The two winningest programs in college basketball history met last night with a trip to the Final Four on the line, and it was only fitting that the WINNINGEST program of all-time got the golden ticket. Ending what has been 13 long painful years without a Final Four, Kentucky did it against all odds. Taking arguably the toughest road to the Final Four in recent memory beating the likes of Princenton, West Virginia, #1 overall seed the Ohio State Buckeyes, and #2 seed North Carolina, Kentucky is finally back in the Final Four.
Last nights game couldn't have went more to plan for the Wildcats. They stayed out of foul trouble for the most part, and hit big shot after big shot when North Carolina threatened to dampen the party, but Kentucky and DeAndre Liggins would not be denied. Liggins played his best in the last 90 second of the game, blocking two shots and hitting a HUGE 3 with just about 1 minute to play. And every Kentucky fan had to tear up seeing the emotional Liggins and Calipari embrace on the sideline as Knight was going to the line to ice the game. Liggins has made a huge improvement since arriving on campus as a freshman, and he says it's because of Calipari "He defined my game greatly. He made me the player I am now and I respect him and I love him to death”. Enough can't be said how much Liggins means to this team, and to the thousands of fans in Kentucky.
Then there is Jorts. If you would have told me after last year that we would be in the Final Four this year, and the biggest reason for that was the play of Josh Harrellson, I would have taken you to drug rehab. Josh played like Shaq in this tournament and not to steal from Calipari, but just had a "refuse to lose" attitude, and boy did it show. Harrellson faced some of the best big men in the country during this run in the tournament, and met the challenge in convincing fashion. Every time there was doubt about the way Jorts would meet a challenge, he silenced his doubters in a way that made even the Kentucky fans shake their heads in disbelief. Jorts has played his way into the hearts of Wildcat fans, and now he is a Kentucky player that little kids will pretend to be when playing on the playgrounds of the Bluegrass.
Brandon Knight has been sensational the entire tournament, and needs no mention in the post because what he done in the tournament is obvious. But he did play well enough to win the Most Outstanding Player in the East Region. Speaking of awards, Josh Harrellson, DeAndre Liggins, and Brandon Knight were all named to the All Tournament team along with Harrison Barnes and Tyler Zeller. Speaking of Harrison Barnes, a lot of people doubted that young man early in the season, calling him overrated. But last night he nearly single handedly stole Kentucky's Final Four trip. He was impressive to watch, but it all came in a losing effort to the relief of Kentucky fans. But hats off to the kid, he is a hell of a player and I hope he stays for another year.
This team has done something special, and something that hasn't been done in 13 long years. They came together as a team, they played together as a team, and had fun on their way to an unlikely Final Four run that has made the entire Common Wealth of Kentucky happy as HELL!!!
So take this week to celebrate, show these kids the appreciation they deserve, and just let it all soak in.
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