconds later on the resulting Cardinal possession, when He Who Has Come To Be Called McM$$$ splashed a trey, for a 16-7 advantage.
The Yellow Jackets never got closer.
Adding to the panache of that interlude, young Ryan stole the rock on GT’s next possession, leading to a Malik Williams follow, increasing the lead to double digits.
Then there was that one that didn’t count, when McMahon bullseyed a shot from midcourt after he stole it. But he was hacked before getting it off and Ted Valentine wouldn’t count the basket.
* * * * *
As sweet as last night’s stop the bleeding victory was, it’s really hard to tell if it means anything as the Cards stare into the maw of their onerous, backloaded stretch run of the regular season.
Tech is an ACC bottom feeder, with only Wake and Pitt to thank for some distance, minimal as it is, from the cellar.
Yet yes, there were a few heartening if not definitive positive signs.
38 of U of L’s point total came from the bench. That’s a wafer thin digit short of 50%. Jordan Nwora had 16, Williams 11, McMahon 6, and Dwayne Sutton 5.
Darius Perry, normally a sub, started. Because Deng Adel tweaked his ankle on that horrid and truly stupid attempted reverse dunk on a breakaway against ‘Cuse. Not only did DP tally 7, but he was the catalyst for Louisville’s more intense defensive effort.
Loved his threading the needle forty foot feed to Ray for a fast break two to make it 51-34.
Nwora, who seems to play at 33 1/3 when the Cards are groovin’ at 45 rpm, and McMahon each had four of the Cards’ 15 pilfers.
Quentin Snider had 7 assists, turning it over only once.
U of L hit 60% from beyond the arc, 12/20. (Caveat: most were uncontested, I mean, Tech is really a bad team.) 18 assists on 27 made FGs is noteworthy.
There remain causes for concern. The Cards, who were outrebounded, gave up 10 offensive boards, and secured only 5.
11/19 at the free throw line ain’t gonna cut it in a game where every point matters.
Anas Mahmoud, most of the time, and Ray Spalding more than he should, both try to make post moves when they are fed the ball too far from the hoop. It would seem more prudent to try and back the defender down before receiving the rock.
And, while I loathe dissing players continually for their play — after all, these are still teenagers — I must admit I’m growing more frustrated with VJ King by the game. He’s really bringing nothing to the table.
That was literal last night before intermission. He was ofer the first half. And his contributions after the break were more a function of coincidence than effort and focus.
Next up: A trip to Steeltown. Kevin Stallings’ Pittsburgh “Do You Miss Jamie Dixon Now?” Panthers are winless in the ACC. The Cardinals throttled them first time around by 26.
Sunday’s game is a Must Win, if the Cards hope to make the Dance.
— Seedy K
Hope that Deng and VJ note that people got shots with moving and passing the ball, and unless there was quick dribbling into the paint to collapse the defense and pass out to wings or down to the post, and 1 shot off the dribble by Jordan N and only a few hunt shots with dribbling on perimeter by VJ, the team had success with team ball, not “me ball”.
Again, it must be said, it was a Ga Tech team not known for stellar defense (or offense)
Ken,your subliminal message was not missed on me.
Yes, the ball moved much more crisply sans Deng’s constant probing with ineffective and often disastrous drives to the hoop. The defense (and offense, for that matter) picked up with VJ riding some pine. D even better somehow when the guards were manned by DPerry and Mac$$$ while Q rested.
Certainly, both of our normal starting wings have more “talent” than their replacement parts. But sometimes, somehow, the sum is greater than its parts if those with lesser ability but more willingness to buy in to a scheme get the nod. Let’s hope that DA and VJ see the light to pull this train-wreck off the trash pile before it is too late.
Let’s hope DA rides the pine for awhile; like 6 weeks… DPerry & Mac$$$ were LIT!
Ken’s message didn’t seem so subliminal to me.
Seedy ….I was joking….my attempts at humor often fail you, like trying to hit a Nolan Ryan fastball…..you think you see something but it is past you before you can swing at it….
For the record, and as usual, I thought Ken’s points were valid and PLASTERED IN HIS POST LIKE A TIMES SQUARE BILLBOARD….is that better?
JGJ, I understand you’ve been under the weather, just wanted to make sure you’re paying attention. Be well.