Hell in the Hall – Louisville Sports Blog

You can’t make stuff like this up.

Edgar Sosa, having faded into a  netherworld of irrelevancy, emerged Lazarus -like into the light of the starting player intros, and then torched arch-rival UK for 18 pts–including  a 3 point dagger at 2 seconds to go,  to win the game 74-71.

It was another monumental mind-game triumph for Pitino, and it was the deciding factor in one of the best played games in the history of the rivalry.

Both teams shot well,  and played with passion and intensity the entire 40 minutes.

It was a game that see-sawed on rebounding and turnovers–UK ruled the boards 32-22 and the Cards rattled the Cats into 21 TO’s vs. 15 for us.

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We also hit 5 more 3 pointers–and 11 out of 20 for 55%– including the game winner.

And that was the ball game.

That was the last time we will ever play UK in fabled Freedom Hall.

And we got ‘em, by God!

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More later…now for a celebratory Woodford on the rocks.  Get comfy and let’s watch the final game-winning shot one more time:

Oh, let’s watch the crowd reaction , too:

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After the game, as the players were walking off the floor, Sosa leaped up on the press row table in front of the student section, screaming and popping his jersey, causing the still crowded Hall to erupt again.

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He had just drilled a 25 ft NBA 3 pointer right in front of his idol, Francisco Garcia, who had made an unscheduled side trip to juice up the Cards with a pep talk, which Pitino jokingly referred to as obscenity -laced but effective.

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During the Game,  Francisco was introduced to thunderous acclaim by the Card faithful.  As the Game tightened and tensed, Garcia became much more animated, standing to urge the crowd on, and slapping hands with T Will and Edgar from his floor-side seat NBA-style, after some second half 3 balls.

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Card fans were ready for this Game, in their seats a good 4 minutes before tip off, and buzzing.  I ran into Rob Hickerson (The Cheerleader) before the Game, and he assured me he was in “good voice.”  He led the Hall with thunderous C-A-R-D-S cheers throughout the night.

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There hasn’t been such white-hot intensity in the Hall since last year’s White-Out game.  I was drained.

A truly unexpected, but amazing guest was the A-Train himself — Artis Gilmore.  Fans like myself, who had personally seen Artis and his 7’6″ (with ‘fro) lead the Kentucky Colonels to the top of the pro BBall world in 1975, gave Artis a warm welcome.  Note:  Unfortunately, Artis’  long famous Afro has been replaced by a bare patch of lawn (much like my own.)

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There were other Card heroes, of course.  T Will stuffed the stat sheet again, leading the team with 19 points, and chipping in a big 8 boards and 5 steals.  And he nailed 3 of 5  3- balls, as the crowd audibly groaned “NO” on each one. But, hey!

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Goode was great…as George came in, shin splints and all, to sub a long 22 minutes for a foul-plagued Samuels.  His D was solid, he had no turnovers, and he contributed two big -time blocks.

And Jerry Smith’s stroke returned at just the right time, with him perfect on 3 for 3 on 3′s.

But everyone on the team truly played with intensity and contributed, at least some.

The lone exception was a dazed, walkabout performance again by Earl Clark who nearly threw away a 7 point Card lead with 50 seconds to go, with two panicked attempts to inbound for the Cards, that resulted in gross turnovers.

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Earl ended the evening with 7 TO’s  (half of our team’s total), 2 for 11 shooting–including another Why-in-God’s-name-does-he-keeps doing-this 0 for 4 on 3 pointers.  He did at least grab  8 bounds and block 3 shots, but, geez…

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I could nit-pick:  We frittered away a 9 point first half lead at the 2:21 mark, to 3 pts….and then almost lost the Game in the final  half when we had it “clinched” with 50 seconds to go and a 7 point lead, when Jerry committed his unfortunately patented, needless  foul on a three point shooter, and then Earl’s fumble-bumbles a couple.

And, I could point out that Edgar, as usual, waved off the pick play called for in the timeout, and once again left himself with no options but a 25 foot prayer.

But 37 out of 40 minutes, we showed passion and intensity and controlled the Game, with much-improved ball movement, and generally with solid shot selection.

And, we pocketed at least two top recruits along the way. ttp://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090105/SPORTS04/901050467/1002/SPORTS

So, this morning, I’m going with the goofy grin on my face, and the swell in my heart after such a win.

Yes, we needed that Game.  And it’s ours!

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Ck out what other Card bloggers have to say on the Game:

Charlie Springer at Card Game: http://uoflcardgame.com/getting-down-to-business/http:/uoflcardgame.com/comment-page-1/#comment-3759

Mike Rutherford at Card Chronicle: http://www.cardchronicle.com/

Tom Heiser http://www.courier-journal.com/blogs/cjcardsfan/2009/01/sosas-big-day.html