My March Madness, about so much more than basketball.

Gorgui Dieng's joyous smile--soft, glowing, and genuine--makes me so happy to have been at the game on March 15 so that I could watch him (and his team) play, to see this smile come across his face as he walked off the court at game's end, and to able to take this photo. What a privilege. I mean that, straight from my heart.

And then when I was getting this post ready, I found this enlightening commentary on ESPN dot com, ”Gorgui Dieng living his dream,” by Eamonn Brennan. I'm sitting here with tears streaming down my face, filled with awe and hope. I want to share this with you, thus my photo and this link. I hope you have a chance to click on the link, read the article, and join me in finding out more about this remarkable young man.

I am thankful that I found Mr. Brennan's piece online because, well, you know that feeling you get when you connect with someone new, someone you instantly like, want to know more about. That's exactly what happened to me, a 64-year-old Mississippian who loves basketball, when I saw this young man play, and I had not even really met him. Like I said in an earlier post, Gorgui Dieng is a good reason to pull for Louisville.

My March Madness continues with Louisville Cardinal Chane Behanan, one more good reason to pull for Louisville

Louisville Cardinals, in white, played Davidson Wildcats at the Rose Garden Arena, in the first Second Round NCAA March Madness game of the day. Here's No. 24, Chane Behanan, never givin' up beneath the basket. Davidson's No 15, 6'10" Jake Cohen gives it everything he's got, trying to block Chane's shot. Look at where Chane's right hand is on the ball and where they are in relation to his left hand, and tell me who you believe will come up with the ball.


Yep, it's Chane, never-say-die-I'm-going-to SCORE-Chane! By the way, that Chane is pronounced Shane, according to the Louisville Cardinals' player page.


Chane: Got the rebound! Now, just watch what happens when I get my feet underneath me!

I read this online at Louisville Scout dot com about Chane's rebounding: Chane Behanan grabbed six offensive rebounds, the second most this season. He previously totaled six against Syracuse (2/13) this season and grabbed a season-best eight offensive boards against Rutgers (2/4). An offensive rebound is when the ball is recovered by the offensive side and does not change possession. The other type of rebound is a defensive rebound which is when you take the ball away from your opponent because the shot doesn't go through the net. When you add up your offensive and your defensive rebounds, you get your total rebounds for the game.


This young man who appears to have bounded up effortlessly from the hardwood is 6'4", weighs 245 pounds, and is a freshman. A freshman! Already his powerful legs overshadow those of the other players on the court. I want some more NCAA March Madness in Portland, some more Louisville, and some more Chane and Gorgui (from yesterday's post).

I just read on the Louisville Cardinals' player page that his birthday is the same as my older son's, Sept. 24--cool. Finding out that is birthday is the 24th made me think that must be why he's wearing that number. Nope. I continued to read and discovered that he wanted to wear No. 24 because he grew up in the 2400 block in his hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio.


Everyone's eyes are on the ball and the basket--that's one of the many things which I love about basketball, the instant connection between hundreds or thousands of people, depending on the venue. Instant joy. Instant sadness. Depends upon which team you're pulling for. I love it!

Read online: Chane Behanan posted the seventh double-double of his career (14 points, 11 rebounds). Cool!


Look at the determination on Chane's face! And I love the smiles on the faces of two people on the right side of the photo--the lady in red with the short gray hair and the man in the dark jacket with the white sleeves--he's one row in back of the lady. So cool to see those smiles. And I adore the ball in the basket, all movement stopped by the camera. Fun!

My March Madness continues with Louisville Cardinal Gorgui Dieng, a good reason to pull for Louisville

Sophomore Gorgui Dieng, 6'11", 235-pound center for Louisville, blocks a Davidson shot during the first half shot during the Second Round game between the two teams. On the Louisville basketball Web site, I read that his hometown is Kebemer, Senegal--at the game he was announced as from Senegal, no mention of the town. Intrigued me, let me tell you, after having watched a few young men from Senegal play at a Jackson Public School back home in Jackson, Mississippi. I used to keep score for the high school basketball teams where I was a librarian, so I traveled with the teams and kept score in our own gym--loads of fun for me!


Look at that ball fly! Found on the Louisville basketball Web site's post-game notes:
Gorgui Dieng swatted two shots in the game for 113 this season. Through his two-year career, he has registered 169 blocks, which ranks sixth all time. He also scored nine points to reach the 500-point mark in his career.


This photo makes it look like the ball flew by so fast that it caused those two players to swivel swiftly at the waist! I decided early on in the game that I liked watching this young man play. As a result, I decided I would pull for Louisville. They ended up defeating Davidson, 69-62.

My March Madness continues with the two faces of Coach Rick Pitino during a first-half time out.

Time out, Louisville. See Coach Rick Pitino, there among the players? This took place early in the first quarter of Louisville's Second Round NCAA March Madness game against Davidson on Thursday, March 15, at Portland, Oregon's Rose Garden Arena. They're sitting and standing right in front, maybe eight feet, from the Louisville Pep Band. Loud spot to confer. I can tell you beyond doubt that when I looked at this photo, and the next one, on my camera's view screen and realized I had the coach in action, I felt chills of joy. Serendipity strikes again.


Player talking. Everyone, including Coach Pitino, listening.


Coach Pitino talking. Everyone listening.

My March Madness continued with the sight of the Louisville Cardinal mascoty

Louisville Cardinals fans, excited no doubt to be at the Second Round game about to begin against Davidson, made sure to get the attention of the team mascot--believe me, this was not the only photo which I witnessed prior to the game at Portland's Rose Garden Arena on March 15.


Half-time and the Louisville Cardinal poses with other fans. I wonder if they are Louisville fans or mascot fans? Probably Louisville fans. I have to admit that when half-time arrived I was somewhat sad--that meant I only had three and one half games left that day. Still and all, I had just seen a great first half of my first ever Second Round NCAA March Madness basketball game at the Rose Garden Arena, Portland, Oregon.

Sorry, Davidson, your mascot wasn't as photogenic, I guess. I didn't notice anyone posing with you.