If you had asked me on Sunday whether the Huskies had any chance to win the Maui Invitational Tournament I would have bet our Turkey dinner for 30 people against it. Fortuneately,I didn't make that bet but I will have to put a little crow on my plate since I was a vociferous opponent of UCONN giving Jim Calhoun another contract. I felt his time had passed and the Huskies needed to bring in a young, dynamic coach. Two nice cupcake wins against Stonybrook and Vermont plus two returning starters and Five Freshmen in a recruiting class ranked 20th in country did nothing to foreshadow last night's pounding of 9th ranked Kentucky to complete this weeks improbable championship run. In addition, the Huskies faced a strong field including 2nd ranked Michigan State and 11th ranked University of Washington. Kentucky's Freshman class was ranked #1 in the country and Michigan State's was ranked 10th to boot. In what may some day be considered Calhoun's greatest coaching job we saw this young Husky squad grow up in five games and beat Wichita State, Michigan State (70-67) and in the title game destroy Kentucky 84-67.
What happened? To begin with Kemba Walker has emerged as possibly both the best point guard, if not the best player in the country according to Jay Bilas, the fine ESPN color commentator. Forward Alex Oriakhi has blossomed into a rebounding and scoring force in the paint and the freshmen group was clearly underrated. Add this to great team chemistry and the ideal personnel to develop a smothering UCONN defense to fuel the signature of all great Calhoun teams, an explosive transition game and it all adds up. Freshman Shabazz Napier is an outstanding point guard, something rare in a "diaper dandy". He is quick, confident, plays intense Defense and can penetrate and drive to the hoop. Roscoe Smith is playing well, if inconsistently, and is a very good small forward. Jeremy Lamb is an exciting swingman and looked his best so far this year in last night's win. Niels Giffey, a German import, is a whippet thin 6'7" small forward who has a solid all around game, can run all day, and has a nice stroke from three point land. Finally Tyler Olander is a solid banger up front.
The first 13 minutes of last nights contest featured exciting, quick paced ball in a game that looked like it was going to go down to the wire. However, the Huskies seemed to be visibly gaining confidence when they led 29-27 with seven minutes to go. At that point, Napier scored on a tremendous drive to the hoop, cradling the ball away from the Wildcat big men, before banking a beauty off the glass. After getting the ball back Napier hit Walker on a text book backdoor play and the run had begun. Over the last seven minutes of the half, the Huskies outscored the Wildcats 21-2, a real old-fashioned Husky run, to open up a 51-29 lead at the half. WOW!
The game was never in doubt in the second half; Walker finished with 29 points and won the tournament outstanding player and Oriakhi scored 18 with 11 rebounds. Niels Giffey, in his best showing of the season, added 14 on 5-6 shooting from the field including 2-3 treys. Napier, sensational at the point added 12.
I have to believe that when Monday's polls come out the previously unranked Huskies have to be in the top 10 teams in the country and this squad is a legitimate contender in the East. It is obviously too early in the season to know how far they can go but it sure will be an exciting ride. This reporters battered hat is off to Coach Jim Calhoun and Associate Head Coach George Blaney.
"You heard it here First"
Steve
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4 comments:
Wow, is right. What a way to start Thanksgiving.
Even the most optimistic of the Husky Nation couldn't have even hoped for this kind of start.
Steve - I think your first 2 posts are right on and on Thanksgiving... Thank you for coming back to continue the tradition.
The most striking thing to me about last night is how much more prepared Jimmy C had the young Huskies vs. Calipari's highly heralded equally young Wildcats. Not to mention taking out Tom Izzo's #2 in the nation Spartans. Hmmm, maybe the old gunslinger has a couple left in him.
To throw a little water on things, it is a long season and the Big East looms. As unbelievable as Kemba has been, it is too much to ask for him to continue at this pace (he is shooting incredible well), fatigue alone for him can become a factor if they depend on him to score 30 a night (lest we forget,they needed everyone of his 42 points to subdue a pesky Vermont team just a week ago). That being said, Oriaki was the best big man on the floor 2 consecutive nights against top ten teams and the freshman have been nothing short of great.
All in all, just an amazing week for the Huskies. I can't agree more that this has been an old fashioned UCONN team so far: Stiffling defense, pounding the boards and playing with more heart. Even going back to last January when they jumped all over paper #1 Texas under George Blaney... that was simply a night where they shot the ball well and rolled. Not this week, especially against Michigan State, this was gritty classic Jimmy C ball. Somebody forgot to tell these kids that he was washed up.
Happy Thanksgiving to all and looking forward to the ride with our fearless blogger rightfully back at the controls.
great comments Dave, always good to hear your thougts. I think that they will get more points from Giffey and hopefully Smith as the season progresses. Great point about how well prepared the Huskies looked.
Incredible game. As well as Walker and Oriakhi are playing, I am most impressed with diaper dandies Shabazz Napier and Niels Giffey. We'll see how they can develop throughout the year, but they both look like players to me.
A big difference from last year so far is three point shooting. Kemba's stroke is much more confidant and both Giffey and Napier look like they can shoot too.
could point about the treys. Smith can also shoot from 3 point land and McCoombs- Daniels seems to be regaining confidence and is a potential 3 point shooter.
One other note about the freshmen. In December, Enosch Wolf, a 7'1" German center becomes eligible. The big lefthander knows the game and another big body is essential in the tough Big East
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