blogsketball

Rather than hit the court in my latest sneaker acquisition, I’ve elected to sit at home and get fat, watching #10 Davidson try and knock #1 Kansas over on their path to the NCAA Final Four.

I’ve grown attached to Stephen Curry over the last week. I liked his play in last year’s tourney, and while the 103 points he’s scored in his last three games are enough to make anyone force the guy on the end of the Davidson bandwagon to scooch over a little more, it turns out I’ve got a little history with the guy.

In April of 2002, I went to my first Raptors game. The Nets were in Toronto and had already locked up top spot in the Eastern Conference. The Raps were riding an eight-game win streak that was fuelling their playoff hopes. The streak was one part impressive, one part ominous, because they were doing it without an injured Vince Carter.

But that’s only the frame on the picture. Me and my friends got to the Air Canada Centre at least an hour early, just to watch warmups and take in the whole ACC/Raps atmosphere. A little kid was on the court, messing around with a ball.

You could tell he had a gift, just in his handles. When he started shooting, he went from good to great. Keep in mind, this looked like a 10- or 11-year-old kid on the court. He started by hitting a few midrange shots. Each time he’d hit, he’d back up. I was sold on him when he hit a three (keep in mind it’s a NBA three—23 feet, nine inches). He wasn’t done yet, though. He kept stepping back, kept hitting shots. He had made his way out to halfcourt and was still hitting when Hakeem Olajuwon came out and the kid went and sat down.

Watching, we knew he had to be a player’s kid. It wasn’t until this week, six years after my first trip to the ACC, that I found out that it was Dell Curry’s son, Stephen, torching the nets, just like he is this year as tiny Davidson College marches its way through the madness, hopefully into the Final Four.

Anyway, on with the notes.
Typing up that story I didn’t take notes on teh first 13 minutes of the game. Both teams started off uber-slow. It was 6–2 Davidson seven minutes in. They’re both finding their O right now, and Stephen Curry has 10 points on 4–10 shooting.

This commercial came on at the first break here. I love it.

Curry pops a 14 footer from teh elbow. Net. Davidson goes up 23–21. Kansas post player answers back with a spin move in the post. Curry missed his first five shots and is now 5/11 with 12 points so far.

A Davidson player sends his body flying out of bounds to save the ball and it ends up in the hands of a Kansas shooter in the corner. His three-pointer comes after the shot clock expires though. NO BASKET!!#!

Lots of blocked shots in the first half and just as many commercial breaks. Corporate bullsh*t, man.

Steph Curry will shoot the ball any time he wants. He’s got a double-team on the wing when he catches the ball behind the three-point line. He welcomes the double, spots up and gets fouled, making all three shots. 26 up.

Davidson’s floppy haired white guy who wears 15 (Thomas Sanders) gets an and-1 but misses the free throw. Since I’m often floppy haired and wore 15 in high school, I’ve chosen to live vicariously through him. I would have made the freebie though.

On the defensive end, I force Kansas’ Jackson out of bounds on the baseline. I’m a good defensive player.

Back from the 27th commercial of the half and they’re showing a Kansas cheerleader who’s vocabulary consists of “Let’s go, Kansas, come on! Come on Jayhawks, let’s go! Let’s go Jayhawks, come on! Come on Kansas, let’s go!”

Kansas big man 00, Darrell Arthur drives the lane. I step in front and take the charge though. I realize it’s the little things that get it done in these games.

Kansas’ pg jitterbugs inside and dishes off to the post for two, putting the Jayhawks up 30–28 at the half. I need to shower and book a vacation. Back in ten.

I’m showered, vacation-bound and back in time to see the start of teh second half.

Curry hits his first shot of the second half, ducking two defenders who weren’t concerned in the least about the other schlub holding the ball. Curry hits another trey to start the second half 2/2.

Watching him play is like watching old video of Reggie Miller jogging endlessly across the court through screens. Curry’s more fluid than RM on the court though. It also helps that he’s not ugly, annoying, or celebrating his success like a girl with his hands clasped and jumping, twirling in circles in the air.

Another and-1 for me when I cut underneath and flip up the reverse. Colonel Sanders misses the back end of the three-point play again though.

