Frank Burlison

  NEW ORLEANS

   National Title game

Kentucky 67, Kansas 59

   Why Kentucky won: because the Wildcats possessed on the most dominant low-post presences in (relative) recent college hoops history in Anthony Davis (16 points, six blocked shots, five assists and three steals) and incredibly gifted, balanced and unselfish cast around him.

The Turning Point: Tyshawn Taylor’s reverse layup (which would have cut the Kansas deficit to four points was blocked by Michael Kidd-Gilchrist; Taylor recovered the ball then turned it over with 54 seconds to go.

[Click to continue reading]

NEW ORLEANS – Squads representing the East and South came out winners Sunday afternoon during the second All-American Championship games that were played at the Lakefront Arena.

Future Big East Conference players Omar Calhoun (Brooklyn, NY, Christ The King/bound for Connecticut) and Ricardo Ledo (South Kent School, CT/Providence) paced the East with 26 and 15 points, respectively, during the 84-72 victory over the West.

Calhoun, selected his team’s MVP, scored 27 of those points in the first half to push his team to a 44-28 advantage.

[Click to continue reading]

NEW ORLEANS – Feeling fresh and spry after a good night/early morning’s sleep on Final Four Weekend?

Or, at least, want to see some of the very best high school hoopsters – and some future FF participants – up close and personal on Sunday afternoon.

Then you’re in the right town.

The Second All-American Championships, sponsored and organized by the Gazelle Group, will be played at 2 and 4:30 p.m. CT, respectively, at the Lakefront Arena,

The first contest will match 10-play squads representing the East and West, with a North-South affair to follow.

[Click to continue reading]

NEW ORLEANS – And then there were two . . .

Four and a half months after the fact, that Nov. 15 game played between the Kentucky and Kansas basketball teams in Madison Square Garden is now going to be a prime topic of conversation.

The Wildcats prevailed (75-65) in that one – something called the State Farm Champions Classic.

There will be a tad more at stake when the squads hook up for Round 2 Monday night.

And their national championship confrontation in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome has all of the makings of an honest-to-goodness Classic.

[Click to continue reading]

  NEW ORLEANS

   Game Two

Kansas 64, Ohio State 62

   Why Kansas won: Despite trailing by 13 points late in the first half, the Jayhawks moved to Monday night’s title game because of their staple – half-court defense. They held the Buckeyes to eight of 33 (.242) shooting from the field in the second half.

The Turning Point: After going up 59-56 with 2:22 following an Aaron Craft steal and layup, the Buckeyes didn’t score again until William Buford’s follow with 9.6 seconds to go

   The Star: All-American forward Thomas Robinson was erratic and  ineffective early – he seems to be rushing his offense and was briefly benched by Coach Bill Self – but finished strong, attacking the OSU defenders precisely and assertively while finishing with a team-high 19 points.

[Click to continue reading]