The Precious Present isn’t something someone gives you.

It’s a gift that you give yourself. – Spencer Johnson

Anthony Davis did last week. Right place, right instant, right instinct, right reaction. Embrace the moment kid. Amid all the joys to come, there will never be another quite like it.

North Carolina’s John Henson had the basketball 10 feet out as the clock wound to :07. Maybe because Davis is so thin, Henson didn’t see him. Maybe because 6-feet-10 shot-blocker Henson is unaccustomed to challenge, his brain failed to register Davis’ reach.

Costly.

The time, and place and reward in place, the Tar Heel man cocked to shoot an almost certain game winner. Then, not a millisecond too early or too late, Davis rose up like an Aurora Borealis gone vertical. Henson’s shot was doomed.

The beauty of Davis’ play was still to come. Unlike the ‘look-at-me-ism’ in today’s game, he did not swat Henson’s shot into Rupp Arena’s fifth row. Instead, he tipped the ball to himself.

Game over.

There it was, Kentucky 73, North Carolina 72. A throng of 24,398 witnessed it live, a national television audience got a treat also. But what is timeless and real joy was seeing a skinny kid from Chicago succeed and earn his first chance to embrace the precious present.

The 73-72 score will be forgotten in time, even the fevered atmosphere of No. 1 versus No. 5 on a December Saturday in 2011 will cool.

But Davis’ block on Henson is now on the archival highlight reel at Big Blue Nation where the citizenry recalls with clarity every drama moment from here back to Patrick Sparks’ bump and bounce 3-pointer against Michigan State in 2005, on Vernon Hatton’s half-court miracle against Temple in 1957.

And, then to now, you have your favorites.

Today, this week, Davis can bask in warmth of his precious present at Kentucky and, along with fans, ignore for a moment, John Calipari’s tiresome chirp that “Davis is (NBA Draft) the number one pick.”

PRECIOUS PRESENT II

In a sequel from games last season, Louisville point guard Peyton Siva thrilled Cardinal fans with another episode of audacity of an assassin last week.

As Vanderbilt players lapsed into a folding chair defense, Siva weaved around them like obstacles on a practice floor, drove to the hoop for an uncontested lay-up to stick a dagger in the heretofore ranked ‘Dores.

Siva’s nerve and will and cocksure takeover at the end kept the Cardinals perfect. This was leadership.

Vandy? Led by Jeffry Taylor’s incredible meltdown in the second half, it was the dumbest most inept 20 minutes I’ve ever seen from the Commodores.

OBSERVATIONS

• A CBS national telecast of a December college hoops classic matching premier programs and no isolation shot of Wildcats super fan Ashley Judd? Did I miss it?

• More than any other Wildcat, Marquis Teague’s first mega-game experience could advance his play. Going home to Indiana this week, Teague’s experience last Saturday could make all the difference this Saturday. First up? With ball in hand at end-game time, point guards must make free throws. Period.

• Defense. Kentucky’s aggressive double-down on Tyler Zeller in late game not only stymied the big man’s shooting, but smothered passes to teammates. Brilliant stratagem and time to spring it on Zeller was superb too.

• As Kentucky’s team starts to jell, develop identity, one element vital to all successful teams, emerges. Warriors. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Darius Miller fill the bill.

Observations II …

• From the Don’t Miss This Dept. Thursday night at Rupp Arena, 10th ranked Kentucky (8-0) versus Duke (6-1). Women’s college basketball will be aired on Fox Sports South. 6 p.m. EDT tip-off.

• Murray State. Moving up the Teams to Watch List: Coach Steve Prohm’s fun-to-watch Racers join Creighton. Saint Louis, UNLV and San Diego State. A road win at Western Kentucky then Dayton at home last week pushed Murray State to 9-0. Best season start since 1998. Next up: at Memphis on Sunday.

NATIONAL TITLE

LSU versus Alabama again. No thanks. Money Ball II.

Amusing, the speed and vigor television talking head analysts at ESPN dispensed scorn for the BCS system and turned apologists for the Tigers-Tide rematch. We all know a more attractive match nationally would be LSU-Oklahoma State.

The net effect is achieved however – three weeks of media rant and barbershop buzz about LSU-best ever … roll Tide … and injustice to OK-State. All if it sends ratings up and advertising rates $oaring.

Inevitably, two items will drag college football to a playoff system. Profits and the NCAA’s crown jewels men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.

MR. FOOTBALL TIME

Time for Kentucky Mr. Football candidates to be reviewed and a choice made by those who vote.

Before the honor is handed to Patrick Towles at Highlands or J.J. Jude at Johnson Central or Anthony Wales at Central, or another, voters will be careful, won’t they, to research candidate credentials for academic achievement and school community involvement? Right?

And so it goes.