Show M PqftThn Herald Journal t ' a mv Logan Utah Tuesday March 31 1998 Johnsen leavesFinal Cats “We always played poised Bad know never to five up" forward Heshimu Evsu said "We just come rack We’re a fighting team We’re the Comeback ’Gals” Comeback 'Cat is die latest nickname for Kentucky The 1948 championship team wu called the FaMous Five and the 1958 champion were the Five Ikthaps dw most famous of them aU wen Knpp's Runts Adolph Rupp's 1966 team that lost to TOstera (later Haas in the tide game what year It wu filled with overtime games'buzzer beaten and surprises from die likes of Valparaiso and Rhode 1u u Q-Pas- Stanford and Utah But the Utes who won the championship in 1944 couldn’t pull off one mom upset in the tide game Utah 004) the kecood-be-st defensive team in the country this season held its first five tournament opponents to 39 percent shooting and an average of 613 points 29-for-- 57 AP photo during one stretch Kentucky trailed at halftime 12 times this year and won 10 of those games Sheppard died three reasons why "Coach Smith stress all the time — positive attitude hard work and teamwork" Sheppard said "That’s about fundamental and simple it gets But it won the national championship You don’t have to be flashy You have to be fundamental" Kentucky’s Nazr Mohammed (13) shoots over Utah's Mkhaal Dotoac in the Drat half Monday night together six punts to take the lead once more 64-6- 0 But that would be the end of the Utes’ bid for their first tide since 1944 Kentucky’s speed and stamina ruled the rest of the shooting clicked after being so way rad the atrocious in the first half when the Wildcats missed aU six of their attempts "We could tell they were wearing down in the second half” Jamaal Magknre said “Especially when Doleac turned the ball over early in the second half” from the lop of the key hfiUs netted another to bring the Wildcats within one then Sheppard put with them ahrad for good 63-6- 4 Kentucky’s five free throws to Utah's one in the next few minutes put the Wildcats ahead 70-6- 5 with ' 2:52 to go Scott Padgett led the Wildcats with 17 points while Sheppard had 16 Miller led the Utes with 16 points while Mottola and Doleac each had 15 and Jensen 14 As die trophy wu presented by Selection Committee chairman CM Newton who is also Kentucky’s athletic director and the mu who picked Smith to Tub-by- " succeed Pidno the crowd chanted “Tub-b- y It seemed implausible that any coach could be more popular in Kentucky than Pidno wu in leading the program back from one of its lowest points following probation But Smith may have topped him in the one year since Pidno left to coach the Boston Celtics Smith wu asked if he tyought about the doubters who questioned his hiring in the game’s final seconds “It never crossed my mind” said Smith Kentucky’s first biack basketball coach "I wu happy for my players my staff and our fans This program is more than a basketball program It is really a way of life and people live and breathe Kentucky basketball I’m just happy to be a small part of it” u u Kentucky put on two breathless spurts in the final frenetic " First the Wildcats scored nine straight points to take the lead for die first time since the esriy minutes Then after six punts by Utah the Wildcats fashioned a 10-- 1 run to surge ahead for good 70-6- 3 All the pressing and chasing and substituting Kentucky did early in the second half after trailing 41-3- 1 at halftime paid off in those final runs when Utah center Michael Doleac looked if he were wading through mud and guard Andre Miller wu breathing heavily “We don’t ham an athletic body guy other than Doleac” Utah coach Rick Majerus said "They did a good job of wearing Mike down banging him Andre quite frankly just got worn down Andre’s in the left corner rad he’s like a punch drunk fighter standing on rubbery legs But without him we don’t get here" stop-and-p- op u Allen Edwards With Kentucky down 1 drove hard to the hoop to start the run which included a basket inside by Nazr Mohammed a by Cameron Mills and a spectacular steal at nalfcowt and breakaway dunk by Sheppard to put 38-3- 9-- 0 the Wildcats ahead 60-5- 8 The play by Sheppard die hero of Kentucky’s comeback against Stanford jolted everyone in the Alamodome All at once Kentucky players on the bench and fans in the stands leaped from their seats and Utah players and fans recoiled Utah refused to go easily though and it strung sacrificing slot after come at a better time” a M for the team some- Turner smiled in the winning Jot lining get a lih locker room when asked about