All Entries Tagged With: "David Padgett"

The Missing-David Padgett Syndrome

A new attitude has to be permeating University of Louisville basketball practice sessions, now that the worship and adulation has been replaced by realism and disappointment. If the UofL basketball team were the stock market, a depression would have been declared.

The first clues that all was not well should have been picked up when Jerry Smith and Edgar Sosa were not introduced as the starting guards. Smith apparently focused on something other than weight and basketball during the summer. Sosa had that familiar look of frustration and an inability to manage a dribble drive.

Based on Sunday’s performance, this team closely resembles last season’s team before David Padgett returned to the lineup. Samardo Samuels is playing, to be sure, but at least one opposing coach has figured out how to stop Padgett’s replacement. Other coaches will be applying the same measures to stop Samuels.

Padgett bequeathed his ability to manage the floor and find open shooters to Terrence Williams but T-will apparently left it on the bus.

Excluding Samuels with 36 minutes in the game, the other additions to the active roster accumulated only 11 minutes of playing time — Reginald Delk had five, Terrence Jennings had three, Jarod Swopshire had two, and George Goode had one.

Coach Rick Pitino’s apology is accepted. This team has to be reshaped and reinvented. The tools are available but he’s got a lot of work to do. David Padgett is not walking through that door.

No Trophy Today, Maybe Later

Georgetown won, and the Hoyas are to be congratulated. Not the final chapter in this saga, however. Louisville wins the best two out of three if both teams are still around this time next week.

U of L showed in this loss that it can take a punch, dig deep, come back clawing and scratching. You make a mistake, relax or nodd off, the Cards will make you pay. Still, Georgetown managed to hang on for a win, an unconvincing win, but a win nevertheless.

Can’t win ‘em all.  At least one loss is inevitable for every team but one from here on out. This loss may have come at the best possible time. Undivided attention for the great motivator.

David Padgett, Terrence Williams, Jerry Smith and company will put this one behind them, learn from the experience. They’ve had a taste of winning, and will come out hungry.

Hundreds of practice free throws must come first. Emphasize it, put blindfolds on them if you have to, until they can hit them with their eyes closed. No excuse for people who spend 85 percent of their waking hours on a basketball court to continue missing so many free shots.

Jerry Smith, missing all seven three-point shots and hitting one of two free throws, getting a terrible shooting game out of his system, proving he’s not perfect. Smith will pump those fists again this season, count on it.

The four turnovers by Earl Clark costly, but making up for them with 10 rebounds. The lazy pass by Edgar Sosa more costly. Clark’s continuing miscues must be corrected, usually unforced, no rhyme or reason for them. Every possession too valuable at this juncture.

Terrence Williams with 14 points, five rebounds, three assists, the best player on the floor. Bottled up by the Hoyas, no opportunities, not even close, for even one of his thunder dunks today, you know, the kind that demoralize, spell doom for the opposition.

David Padgett, zero rebounds. That’s the last time that will happen.

The Cards still have a blowout win in their system, long overdue, somebody will pay soon, hopefully Seton Hall, most deserving.

Madison Square Garden, neutral court, straight ahead.

How Now, Louisville 61, Syracuse 50

How does Louisville beat a good Syracuse team 61-50 when David Padgett plays only 17 minutes and scores only one point? Wouldn’t pretend to know the answer to that one but do have some impressions.

Andre McGee, a career game. The guy we often unforgivably forget to mention hits four three-point shots, his biggest coming with 53 seconds remaining to give U of L a seven-point lead, 57-50.  Had he not made an assist to Terrence Williams on the play before, giving U of L a 54-50 lead, Syracuse might have resurged, possibly erupted. Andre was the man, denying them the opportunity.

Terrence Williams, tight, uncoordinated during the first 20 minutes, just would not be denied the second half. At one point, chasing a defender the length of the court, making him swallow the loudest dunk of the season, the roof straining and twisting against the Freedom Hall support structure.[Thanks, Jerb, for the gif.]

Padgett pulling down seven of his 10 rebounds in the second half when the Cards had to have them. Unless our eyes deceived, Padgett was actually getting up in the air for a change. Keeps getting better, even on a bad night for him.

Derrick Caracter filling in well during Padgett’s absences. The good thing about Caracter is that nobody is ever going to push him around. The bad thing is that the same officials calling almost every game, expecting him to foul, anticipating, anticipating.

A defensive tone, motivated, underscored and rejuvenated by the persistence of Preston Knowles, a guy who personifies Rick Pitino’s defensive philosophy.

Syracuse is a good team now, destined to be an even more ferocious opponent in the future

Earl Clark Day: Louisville 80, Providence 72

An Earl Clark day, the big guy leading all scorers with 20 points — including a triple-edged dagger with 2:30 on the clock to give U of L a seven-point lead — nine rebounds and four assists.

Does Earl Clark ever change expressions? Looks cool whether he’s having a bad game or a good one. Just another day at work for him, he’ll be out of the on-the-job training mode any day now. Maybe starting today, break out.

David Padgett, meanwhile, continues to define the term “quarterback on the floor,” knowing where everybody is, giving them the best opportunity to succeed. Fans saw just how important DP is to the Cards when he goes to the bench early with two fouls in the first half. Dogfight, for sure, when he has to sit.

Now that everybody knows what Jerry Smith can do, he doesn’t get much breathing space. So he makes his own, moving without the ball, catching a David Padgett bullet for an easy lay up at a critical point, swiping the ball and increasing U of L’s lead to six, giving fans a chance to exhale.

Terrence Williams, welcome to the 1,000-point club. Running out of superlatives for a super player.

Juan Palacios brings enthusiasm and plays good defense, but every basket is a nice surprise.

Speaking of surprises, always amazed how Edgar Sosa can sometimes slices through slow-collapsing zones with ease. Make it a habit Edgar.

Preston Knowles is earning more playing time, making the most of every second.

Derrick Caracter looks intense during games. Time is passing Derrick, clock running down. Work, man, work to get better, the time is now.

Work In Progress

A lot of good things happened in U of L’s 80-60 win over South Florida, pushing the Cards’ record to 14-5 overall and 4-2 in Big East conference play.  Among them:

– Terrence Williams handing out 10 assists in the first half. Has U of L ever had a more unselfish player as physically talented as Williams?

– Earl Clark hitting eight of 12 shots for 18 and eight rebounds. Probably more motivated as a reserve than as a starter.

– Defense holding the Bulls to 40 percent shooting, 22 of 55 shots from the field, 5 of 16 from three-point range. The carnival shooters from Seton Hall relegated to ugly memories.

– Jerry Smith, consistently good, never shot happy even though he’s the team’s best shooter, serious about defense.

But there continue to be some troubling issues:

– Team relaxing, letting up when it gets a good lead, lacking a killer instinct, allowing South Florida to get back to within 14 points in the second half.

– Edgar Sosa forgetting his role as play maker, getting lost in traffic, killing momentum. Everybody loves the guy but if this continues, Edgar is going to keep losing playing time. Rick Pitino may even forget to put Sosa in for a couple of games.

– David Padgett missing layup after layup. Obviously, still recovering.

– Derrick Caracter going backwards these days, rarely contributing in the last two games.