By Paul Sykes

The days of run-away exhibition games are a thing of the past.

This season’s first exhibition was a whistle fest for the University of Louisville basketball team, with 60 fouls being called in 40 minutes of the usual display of fits and starts in an 80-68 win over always tenacious Georgetown College.

  • Samardo Samuels carried the Cards in the first half, scoring 11 of his game high 20 points against the Tigers…who led at the intermission break 35-31. The Cards simply couldn’t get into any kind of offense continuity except for Samuels and starting guards Jerry Smith and Edgar Sosa looked less than spectacular against the hustling Tigers.
  •  Whatever Rick Pitino related to the Cards at halftime seemed to take effect. Louisville scored five of the first second half six point to tie the game and battled with Georgetown before eventually going on a 15-5 run starting at the 7:53 mark to take control of the game.
  • Peyton Siva was a bright spot for Louisville with his energetic dish and distribution for the Cards in the second half. The freshman seems to have a great court awareness and filled in well for the turnover plagued Edgar Sosa who managed to toss 12 points.
     
  • Samardo Samuels is a dominating presence in the paint when the Cards guards can get the ball to him. He has also learned to cut back on the fouls, gathering only two during his time on the court.
  •  Sophomore Kyle Kuric tallied 15 points for Louisville and looks to be a contender for the “3” spot in the Cardinal roster. He and Siva teamed up for several thrilling pass and shoot combinations and Kuric’s dunk to start the Cards on their dominating final run got the Freedom Hall crowd to its feet.
  • Four for 20 three-point shooting won’t draw any raves from Rick Pitino, but Sosa’s buzzer beating three to end the first half reminded this attendee of the game beater against the Cats last year.
  •  Rakeem Buckles seemed to have a case of the jitters in his first official Freedom Hall participation. The talent is there, the guy is strong as a plow mule and his intensity is there. Just calm down and play the game, Rock.
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By Charlie Springer

Charlie Springer is a former Louisville editor and sportswriter, a public affairs consultant, a UofL grad and longtime fan.

7 thoughts on “Just Another Exhibition”
  1. Yeah, I got my names messed up there, CB. It was Sosa with only two turnovers while Siva did have seven.

  2. Does anyone remember who should be a jr this year that is no longer on the team? Preston is the only one. Who else was recruited that year?

    1. Clarence Holloway and George Goode were in that class, weren’t they? I was thinking Derek Caracter also, but wasn’t he 2006?

      1. good is listed as a soph; unless he got a year back. Caracter would be a sr this year. I think you’re right about Holloway – even if it’s holloway, goode and knowles – that seems like a strange recruiting class

  3. Actually it was Siva who was “turnover plagued” as he had seven to Sosa’s two. Adjusting to the college game takes a little bit of time.

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