fcontinued from tie bit of glory" Sheppard said of Sheppard’s contribution to the team Page 6 “I’m real happy for him his award national titles from 1941-3- 1 when His steal and dunk because a guy like him wanted to no most outstanding player award a lead with come to Kentucky gave dm Wildcats a was handed out and Seattle’s 7:10 All his life he wanted to left — Kentucky's first edge Elgin Baylor won the honor in in 27 minutes Then 2 12 minutes be a Kentucky player and all Ins 1938 despite the Wildcats win- later Sheppard’s driving layup put life he wanted to do nothing but win rad win national champining the tide the Wildcats in front for good To see him like this it Sheppard scored a career-hig- h onships I "Man thought that was 27 points in die national semifinals be a better way to leave” can't said Turner of the Wild- huge” Wayne Stanford to fast-bre- ak u 60-5- 8 against get cats to the tide game for the third in straight year then went 34 minutes in die championship Gas rd reporters were asking me about what we were saying to each other and I let my emotions get sway from me" he said “I have sent Britt a letter of apology and wish him and the Utah team well in the Sheppard’s steal and slam "I saw it coming from the bench and grade-school- er fjinfpMiiiji game” In a statement released by the university wu “the most distraught of Gutfaridge said Ndiaye NC then issued an apology to Chapel Hill from the field (31 percent) chipped away at the lead in the second half by scoring on seven of 10 possessions Kentucky which finished the game Britt Johnsen and I were doing trsslHaUdiig free to foce which wu not right but I did not spit on him nor did he use the to me ”1 got upset in the locker room when some u Islud anyone on our team after the loss” "He said some things after the game that were not appropriate and he is certainly sorry” Guthridge said placed a call to Rick Mqjerus and hope this matter is closed so that Utah can concentrate on its game for die national championship” Johnsen coach Rick Majerus and the entire Utah team about six hours before they lost 78-6- 9 to Ken-tud- nr in the national tide game "It’s like a feeling of rape” Johnsen said after the game “I didn't do anything yet I’ve gotall these eyes looking at me dunking I'm racist I’m glad the situation is over He ended un t—tt" it real well and I feel like we handled it vrclL" “I-hav- Johnsen said that during the game Ndiaye "slapped me acton the face and told me he wu going to kick my (expletive)” "The only words that came out of my mouth were I Johnsen had seven points four rebounds and three turnovers in 16 minutes Monday night Majerus called the Ndiaye situation a non-fact- or during the title game loss "Coming out it wu on my mind but I felt like I came out aggressive” Johnsen said “It really wu m the moment-Ndiay- two months He had to be physically restrained on the bench by Guthridge after receiving a technical end fouling out against Duke on Feb 5 Nine days later hie claimed a Maryland fan yelled a racial star at him from the stands in Chapel Hill Terrapin officials denied the charges On March 9 Mike Krzyzewski said Ndiaye gave Duke the choke sign during the Thr Heels’ Atlantic Coast Conference title game win and then jumped on a table and pounded his chest in front erf Duke fans following me game Krzyzewski called the acts poor sportsmanship Ndiaye denied giving the choke sign and said he wu just celebrating after the game In die second round of the NCAA tournament in Hartford Conn two North Carolina newspapers reported that Ndiaye made an obscene gesture to fens and to die Norm Carolina Charlotte band - e who at times has had difficulty ling his temper on the court still maintained he did not spit in Jbhnsen’s foce during the Utes’ upset victory Johnsen stood by his story Monday saying Ndiaye did spit on him quoted NdiSunday’s San Antonio Express-New- s aye saying: “Why don’t you ask him about what he said to me? He has no right to use the at me He used it mote than once and I’m not sure that’s the first time he’s done iL” Reporters from two other newspapers said they u rd also heard Ndiaye accuse Johnsen of using the racial slur In a statement released Monday by North Carolina Ndiaye said: ruled the rest of the way and the Lead the run which included a Nazr basket inside by Mohammed a by Cameron Mills and a spectacular steal at halfoourt and breakaway 9-- 0 dunk by Jeff Sheppard to put the Wildcats ahead 60-5- 8 The play by Sheppard the hero of Kentucky? comeback against Stanford jolted everyone m the Alamodome All at ooce