Game Notes

by Russ Bengtson
On some level, Rafer Alston must dread coming back to New York.
It’s not the pressures of playing in front of friends and family—Skip has been doing that for a long time now, both at the Garden and before that on blacktop from Queens to Harlem. No, it’s the hours before the game. More specifically, the media time. Even more specifically than that, the same local reporters who pepper him with the same questions every freaking time. It has to be infuriating.

by Eric Woodyard
The act of getting a pregame interview with Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade is like seeing Bishop Magic Don Juan sporting anything but green and gold (…it just doesn’t happen much!). I found this out when Wade and the Heat made their visit to the Palace of Auburn Hills to take on the struggling Detroit Pistons yesterday.

by Aaron Kaplowitz
Playing at their home away from home, the Villanova Wildcats treated their fans to an impressive 89-69 victory over UCLA to advance to the Sweet 16, ending Darren Collison, Josh Shipp and Alfred Aboya’s run as the winningest class in UCLA history.
In case you missed the game, that stats tell enough of the story:

by Franklyn Calle

by Aaron Kaplowitz
During the full second that a basketball needs to reach the rim on a three-pointer, visions of David’s stone whizzing toward Goliath’s head materialized on the collective conscience of the Villanova-heavy crowd at Philadelphia’s Wachovia Center on Thursday night. The 14-seed American University Eagles were about to become the newest Cinderella, less than 20 minutes away from slaying the powerful Villanova University Wildcats on the first day of NCAA Tournament ‘09.

by Ryne Nelson
I learned a nice lesson today, and it’s something I feel is important enough to pass on. It’s more of a pattern, actually and it’s something most people—especially hoops fans—should be aware of. I’ve noticed that, if you convince yourself that it’s there, this lesson can be taught about pretty much anything. It’s not a Law of Nature. It’s not even a theory yet. It’s just a lesson, a parable, if you will. So enough already, let me see if I can put it semi-succinctly here:

by Michael Tillery
R.I.P. Bill Davidson. Your teams were your mirror…lock, stock and barrel. The city of Detroit as well as true fans of the NBA will remember what you have given us forever more. Thank you sir. I wish your family peace.