No surprises at Rupp – waiting on 2012-13

As state tournaments go, last week’s KHSAA Sweet 16 held very few, if any, surprises as the 16 regional champions played down to Saturday night’s finals.

In the end, the very two teams that were expected to be on the floor – the Shamrocks of Trinity and Scott County’s Cardinals were facing off for the right to lay claim to the banner, the (very much downsized) championship trophy, pictured right, and of course, the 2011-12 Boys’s State Basketball Champion title.

With one of its many bursts of scoring shown during the week, Trinity combined the final minutes of the first half, and the opening minutes of the second half to once again flex its muscles, and show that the Shamrocks in this 2012 half of the season, were every bit as good, and every bit in a class all of its own, as the experts and ratings had said all year it was.

On St. Patrick’s Day, the 2012 Kentucky Sweet 16 Boys’ Championship title went to the Shamrocks of Trinity, 71-53.

A few side notes to close out this 2012 Sweet 16 report – beginning with the Saturday night crowd. Although it was listed as just over 14,000, looking over the stands as the pre-game “Greatest Show in Hoops” extravaganza came to a close – I guessed the attendance to be less than 10,000 – adding that when the KHSAA gave out the numbers, I’d guess we’d see a number something like 13,000-14,000. Hmmm.

Of course with UK and Louisville both set to play NCAA games just minutes after the start of the Sweet 16 championship, most fans not from Louisville or Georgetown either opted to stay away all together, or do as I did – watch the pre-game show, and at the most, the first half of action, before finding their way out of Rupp Arena and somewhere close to a television.

For the most part, the week long stretch of games just wasn’t all that exciting. A trio of match up provided some good excitement, but when you consider that fans are watching 15 games in four days, taking the excitement level down to just two or three games, something was just missing.

Low scoring and mediocre officiating was much to blame – although the officiating wasn’t really the cause of the low scoring – the shots just wouldn’t fall for the most part.

A place that exploded – and finally some “payback” of sorts

A huge crowd was gathered Friday evening in the lobby and bar area of the Hyatt Regency next door to Rupp Arena, with fans from the KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16 crowding around the multiple television sets in the area, watching Lehigh best the most hated basketball team in the state of Kentucky, the Blue Devils of Duke.

When that final buzzer sounded and Duke was sent packing, the house absolutely exploded with enthusiasm and excitement. For awhile that night – everyone in the building was a Lehigh fan.

I was just across one of the tables from one “Unforgettable”, Deron Feldhaus who just happened to be the Wildcat charged with putting a hand in the face of Christian Laettner when he put up “the shot” that sent UK packing in 1992.

Just observing Deron as the game progressed, I never once saw him glance up to watch the game.

Earlier in the week, I asked Deron about having to watch the UPS commercial over and over being aired on ESPN what seems like at least every 10 minutes.

“Hey, they paid me,” he quipped with a smile, referring to UPS having to shell out some funds for using the likeness of the players in the commercial.

On to the NCAA for a couple of weeks, then we get a roundball break.

It’s March in Kentucky – and I’m busy, don’t call me until April.