All Entries Tagged With: "Rakeem Buckles"

Louisville Under Exceeds Expectations

What … ?

You expected more from this Louisville basketball team in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. Expected players to emerge from a season-long mediocrity, represent the name on the uniform, make a surprising run.

Nice dream. The wishful thinking clashed with reality quickly, California getting off to a 22-4 start. Rick Pitino’s team making some runs, getting within four a few times, but losing more impetus every trip down the court.

Everybody that is except Rakeem Buckles, with unbridled bundles of energy, never seeming to tire. Just when he seems unstoppable and U of L is within reach, Buckles is pulled to the bench. All signs of offense going with him.

• All the effort aimed at getting the ball in the middle to Samardo Samuels is wasted if he’s having still another off night. He ends the season where he began, having trouble catching the ball, posting up on anyone near his size, unable to make a decent pass, getting pushed around.

• Edgar Sosa getting three fouls early, the look creeping back on his face, too easily letting doubt control his game, something he will have to live with for a long time.

• Jerry Smith not really back from the hand injury, his shooting obviously still affected, even the clunker that rolled in off the back of the rim. He will largely be remembered for scoring 23 points in his first game as a freshman, hitting a three-point winner at Marquette, and scoring the first eight points in the second win over Syracuse.

• Reginald Delk didn’t receive enough exposure to really create much of an impression. A few three-pointers here and there, a few memorable defensive stops. Gone already.

• Terrence Jennings is going to bite his tongue off some game chewing that gum. Maybe it affects his thinking.

• Jared Swopshire should fatten up over the summer, eat mashed potatoes and gravy five meals a day, become the significant factor the analysts keep telling us he will become. But he should always be hungry, playing with a sense of urgency once in a while.

Rick PItino talked a lot about youthfulness on a team that started three seniors in the final game. Sometimes he outsmarts himself. He will have a few months to get back to a few basics.

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Louisville On The Road Again

One doesn’t go into hibernation after a loss, hiding the ratty head in the sand, believing everything is for naught. Losses occur, but one has to keep advancing. Learning from mistakes this University of Louisville basketball team.

Syracuse, meanwhile, possibly afflicted with the not-taking-an-opponent-seriously virus, showing up for a sure win with its 31,000 followers. The number had to include a half dozen swollen-fingered twitterers who had predicted the Orange would  “pummel” Rick Pitino’s team.

• What will be remembered about this win is the play of Mike Marra, the freshman with the questionable three-point shooting ability. Apparently just a matter of time finding the right trajectory. Finding it against the second-ranked team in the country, showing why Pitino wants him in there.

• One could watch the replays numerous times and still wonder why Rakeem Buckles was getting so much playing time. He makes up for his shortcomings with boundless energy, getting in people’s faces, keeping the ball alive, even scoring at times.

• Samardo Samuels, still sluggish since the second half at St. John’s, finally coming around in the final 20 minutes at the Carrier Dome, crashing the boards, making impossible shots along with that thundering dunk.

• Edgar Sosa again missing a free throw and a chance to seal a game. But he’s going to do that, it’s part of his repertoire. So are those three-point shots he collects every so often. But when he adds five assists, Sosa is keeping Louisville in contention.

• Jerry Smith, back to slumping or not, not getting pushed around, somehow managing five rebounds. Making only two points, but two free throws coming when they are needed the most.

So Louisville is back on the rocky road to the NCAA tournament, the disbelievers forced to return to the wagon. Perhaps the best news is that Louisville will take all of the remaining opponents seriously, even DePaul. Surely.

Louisville-Syracuse Box Score

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Louisville Enjoys A Laugher (Been A While)

Any win is good, but a 37-point laugher is bound to restore a bit of confidence.

One can’t be certain if what occurred in the University of Louisville basketball team’s 94-57 romp over Oral Roberts is for real until after the Western Kentucky meeting this Saturday. Definite signs of progress, however:

• Holding the opposition to only three-point field goals, compared to 20 three-pointers in two consecutive losses. Suffocating full-court pressure, forcing 21 turnovers, scoring 37 points off of them.
• Samardo Samuels, his parents in town, actually going after rebounds, collecting seven of them, making 11 of 12 free throws, 17 points.
• Terrence Jennings taking practices seriously lately, knowing how to get open, 10 points, six rebounds.
• Edgar Sosa looking more confident in attacking the basket, making five assists, hitting four of eight three-point shots.
• Preston Knowles showing no signs of wrist pain, making seven assists, four steals.
• The best two-man dunking exhibition, thanks to Jerry Smith and Rakeem Buckles.
• Smith maybe getting his shooting touch back, fire in the belly on defense.
• Kyle Kuric making the most spectacular dunk since T-Will left Freedom Hall.
• Rick Pitino letting the crowd in on his pre-game remarks about playing defense. You can bet it was the same speech the players have heard 50 times since Saturday.

