A number of Knicks have a unique cause this week for going wild for the Cats throughout this yr’s March Insanity.
Obi Toppin’s youthful brother, Jacob, is a 6-foot-9 senior and beginning ahead on the present Kentucky squad. He got here off the bench one yr in the past, when John Calipari’s second-seeded staff shockingly was bounced within the Spherical of 64 by No. 15 seed Saint Peter’s to begin the Peacocks’ charming Cinderella run to the Elite Eight.
Kentucky, the No. 6 seed within the East Area this yr, will face No. 11 Windfall on Friday in Greensboro, N.C. If the Wildcats advance to the Candy 16, they might play at Madison Sq. Backyard on March 23, although the Knicks play that evening in Orlando.
The Knicks have an off evening at house on Sunday, March 25, nevertheless, throughout the Elite Eight.
“It’s actually cool. They need to have received the SEC match, however I blame Fast for that one,” Toppin mentioned jokingly to Sports activities+ after Tuesday’s win in Portland, referring to teammate Immanuel Quickley. “I’ve a sense they’re gonna do very well.
“I really feel like Cal [Kentucky coach John Calipari] is getting ready these guys — and with a little bit additional time to arrange due to the loss [to Vanderbilt in the SEC tournament]. It’s time for them to step up and win this yr. And for certain, they might play within the Backyard, proper? In order that they gotta be on the Candy 16. However one recreation at a time and simply play with confidence.”
The Knicks group resembled Kentucky’s Northeast satellite tv for pc campus a couple of years in the past for boasting a number of former UK gamers — Quickley, Julius Randle, Nerlens Noel and Kevin Knox amongst them — in addition to assistant coach Kenny Payne, who now runs the Louisville program, and longtime Calipari confidante William “World Huge Wes” Wesley within the entrance workplace.
The 22-year-old Jacob Toppin, who performed one season at Rhode Island earlier than transferring to Lexington in 2020, ranks second on the Wildcats (21-11) in rebounding (6.9 per recreation) and third in factors (12.5), assists (2.2) and minutes performed (31.5) over 31 appearances. Senior large man Oscar Tshiebwe leads the staff with 16.5 factors and 13.1 boards per recreation.
“I in all probability speak to Jacob greater than Obi does,” Quickley mentioned. “I speak to Jacob from time to time, early within the season when he was going via a little bit tough patch, I FaceTimed him, talked to him a little bit bit.
“However I do know Coach Cal completely can have these guys prepared.”
You’d definitely suppose so, particularly on the heels of final yr’s large upset loss.
“I don’t know in the event that they’ll be caught off guard, all you are able to do within the match is go on the market with confidence,” Quickley added. “That’s the secret, go on the market with confidence and depart all of it on the market.”
Obi Toppin missed out on the March Insanity expertise with Dayton in 2020 when the match was canceled as a result of COVID-19 pandemic. He was the collegiate participant of the yr that season, and the 29-2 Flyers doubtless would have been a No. 1 seed.
“It was robust again then, however we’re sooner or later now,” Toppin added. “Now I’ve obtained to observe my brother win it with Massive Blue.”
No-go for ’Nova
There is also a determined Villanova Wildcats faction within the Knicks’ locker room with Josh Hart becoming a member of former NCAA championship teammate Jalen Brunson following a deadline take care of Portland. (Ryan Arcidiacono, part of the bundle the Knicks despatched to the Blazers for Hart, is also a ‘Nova alum).
These Wildcats endured a tough rebuilding yr within the first season after Corridor of Fame coach Jay Wright retired, ending 17-17 and lacking the Massive Dance for less than the second time in 18 seasons, not counting the scrapped 2020 match.
“Yeah, canine, I don’t know what the hell to do now,” Hart informed Sports activities+ after Tuesday’s recreation. “Not within the match after which we simply misplaced to Liberty [Tuesday night in the NIT]. I’m simply sitting right here ready for subsequent yr, man. I’m not even doing a bracket. I ain’t doing nothing.”
Hart mentioned a tough first yr below new head coach Kyle Neptune was “disappointing,” however he famous that even Wright’s first three Villanova groups posted a mixed 52-46 document and didn’t attain the NCAAs till the fourth yr after he was employed away from Hofstra in 2001.
“I believe you’re by no means going to be good yearly. You gotta notice the whole lot wasn’t sunshine and flowers with Jerold over there his first a number of years at Nova, both,” Hart mentioned, utilizing Wright’s given first identify. “So typically it takes a little bit bit to get used to a brand new job. I believe they need to proceed to play good basketball and clearly form of construct on the final three weeks. However the whole lot isn’t at all times sunshine, you recognize what I imply? However there can be extra success there, I’m assured in that.”
Postcards from the highway
Tying up a couple of free ends from a wet week out west:
• Brunson was not made out there to the media all through the four-game West Coast journey. He performed the primary two quarters within the opener in Sacramento after which sat out the ultimate three video games resulting from a bruised left foot that required a protecting strolling boot.
The Knicks traveled Wednesday and received’t maintain observe on Thursday, so we’ll see whether or not the three extra days off earlier than Saturday’s recreation towards the Nuggets can speed up his return.
• With wins over the Lakers and the Blazers — after losses to the Kings and the Clippers — the Knicks improved their highway document for the season to 22-14, which is tied for essentially the most highway wins within the league. It additionally marks their first profitable document away from MSG since 2012-13 — once they completed 23-18 — and simply their second over the previous 26 seasons.
• At one level on Sunday at Crypto.com Enviornment, I used to be standing behind the Lakers’ model of Celeb Row after I observed Spike Lee inside arm’s attain. I didn’t notice instantly, nevertheless, that Denzel Washington additionally was standing proper subsequent to him. It was the evening of the Oscars a couple of miles away, but they have been courtside collectively at Knicks-Lakers as an alternative.
“Bear in mind the Titans” is amongst my favourite all-time sports activities movies, by the way in which, even when we didn’t see any “Sunshine” throughout our total weeklong keep out west.
The day before today, one movie star seated close by who stopped by to say hey to the New York scribes throughout the recreation towards the Clippers was Jeff Garlin of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” fame. He additionally informed me The Submit is his “favourite sports activities part,” so we have now that going for us.
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