Tag Archives: V.J. King

Louisville CardFile: Boston College

February 4, 2017BasketballAnas Mahmoud, College Hoops, David Levitch, Deng Adel, Donovan Mitchell, Jaylen Johnson, Louisville Cardinals, Mango Mathiang, Ray Spalding, Rick Pitino, V.J. Kingseedyk

Panache (puh-nash): a grand or flamboyant manner; verve; style; flair.

It is a noun rarely used in the sports vernacular, more usually found when some fashion guru with a purple pen is describing the John Varvatos spring men’s clothing collection.

But, ever the rebel, with a mind still a bit hazy from overdoing it in the 70s, I won’t back down. Since it’s the word that came to mind as Mangok Mathiang displayed any number of moves around the hoop in a cruise control 90-67 U of L W on Saturday afternoon in Chestnut Hill.

Jump hook. Up and under. Fake right, go left. Vice versa.

Mangok Mathiang, Silent K, a guy a pundit recently called “a solid third string pivot” — OK, it was me. A center of which it was stated, “he’ll never be a force of consequence on offense.” Yeah, that was also c’est moi.

So, excuse me a second while I take another drink of water to wash down my words and some gristle of crow.

Like a butterfly from a coccoon, Silent K is morphing into Special K.

Which is probably a bit too much hyperbole. But, really now, who saw this offensive, uh, panache coming? Certainly not me.

In 24 minutes of action off the pine, MM canned 7 of 11 shots from the field and both of his FTs for 16 points. Yes it came against Boston College, an eminently mediocre squad with little inside presence . . . but still.

Those shots that he’s short-armed throughout his career are now caressing the board and netting.

And he’s still windexing that glass and playing steady D.

It’s February kids, in the wackiest college hoops season in memory, and another piece of the Cardinal puzzle has apparently found its spot. Continue reading Louisville CardFile: Boston College →

Louisville CardFile: Grand Canyon

December 4, 2016BasketballCollege Hoops, Deng Adel, DeWayne Russell, Louisville Cardinals, Ray Spalding, V.J. Kingseedyk

Despite a regrettable but predictable performance, U of L prevailed 79-70 in the hothouse that was Grand Canyon’s hostile home court.

Thus it is unlikely, despite its magnificence, that Cardinal historians like myself will long remember DeWayne Russell’s career, retell it to your grandkids ad nauseum performance as much as a couple of others I feel compelled to mention. (Because I couldn’t stop the images crossing my brain, as Russell stopped and stepped back and popped and swished trip after trip after trip down the hardwood.)

The Antelopes’ guard blistered the Cards for 42 points on 14/27 shooting, 3/6 from beyond the arc. He netted 11/16 at the line.

He was en fuego. The Rick was unable to find a Cardinal who could check him. Though for some reason, quick Tony Hicks was again a DNP. Nor was the coach, never among the best when it comes to in game adjustments, able to fashion a defensive triage. So Russell was able to have his way.

Yes, what Russell did was impressive. But it didn’t carry the day. The Cards won. Plus Russell was so self absorbed with his game that, at the end when the Antelopes still had a bit of a chance to catch Louisville, he hopscotched up the court for some selfish shots, instead of thinking about a possible W.

The names his game reminded me of: Continue reading Louisville CardFile: Grand Canyon →

Louisville CardFile: William & Mary

November 15, 2016BasketballCollege Hoops, Deng Adel, Donovan Mitchell, Louisville Cardinals, Rick Pitino, V.J. Kingseedyk

Because his game was so smooth and effortless, Jamal Wilkes’ nickname was “Silk.”

He went by his real middle name Keith when he was a two-time All American at UCLA, during the Bill Walton years.

He’s the Hall of Famer who came to mind last evening as I watched V.J. King fashion his 17 point, 5 rebound performance in U of L’s 91-58 beatdown of The Tribe.

King was smooth. King’s game appeared effortless, though we know how that works. And it was nothing if not efficient. Seven of those points and a couple rebounds came in the first half, when King was only on the hardwood for four minutes.

His moves to the bucket can’t really be described as slashes. He finds a crack in the D, and wends — slithers — his way through the opening, for a deft but more difficult than it looks floater or short J. Or he drives all the way for the lay in, if the space is there.

He just never seems to be rushing or trying to fashion something when nothing is there.

In thirteen second half minutes, he tallied ten more points, and nabbed three more boards.

In just his second game as a Cardinal, King looked to justify the double arches hype surrounding his arrival on the Belknap campus. Continue reading Louisville CardFile: William & Mary →

Louisville CardFile: Evansville

November 12, 2016BasketballAnas Mahmoud, College Hoops, David Levitch, Deng Adel, Donovan Mitchell, Jaylen Johnson, Louisville Cardinals, Mango Mathiang, Quentin Snider, V.J. Kingseedyk

Corrected 11/12 10:00 am

After eleven minutes of play, Coach Rick Pitino was, to say the least, not a happy camper.

(I’m being gentle. This is a family friendly blog.)

He was furious.

At that juncture, the Purple Aces, shorter by 3′-5″ per man, were matching the taller Cards carom for carom off the glass at both ends.

As quick or quicker than the speedy Cards, Evansville had beaten U of L down court twice in a row for fast break gimmes.

When Mangok Mathiang was Teed after a slam up for hanging on the rim/ slapping the glass/ or some infraction spotted only by the zebra with a whistle, The Rick ran onto the court apoplectic.

But when Jaylon Brown drained treys on consecutive possessions to push the visitors ahead 26-20, Pitino had had enough. I could feel the heat coming from his ears in the corner auxiliary press box.

Whatever the admonitions to his charges were, and what emphatic words the coach may have used to deliver them during that thirty seconds, the message was obviously heard. Continue reading Louisville CardFile: Evansville →

Louisville CardFile: Kentucky Wesleyan

November 4, 2016BasketballAnas Mahmoud, College Hoops, Deng Adel, Donovan Mitchell, Jaylen Johnson, Louisville Cardinals, Mango Mathiang, Quentin Snider, Ray Spalding, Rick Pitino, Ryan McMahon, Tony Hicks, V.J. Kingseedyk

What a turn this is.

I have spared no barbs toward Dick Vitale through the decades, bemoaning his hyperbole, his lack of focus, and his self indulgent rants having nothing to do with the particular game he might be calling.

But now I have come to thank him for the good deed he’s done for U of L hoops.

For the presence in red & black of Ryan McMahon, who but for the tip to The Rick from The Mouth That Roared would never have become a Cardinal.

Do not misunderstand. I have perspective on the Floridian redshirt freshman. His eye opening debut stint came in the second half of an exhi against an overmatched, seriously weary bunch of Panthers.

I do not think he’ll become part of the Cards guard rotation this year. (Though it’s not such a far fetched consideration.) But what I do observe is this. The kid — and I can’t believe I’m actually going to type these words — “can flat out shoot the rock.”

What I do know. There are going to be games of importance during the four year stay of young Mr. McMahon, when the Cards will need points. When they’ll need that Hancockian four long ball fusillade to regain some ballast. When they’ll need some Hendersonian whodabelieve’dit string music off the bench.

Ryan McMahon shall be here to provide it. Write it down.

And that’s my bit of fawning Cardinal fandom coming out, after observing McMahon play nine garbage time minutes in a game that doesn’t even count.

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Some other random observations from U of L’s 109-71 plunder of the Panthers from Kentucky Wesleyan: Continue reading Louisville CardFile: Kentucky Wesleyan →

Seedy K Sports

Sports Commentary With A Skewed Perspective