As sloppy as turnover-prone U of L was against why-are-the-Cards-scrimmaging-them DI neophyte Mercyhurst, the first hints of how Pat Kelsey’s tactical adjustments might look emerged Wednesday night.
On the Cards’ first possession, the team’s best passer Alvaro Folguieras had the ball top of the key. High > Low to Flory Bidunga who had sealed his man. Flush.
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Fully on display was how loosey-goosey the Cards JayHawk transfer can be when he breaches the perimeter of his comfort zone. But the guy is a force down low. If all of his nine FGs weren’t slams, all but one or two were.
He snared nine boards. Rejected a couple Laker attempts.
Obi Ekezie was credited with four blocks. At least that many more Mercyhurst shots were missed because of OE’s redwood presence. He windexed the glass eight times.
Folguieras added seven rebounds, and five assists.
Which means despite the misfortune of 7-5 Gabe Dynes projected four month absence, the Louisville Cardinals, unlike PK’s first two teams, shall have an inside presence of consequence.
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Which brings me peripherally, as my weird mind is inclined to wander, to this name.
Sananda Fru.
The man you forgot to remember to forget.*
*Yes, the line comes from that tune Elvis recorded at Sun in ’55, his first #1 nationally.
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The Cards plan was obviously to drive to the hoop against their lesser foe.
Scrappy Isaac Ellis drained the Cardinals’ first triple 28 minutes into the game. On the very next trip, Jackson Shelstad netted another. It was also the last.
Louisville tallied 56 of their total 71 points in the paint.
The remaining 9 came at the line. On 17 attempts.
That’s a concerning 53%. A key aspect of winning hoops to be monitored.
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So too 17 turnovers. Most unforced.
Four by Bidunga. All when he tried to be what he isn’t. (Last year at Kansas, his rep was built on D, far from first O option on a team with Tre White, Melvin Council and Darryn Peterson, when he played.)
Three were by Alvaro. Two late when the game was unraveling all around, and he went for home runs on potential fast breaks. They don’t worry me so much.
In front of a quiet and less than robust crowd, U of L played with less focus and urgency than that which will come in the months ahead.
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Other random observations:
Ekezie tends to bring the ball down toward his waist. He needs to learn to keep it high.
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Love the 2 on 1 break in the 1st. Karter Knox ahead to Adrian Wooley who ooped it back to KK for a dunk.
Folguieras going to the floor for a tie up on a loose ball.
Scoring on the first six possessions after halftime.
Bo Zhang seeing action along with Ellis.
Wondering if I should attempt to set an over/ under on how many Cardinal games Roger Ayres will call?
U of L amped up its D in the 2d. To paraphrase the catch phrase of that pizza chain founded by Louisville’s prodigal benefactor: Better Defense. Better Results.
Even though he didn’t score, I loved Wooley’s game. 5 boards, two assists.
De’Shayne Montgomery yet again was solid and efficient off the bench.
The score: 71-39.
Next Monday it gets real.
— c d kaplan