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Breaking In A New Basketball Season

By Paul Sykes

Offering a brief respite from the trials and tribulations of a football season gone awry, Rick Pitino’s University of Louisville basketball team begins the 2009-10 season with an exhibition game against Georgetown College tonight in Freedom Hall. The 7 p.m. tip will be televised locally on WHAS.

Things to watch: 

• Early season blahs? The Cards are notorious for getting off to slow starts at the beginning on basketball season. Georgetown is a perennial NAIA power that gave the Cardinals fits in 2006 and last year. The 2006 game saw the Tigers narrowly lose 94-92 and last year they pulled within two with less than a minute go to before UofL pulled away 74-67.
• Guard play. Edgar Sosa and Jerry Smith will likely get the start for the Cards but Preston Knowles and freshman Peyton Siva should see plenty of playing time. The foursome has looked impressive in practice and in the Red/White game and they’ll get the chance to play against a school that has been practicing since August.
• Newcomers. In addition to Siva, Pitino expects to give Rakeem (rock) Buckles, Mike Marra and Stephan Van Treese generous court time to get them ready for regular season play. The three could be in the battle for starting roles, competing against Reginald Delk and Jared Swopshire at the “3″ and “4″.
• Life after Earl. The Cards will need to find playmakers and rebounders since Clark, Terrence Williams and Andre McGee have graduated. Besides Preston Knowles, the Cards have no proven defensive stoppers and there are questions about the team’s ability to guard people without help.

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Rick Pitino Lands Quite A Nucleus

Quite a haul, this latest University of Louisville basketball recruiting class, with muscle, speed and shooting ability to spare, giving Rick Pitino the nucleus he needs to nurture a contender for Big East and national honors. The descriptions provided by ESPN Insider will have basketball fanatics salivating:

Michael Marra, 6-5 guard, Northfield, Mass.

“Marra is an excellent catch and shoot player, and excels at coming off screens, and knocking in trifectas. He has a quick release, and very deep range. However, in watching him perform at the 17-Under Super Showcase in Orlando, Fla., in late July, Marra struggled to make his shots when pressured by defenders. He appeared to lack lateral quickness. He has been working to improve in this area, which would certainly enhance his playing opportunities at Louisville. This deficiency causes him problems defensively against quicker, more athletic wing guards.”

Rakeem Buckles, 6-8 power forward, Miami

“Buckles plays more like a small forward than a power forward. He scores in transition by sprinting the floor and beating the defense to the rim. He has good not great bounce but what makes him a high major player is his ability to make plays of the dribble. Buckles can get his own shot at will. He has all the dribble moves in his package. Buckles will show the crossover both ways, spin along and between the legs where he does a great job of raising up the defender before he explodes by him to the rim or into a pull up jumper in the lane.”

Peyton Siva, 5 -11, guard, Seattle

“Siva is a true point guard that has excellent speed and quickness with the ball. He pushes the ball in transition on the pass or dribble and his athletic ability makes him a threat to go coast to coast and finish with a dunk. Siva does a great job of running the offense and directing teammates. He is an excellent ball handler that weaves and slashes through the defense with inside out and crossover dribble moves in order to get into the lane for a drop off pass or kick out for an open shot … Siva is a rock solid floor leader.”

Stephan Van Treese, 6-9 center, Indianapolis

“Van Treese will provide Louisville (verbal) with a physical inside presence that has the strength and muscle to compete on the interior in the rough and rugged Big East. To compliment his body and strength, Van Treese has very good athleticism, which should help him immensely in Pitino’s up-tempo system. Van Treese runs the floor very well and should clean up by scoring points in transition, started by his defensive rebounding ability. Van Treese also has relatively quick leaping ability which makes him a very effective offensive rebounder.”

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