By PAT FORDE
The (Louisville, Ky.) Courier-Journal

Louisville's Marvin Stone gets up close and personal with his old friend, Kentucky's Marquis Estill. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - By the time he left Freedom Hall Saturday, the remodeled, remade and redeemed Marvin Stone was ready to hit speed dial and catch up with old friends.

"I'll do some bragging," Stone said, laughing like the happiest man in a building bursting with good cheer.

"Marquis (Estill) will be first," Stone said. "Then Keith (Bogans), because he talked so much."

He laughed again.

"We'll see if they answer my phone calls."

Playing against his former University of Kentucky teammates, Marvin was the center of attention at the Hall.

The new University of Louisville big man gave the latest and perhaps greatest endorsement yet to the power of Pitino. When it comes to maximizing a player's potential, Rick has no rival. Stone's stat line from the Cardinals' 81-63 pulverizing of the Wildcats comes direct from Tubby Smith's worst nightmare: a game-high 16 points, plus seven rebounds, plus an effective defensive job on Estill, plus coaxing the UK center into fouling out.

"I couldn't script it any better," Stone said.

No, not hardly. In three games as a Card, Stone has scored 56 points. He scored 48 in nine games last year as a Wildcat before making the transfer that transformed his floundering career.

Give credit to Pitino for pushing the former McDonald's All-American into the best shape of his life, and for instilling him with the confidence he'd obviously lost in Lexington. Give credit to Stone for selecting a school ready, willing and able to supply him 30 minutes a game - and for embracing this last opportunity.

"I'm so happy for him," Pitino said. "That's why we're in coaching, that's why we're in the game: to see people smile and see people progress in life."

The smiles didn't stop with Stone. They progressed outside the U of L locker room to his beaming mother, Lois.

"I love this city, I love the fans, I love Coach Pitino, I love everybody," she said. "My heart is just overflowing. I'm just so proud of him."

Unlike Pitino last year, Stone's old school had to come to his gym. From pregame introductions on, 20,061 fans cheered him like the second coming of Pervis Ellison (which he isn't, but the Cards will gladly take him).

The welcome from his old buddies was slightly different. Bogans and Stone bumped into each other during pregame warmups and both came away laughing.

"You ready to play?" Bogans asked.

"Yeah," Stone answered.

"Let's go to war, then," Bogans said.

When the shooting started, Estill turned out to be a conscientious objector. He attempted just two shots and finished with six points, his lowest point total of the season.

"I knew every play they were running for Marquis," Stone said. "So I was beating him to the spot every time."

On the other end, Stone was getting the ball in spots where the Cats kept fouling him. He made 8 of 12 free throws and is now hitting 76 percent from the line as a Card - compared to 61.4 percent in 2 1/2 seasons at UK.

By the final minute, Stone's work was done. With a dead ball at the :50.7 mark, Stone was waving at the fans and inciting the bedlam to new levels. Pitino removed him from the game at that point to a walk-off hug-a-thon.

"It was a beautiful moment," Stone said.

Playing across town in a high school holiday tournament was Birmingham, Ala., high schooler James Lang, the huge, tantalizing, unfinished product. Lang is considering both the Cats and the Cards. After seeing what Pitino has done for another hyped Alabama center, there shouldn't be much left to consider.