SAN ANTONIO - Will someone give a hand to Jeff Sheppard? If you're the Stanford Cardinal, will someone get a hand on him? Without Sheppard, the Kentucky Wildcats are packing. Their fans are packing. Ashley Judd is packing. Instead, the Wildcats are going back to their lately rightful place, that being the national title game.
You saw it, of course. Sheppard, loose and jangly, rolling off screen after monster screen, tossing three-point baskets into the Stanford dream as if they were hand grenades at the family picnic. Talk about rockets red glare.
Sheppard eases off a Nazr Mohammed screen to nail a three from the key with 2:51 left in regulation, giving Kentucky a one-point lead. Sheppard rolls off a Scott Padgett screen to drop another three-bomb, next possession, same spot, and the lead is four.
Better when it counts
In overtime, when nobody in blue wants much to do with shooting the ball, it's Sheppard banking one in from the lane, angling that rubberband body into crannies of Stanford's defense. Sheppard is Gumby, if Gumby could dunk. He hits another three, and then the free throw that wins this exhilarating, exhausting, incredible-for-the-second-week-in-a-row game. Stanford was better than Kentucky. Its guards were more effective. Until they wore down and - or fouled out, its big men were more effective.
The Cardinal had the better mascot (the tree with, naturally, lips). They had the better pep-dudes, the guys in the khaki shorts, pink surf shirts and white floppy hats, who looked like five Gilligans who took a wrong turn at Ginger's hut.
They had the better rap. ''I'm not sure if they expected the firepower in the backcourt, or how physical we were inside,'' forward Mark Madsen said. ''But they caught on quick enough.''
For 30 minutes, the Cardinal was better, leading the whole time. They tried to tell us. ''The Stanford team is filled with guys who are tough,'' Madsen had said.
But it wasn't filled with anyone named Sheppard.
''Sheppard,'' Madsen said. ''That guy runs his cuts a thousand miles an hour. I mean, a thousand miles an hour, off those screens.'' Tell us about it, Jeff.
''I was fortunate guys were setting good screens,'' Jeff said. ''I was lucky the shots went down.''
Would UK have won without you?
''No individual is bigger than Kentucky basketball,'' Sheppard said. ''Everybody understands this. That's why we're here right now.''
Keep it simple
This is as good as it gets with Sheppard. As a quote, he's an airball. He's also correct. At least about the team concept this season, and why it has worked. It has worked because everyone thinks the way Sheppard does. It's amazing to watch a team of high-profile, mega-recruits play as selflessly as this group does.
But, back to Sheppard. ''A good shooter knows how to read screens,'' explained Kris Weems, the Stanford guard forced to chase Sheppard all over 94 feet of wood.
''You have to catch the ball ready to shoot,'' Sheppard said. ''If no one's guarding you, you shoot. If someone is, you pass the ball.''
Simple game, basketball.
Did you feel good about your shot all night, someone wanted to know.
''I feel like this 'bout every game I play in,'' he said. No brag. Just fact. ''I'm confident with my shot. I'm confident when I miss.''
What Sheppard didn't say was the time he spent at Memorial Gym last summer, every night, 300 shots. He was a redshirt last year and ''saw all his friends get to the championship game,'' said Cameron Mills. ''It had to be difficult for him (wondering), 'Are we going to get to be as good this year? Are we going to get to the Final Four again?' ''
There is no wondering now. And that shot, honed in the summer sweat? It's great. Sheppard won't say that. Someone has to.
Today's NCAA coverage
Utah-Kentucky unlikely final
Kentucky 86, Stanford 85
Sheppard saves day for UK
Turner happy to get the win
UK victory thrills fans
UK Notes
Utah 65, North Carolina 59
Miller stops Heels in tracks
Final Four jinx gets Williams
Utah/UNC Notes
NCAA coverage from Associated Press
Enquirer columnist Paul Daugherty welcomes your comments at 768-8454.
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