** Author's note: 99% of this post is written entirely in sarcasm **
I had the opportunity on Sunday to observe a pick-up basketball game featuring the 2010-2011 Louisville Cardinals, and all I can say is WOW! I mean, with the big football game coming up in less than 3 weeks, I really wasn't thinking about basketball, but boy am I glad I was in the right place at the right time.
The highlights:
* Peyton Siva cannot be stopped. He simply has another gear that will make him an All Big East performer. What I love most about Siva's game is that he is pass-first, meaning that he will simply make his teammates better. It's apparent that his experience in China over the Summer has helped him mature as a person and player, and he appears poised and ready to lead the Cardinals this year.
* Preston Knowles is a lock-down defender. Much like Darrell Revis has Revis Island, watching Knowles operate yesterday makes it look like his defender is trapped on Knowles Island. Very impressive, and will be a big key for the Cardinals this year.
* Chris Smith is a beast. Smith sat out last year after transferring from Manhattan, and the only thing we knew about Smith was that he is cousins with J.R. Smith of the Denver Nuggets. But know after this meaningless pick-up game, boy are we in for a treat next year. Not only can he stroke it from 3 point range, but he can also blow by his defender and posterize you if you aren't looking.
* Terrence Jennings is NBA-ready. Jennings has displayed his talent sparingly over the last two seasons, but he is ready to play in the league right now. His summer conditioning has really paid off, as he has added a little weight, but can still fly up and down the court. Additionally, his shot blocking ability has increased, and he's added a couple dominating post moves to his repertoire.
* Kyle Kuric can still dunk over you. Much like he displayed against Syracuse twice last year, Kuric is poised for a breakout season. If his pick-up game play translates to practice, he will lock up a starting spot with no problem.
The best part about this pick-up game? Quincy Miller and Deuce Bello were both there to witness it. They were both guests of Tim Fuller, and really enjoyed what they saw. Miller was overheard telling Fuller, "I would love playing ball with a PG like Siva who loves to share the rock. Instead of dropping 30 plus points, he controlled the game by getting his teammates involved. That's my kind of player."
Bello agreed. "Siva is the type of PG who can throw a perfect alley-oop pass for me. I can't wait to play with this team!"
As I stated earlier, even though football season is right around the corner, I felt the need to comment on a Cardinal basketball pick-up game. I know there will be more than enough time to comment once November gets here, but this stuff was too good to pass up.
With that being said, I'm READY for FOOTBALL SEASON!! GO CARDS!!!
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