Huge lob for Kansas’ Sasha Kaun, and one makes it a one-point Davidson lead.

Another reason to like Davidson: they don’t have names on their jerseys, the ultimate sign of a team that’s coming from nowhere. You know that at the end of the season it’s completely within the realm of possibility that their coach will ask the departing seniors for their jerseys back. “These things don’t pay for themselves, fellas.”

I’m loving number 41 (no name on the back of the jersey) for Davidson. The guy just lives to rebound.

25 Kansas triples from the elbow gives them a 38–37 lead.

Davidson is starting to slip up a lot with the ball. Butterfingers will cost them this game (most obvious statement ever?).

Kansas’ little pg #4 has done damage when he’s gotten the chance. He reminds me of Jacques Vaughan running the offense for Kansas back in the day. Maybe JV in Nate Robinson’s body. Seven points and rebounds from Jackson so far.

Spectacular and-1 for Kansas’ Brandon Rush. That’s a 7–0 run for the Jayhawks, who lead by six, 43–37 with 12 even to go.

Someone other than Curry hits a trey to cut it down to two.

Davidson is still being way too sloppy, but now the same little white guy for Davidson hits a trey to cut it down to one.

My main man number 41 hits a turnaround J and gets fouled. Go to the line big fella!

As The Score shows a Monday Night Raw ad, I’m reminded that today is Wrestlemania 24. No real reason to bring this up, but if you’re ever going to bring up something wrestling-related that isn’t with the intent of making fun of wrestling or pointing out its ridiculous nature, Wrestlemania would be that time.

Actually, since it’s Wrestlemania and there was a long commercial on, I’ll link my favorite WM moment:

Mega-powers!

We’re back and Davidson has its own Mega-powers duo forming. Bryan Barr has hit his third trey (Steph Curry’s juice has been stolen) to put Davidson up four. Holy sh*t!

Curry takes somejuice back, hitting from deep two-range to make the lead four again. Timeout Kansas!

Kansas trey puts them back in front.

Davidson is still not taking care of the ball well enough.

We’re back from commercial break number 104 and Curry misses a trey, Kansas comes back and scores.

Macho Man Barr scores on a floater to cut it to one and gets a high five from the Hulkster Curry.

Kansas scores down low to make it a three-point lead.

Davidson’s offense is at a standstill. No one’s moving, Curry’s not getting the ball and then they’re forcing up crap in the final seconds of the shot clock. Guess what? More commercials. Three point Kansas lead with 3:30 left.

My main man no. 41 grabs a big offensive board, goes back up and has the ball swatted back to the free throw line by a Kansas big.

Kaun gets a big o-board back on the other end and is fouled. With 2:20 to go, he’ll shoot some big free throws.

41 fouls out. Andrew Lovedale, I never knew ya.

Kaun makes 1/2.

Davidson can’t get Curry the ball. Kudos to a tough Kansas defense or a bad Davidson offense? Up to you.

Curry finally gets the ball and forces up a weak shot that doesn’t come close to the rim.

Steal by 2 Davidson, gets it to Curry in transit, but misses the three. Davidson foul on the loose ball, and Brandon Rush is at the line, icing this thing. 59–53 Kansas, 1:15 to go.

Curry misses a clean look again. 59.8 left.

It’s starting to look like there will be no Cinderella at the big dance, but there will be four wicked top-seeded step-sisters. No mega-powers with a questionable relationship with Miss Elizabeth, no more NBA Live-like three-point shooting performances saving the day for the underdog.

As soon as I typed that, it’s like the ghost of Miss Elizabeth showed up and slapped me across the face.

Davidson makes one of two free throws, they get the ball back on a loose posession and Curry finally hits a trey. It’s a two-point game with 50 seconds left. This calls for a timeout and a commercial.

Kansas blows their possession and all of a sudden Davidson has a chance to win it. 16 seconds to go, Davidson timeout.

Curry brings the ball up, passes up on three potential game winning forced shots and gives it up to number two, who misses a 30-footer by a mile at the buzzer. Pick your hearts up off the floor, folks. Kansas is the fourth top-ranked seed to go to San Antonio.

If anyone has WM24 results, pass them on.