Davis VanHoose, Geordon Blanton, and Payne Carr won state titles two weeks ago at the Elementay State Wrestling Tournament at the Frankfort Convention Center. The three competitiors were part of the Raptors’ Wrestling Team.
Drew Lee hit 3-5 with three RBI, while J.D. Ashbrook and Michael Fear each hit home runs to lead Morehead State to an 11-5 victory over Transylvania Wednesday night. Josh Schneider pitched four innings of one-run relief to pick up his second win of the season, while starter Trey Smith gave up no earned runs in four innings.
The Shelby Valley Wildcats defeated the Betsy Layne Bobcats 69-61 in the championship game of the 15th Region Tournament Tuesday night at the East Kentucky Expo Center.
The Wildcats jumped out to a 19-13 lead through the opening frame, and went on a 20-13 run in the second period to claim a 39-26 lead at the intermission. Mar 12, 2010, 08:00
Bob Watkins
March: When Craziness is in vogue and so is a Big Dance ... only in America
March. Synonym for Craziness without threat of jail time. Sort of. Basketball fans are cut some slack to whoop it up this month long as nobody burns a mattress, turns over a police car or DUI.
A month of mud and screwball weather outdoors, with bracketology surprises and upset promise inside as arenas across America crank up to host Big Dance.
America. I love this place.
This week ...
Madness arrived on February’s last day for Louisville. Edgar Sosa, personification of Rick Pitino’s definition ... “My team is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get,” it was Edgar, again.
UofL’s You Never Know What Guy ... followed three (more) missed shots down the stretch at UConn with a no-conscience one-on-everybody runner across the lane to win the game. Presto, a punched ticket for Louisville in the Big Dance and another highlight clip for Sosa’s archive.
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Kentucky. Loss at Tennessee was One Shining Moment for the Vols, but nothing more than hurt feelings for Wildcat fans this side of Jellico.
Some in the media herd spun the loss in Knoxville as “Wildcats came out flat.”
Flat ... in February? Fueled by 21,214 frenzied fans, Tennessee came with swagger and AA game after being slammed at Florida days before. The Vols out-hustled and outsmarted Kentucky, put a whuppin’ on their rival.
Consolation? The Wildcats resilience and determination to battle through two-for-22 3-point shooting, was impressive and gave John Calipari a game film.
Unlike Kentucky’s loss at South Carolina, this (road) loss was no surprise and should rekindle the fire when Wildcats see film – (skip by the John Wall’s highlight reel) and see a team with eight assists, eight turnovers from its point guards, and a meager six shots from Patrick Patterson.
Dreadful, but forgettable.
PATTERSON/DUNCAN
Patrick Patterson is to college hoops what Tim Duncan was at Wake Forest in 1996. Team man who never fell in love with cheesy phrase – Go-to-Guy.
Duncan refined his game, sharpened his patience, as Patterson is doing. He graduated, then moved on to NBA stardom. Approaching his 34th birthday next month, Duncan, who is called The Big Fundamental is rich, involved with charities in San Antonio, including the Children’s Bereavement Center, and is headed to the Hall of Fame.
Who knew? Duncan did.
Patterson is cut from the same cloth, skilled, confident, dignified, and patiently defers to Watch-Me teammates, O.J. Mayo to John Wall.
On track to be the next Big Fundamental, Patterson will go far and do much.
MAGIC JOHNSON
Earvin Johnson attended the South Carolina-Kentucky game at Rupp Arena last week. He was here “... because your great governor and first lady are really concerned about black males,” Johnson said in a radio interview. “Right now, unemployment for black males (is) 30 per cent across the country.”
Johnson wants youngsters to graduate high school and have opportunity to go on to college. “... what they need to understand is (the) way out of the ghetto or neighborhood is not through basketball and sports any more. It is about education.”
According to one internet dot.com analyst, NBA general managers’ have their lottery shopping lists set and all conflict with Magic Johnson’s goal to young men get an education.
GM lists begin with four freshmen, three sophomores and two juniors. John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Xavier Henry and Derrick Favors; Greg Monroe, Al-Farouq Aminu and Ed Davis are sophomores, Patrick Patterson and Evan Turner are juniors.
NAISMITH LIST A TRAVESTY?
The Atlanta Tipoff Club announced its list of 30 candidates for the Naismith Trophy, college basketball’s player of the year last week.
Fewer than half are seniors, 13. The list has nine juniors, five sophomores and three freshman including Kentucky’s DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall.
Here is the best parts of the press release: By text message fans will account for 25 percent of the votes.
Beginning March 22, AT&T wireless customers and sports fans on other wireless networks, can text votes for their choice until 11:59 p.m. EDT, April 3.
For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com
COMMENT. Considering Dr. James Naismith was a college educator, I wonder if he would approve of his name on an award that honors a one-and-done?
Kevin Durant in 2008. Or even a sophomore, Blake Griffin last year?
I believe Dr. Naismith would be more proud if the Naismith Trophy went to a student-athlete who dedicated himself to education and athletics for three years minimum. Or, in best case scenario, a Naismith winner who graduated.
If criteria were about team-first, improvement, leadership, maturity and a college degree, the Naismith winner this year could well be Patrick Patterson.
That his name is not among the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s finalists, is a travesty.
READERS (RIGHT) WRITE
About coach ratings ...
• J. in Henderson: “I do not understand how you could rate Mark Fox and Anthony Grant over Matt Painter (Purdue) in ‘best-up-and-coming’ list.”
Comment: Right you are. Purdue’s Painter belongs among the best comers. Without his leading scorer Robbie Hummel, Painter will earn his pay.
Footnote: New name in the best of the up-and-comers is a familiar one: Travis Ford at Oklahoma State.
By the way, a player Ford has turned into a Cowboys force is UK transfer, Matt Pilgrim.
About South Carolina ...
• J. in Elizabethtown: “South Carolina may be the best team that can’t beat anybody. Except Kentucky.”
Comment: Since dealing UK a loss January 26, the Gamecocks lost six of their next seven games.
And so it goes.
Sports In Kentucky appears in community newspapers across the Commonwealth. You can reach bob Watkins at sprtsinky@aol.com Mar 3, 2009, 08:00
