As the sun fades into the North Texas sky (not sure why we can’t call it Arlington) on Saturday evening, college basketball will take center stage on the American sports landscape.
Everyone except Chris Bernucca will settle in for the Final Four, where some of the NBA’s future stars will duke it out in a titanic stadium not meant for basketball with everything on the line.
It is a spectacle that deserves America’s attention. And that is why we’ve decided to lend America’s favorite column to it, at least for a few paragraphs.
Because everyone has room to improve (cheesy smile).
Each of the Final Four teams have reached this point because they’ve taken their game to another level.
Kentucky is in the Final Four because its freshmen have improved greatly over the course of the season and finally gelled at the right time. During the regular season, the ‘Cats couldn’t hit Roseanne Barr with a beach ball from two kitchen tiles away. Now, they’re knocking down every big shot imaginable.
UConn’s run to North Texas has been just as improbable. Less than a month ago, the Huskies were blasted, 81-48, by Louisville, and fans in Storrs were beginning to wonder if the program was ever going to be the same as it was under Jim Calhoun in the Big East. Four wins later, UConn is back in the Final Four, and no one can stop talking about the remarkable coaching job Kevin Ollie has done.
Florida has been incredible all season long, so you won’t hear much about the Gators here. Wisconsin was a second seed, but it was carried by one player who has improved like Daniel-San after waxing Mr. Miyagi’s car.
So, which five players can call themselves the Most Improved of the NCAA Tournament?
On to the rankings. (Sorry, force of habit).
1. Aaron Harrison, G, Kentucky: He was up and down during the regular season, disappearing completely at times and then showing up to drop 20 and 7 assists.Now, he’s a Kentucky legend after he drained one of the biggest shots in school history in the Elite Eight win over Michigan, knocking down a contested 28-footer with 3.4 seconds left to put the Wildcats in the Final Four.
2. Frank Kaminsky, C, Wisconsin: No one east of Milwaukee had ever heard of this dude until he put on a clinic against Arizona in the Elite Eight, going for 28 and 11, and almost singlehandedly winning the West Region for the Badgers. Now, people are calling him the college Dirk Nowitzki and wondering if he will be a first-round pick. It’s funny how a big game on a big stage can change people’s perception so drastically.
3. DeAndre Daniels, F, Connecticut: Daniels went for 27 against Iowa State in the regional semifinals, picking the perfect time to flash that tantalizing talent that has both captivated and frustrated Huskies fans for years. He just might have the highest NBA ceiling of anybody on the UConn roster, but our family friend Muffy Gomes calls him “Casper” because he disappears so often. He was clearly visible in the Sweet 16 in New York and followed that perfrormance with 12 points, eight rebounds, two blocks and two steals in UConn’s triumph over Michigan State.
4. Amida Brimah, C, Connecticut: Remember this name. Brimah is a 7-foot, 217-pound freshman from Ghana whose contributions go way beyond his trillion stat line against Michigan State. He will likely be a first-round draft pick when he decides to come out (hopefully not for a few years) and showed why in the East Regional. He locked down Iowa State’s bigs in the Sweet 16, helping hold Big 12 Player of the Year Melvin Ejim to just seven points on 3-of-13 shooting. He also showed the athleticism and quickness to switch out and defend point guard DeAndre Kane on the perimeter, which is exceedingly rare for a freshman 7-footer. Brimah also helped shut down Michigan State stud Adreian Payne on the interior and is a major reason why the Huskies are heading to Arlington North Texas.
5. James Young, G Kentucky: Young was as inconsistent as anybody on the precocious Wildcats roster, but he has been an efficient scorer and big-time shot maker in Kentucky’s run to the Final Four. He hit one of the biggest shots of the game against Wichita State, a 3-pointer from the right wing that gave Kentucky the lead for good at 73-71 with two minutes to go. He also went for 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting in Big Blue’s Elite Eight win over Michigan.
See, that was fun, wasn’t it?
Now, let’s check out the NBA rankings.
On to the rankings. (I have to say it).