All Entries Tagged With: "Rick Pitino"
Louisville Will Be Rested And Motivated
A rested University of Louisville basketball team will play California in the first round of the NCAA’s South Regional at Jacksonville on Friday.
Rested is the key word. Rick Pitino has a habit of running his teams to the point of emotional and physical exhaustion, no matter the point in the season. Any conceivable benefits of the Big East Tournament would have been offset by wear and tear.
After making an early exit from the tournament, PItino’s squad has had a few days to cool its heels. He will have all week to get his team jacked up, motivated to play name teams, California in the first game, Duke, if both teams win, in the second game.
Throw a no-name at these guys, they don’t get excited, they lose. Even with the master motivator pulling out all stops. They will be motivated for California even if they know nothing about the basketball team.
Expectations & Edgar Sosa
A favorite memory of Edgar Sosa will always be the time he played one-on-one basketball with grandson Koby Springer back in 2006. Sosa was a new arrival in Louisville. Koby was 10 years old, participating in a Rick Pitino summer camp.
Quite a thrill for Koby, competing against one of Pitino’s most promising players in the University of Louisville’s 2006 freshman class, one he will never forget: Sosa making him work while sharing some tips, but also allowing him to win.
The memory is relevant in light of what could easily be perceived as overly-zealous criticism of Edgar following his performance in Louisville’s Big East Tournament loss to Cincinnati — despite his leading all scorers with 28 points in that game.
Edgar Sosa is a likable individual and a better-than-average basketball player. Any criticism reflects a personal disappointment in his inability to live up to expectations, which may be a little exorbitant. He has provided more than a few other great memories during four seasons at U of L.
Preston Knowles Gets Call Instead (Surprise)
Glad the observer qualified Rick Pitino’s remarks about Peyton Siva starting. The coach is again doing the opposite of what he said Tuesday he would do. Looks like he’s going with Preston Knowles at second guard and staying with Edgar Sosa at the point. At least, RP is consistent.
Peyton Siva May Run Louisville Offense
Peyton Siva gets the call at point guard against Cincinnati.
Peyton Siva
That’s what Rick Pitino was saying Tuesday anyway. Rick’s been known to change his mind as often as not or do the opposite of what he says he’s going to do.
Something to look forward to, having an actual point guard run the offense for a change. Who was the last natural point guard to run the offense for the University of Louisville basketball team? The only one that comes to mind is DeJuan Wheat but that was during the Denny Crum era. Wheat’s talents were such that could and would carry the team on his shoulders, even with severe ankle problems.
Edgar Sosa has never gotten the hang of the job, and may be more of a contributor at the second guard spot. Wouldn’t that be something.
Siva has shown flashes of filling the void, with some brilliant passing at times. But he’s also made his quota of freshman mistakes and had some surprising mental lapses in a reserve role.
Now that he’s a starter, U of L fans may see a different Siva, one ready to assume responsibility a little earlier than anyone expected. If so, Edgar Sosa may be able to focus primarily his own game, overcoming the dismal performances in Madison Square Garden thus far in his career.
Planet Earth Calling Louisville Basketball
Moments like these don’t come along often enough.
My, but it feels so good, the incredible high University of Louisville fans are luxuriating in right now. The players, too. Especially the players.
A huge win in the final game at Freedom Hall, Kyle Kuric being born a star against No. 1-ranked Syracuse. That’s what U of L basketball is all about, winning the big ones over the decades.
Win a big game against a good team, get all giddy, overconfident, and look downright impotent losing against a mediocre one in the next game. That's how this season has gone ...
But if competition in the Big East teaches us anything, it is that your last win has no bearing on the next game. The biggest challenge facing Rick Pitino is getting his basketball team back to Planet Earth. As soon as possible.
Win a big game against a good team, get all giddy, overconfident, and look downright impotent losing against a mediocre one in the next game. That’s how this season has gone for U of L, lacking true leadership, struggling for consistency, working like a dog to assure itself of a place in the NCAA tournament.
Wednesday, at 9 p.m., Louisville will face the winner of the Rutgers-Cincinnati game, two teams that don’t exactly get the heart pumping. At Madison Square Garden, where U of L has had more than its share of highs and lows.
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Speaking of struggles, the U of L women’s basketball team finally reached bottom in a season-ending 37-point loss to Notre Dame in the Big East women’s tournament. The Lady Cards finished with a 14-17 record one season after playing in the national championship game.
A nightmarish season included many injuries to key players, making each game a significant challenge. If Jeff Walz had not found walk-on Shelby Harper and enticed Gwen Rucker and Brandie Radde to return, he would have had only five players at the end of the season.
With a top five recruiting class coming in, the outlook is improved for next season. But those incoming freshmen will need some seasoning and the veterans have some things to work on themselves. Sonja Sykes discusses the outlook for next season.