Kentucky players on the bench and fans in the stands leaped’ from the Wildcats and slow down the clicked clock after Kentucky poured far five free shooting bring so atrocious in foe first half throws to Utah’s one in die next when the Wildcats missed all six few """fa and wait ahead by wfast proved to be insurmountof their attempts half” ing down in the second Jamaal Magkrire —m “Especially when Doleac turned the ball over early in die second half” Mills netted another from the top of the key to bring the Wildcats within one then Sheppard put them ahead for 4 'with ji drive and a good MS their seats and Utah players and fims looked ready to drop though and it strung together six paints to take the lead once more 64-6- 0 But that would be the end of the Utes’ bid for their first title since 1944 Kentucky's speed and stamina ing to get tired But it urns still amazing we were still in die the way we played the first f I think the three print shot I hit kind of got us started” As Utah readied out to hold off wu die tucky with a fine effort by the bench in the second half Thera Kentucky guys ate great athlete!" fold We felt like Utah was start- Toll 782-386-4 Ifcusaf- - Miw 1801)237-457- 1 FrMl-800473-66- 60 £ EE bhm Majerus remembered one moment in those decisive final $8866 36 x 46 x 11 $9889 48 x 64? x 17 $12858 BIIUMSQQM “ffUtHBOW everybody wrong” arxarx v Tremonton CM John NmSioM Support IwIVw Party SpUrn ooriribuU IS 10-t2S Join Big CO CM $10040 Cal Dal Johnson 8454464- - five """ when Miller’s body language revealed Ms condition “Andre is in that left comer and he’s like a punch drunk fighter” the coach said "You know he’s standing on his last legs there but we don't get here without him" Utah used a huge rebounding said “Tonight fatigue primary factor But credit Ken- ‘ rifciU' “We’ve won a lot of these kinds of games all year long” Mills said “We weren’t going to Utah refused to go easily 22 able lead 7065 with to go “I probably should have cultivated the bench mote” Mqjerus 65-6- Continued from Page 6 advantage to build a u “We could tell they were wear- CACHE DEMOCRATS when he tipped it and then Andre Miller gave up on him on the break I just knew we were going to make a run It couldn’t have ? “I wu very upset after bur lou Saturday to Utah and said some things I should not have said During SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Utah’s Britton Johnsen came to die Final Four a freshman hoping to get some playing time and possibly walk away with a national championshipi The forward never expected to be fighting for his reputation An ugly incident between Johnsen and North Carolina’s Makhtar Ndiaye came to a clow Monday when Ndiaye admitted he fabricated a story saying Johnsen called him a “nigger” during in the nad- a-l imifmlihinly night North Carolina coach Bill Guthridge and Ndiaye (pronounced Jeye) met for about 15 minutes in Hd-dK- n’ u rv M1 naps ipil if Stem Blum stwitbii fa ipinidlnib iHUfMOi 10-poi- nt halftime edge then let Kentucky back in the game The Wildcats nudged in front at 60-5- 8 with a 9-- 0 run but Utah responded with six straight paints to lead 64-6- 0 It was then that Drew Hansen un iiifp lit nd'i(dl a funn "nuw w sm i g 'llimff ttff-'- t i if? '' and Doleac thought the Utes would survive and win this tide “When we made that run we felt the momentum swing with us" Doleac said “You look at the time in die game and you’re up four points” '""V'-- f PARTNERS "We were really excited” ! Hansen said "I thought we had a chance to break them” And the Utes might have too had Cameron Mills not knocked that cut the lead down a to one Hansen took the blame “I thought I made die biggest defensive mistake of my Kfo he said "I let a guy who only shoots make a That wu die beginning of the end far the Utes They would manage only two more free throws by Doleac and Miller — both after missing their first foul shots — and a bp Alex Jensen that came after the issue was settled Hanno Mottola who had 15 points and eight rebounds tried to put the loss in some perspective “I think a lot of people were watching us and said those guys gave it everythingthey had” he: said Unfortunately for Utah it wu only enough for 33 minutes i ¥ V IJBARfmG I : involves businesses and The Herald Journal working together to provide V teachers grid students with news papers in the classroom: If you are f interested in becoming a partner in learning at a Cache Valley School call Christens HelpmpHne at or 100-27042- 3 hjnie&hjnewsxom 752-21- I 98 S 9 f'p i’mi t r ' f" r - r $’ jy 21 POOR r "V" 3 " t I 4 |