SAN ANTONIO — CBS announcer Jim Nantz was a Utah Jazz play-by-play man when Nuggets assistant coach Adrian Dantley was a Jazz forward. The two were reunited Monday when Nantz introduced Dantley as one of seven members of the Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2008.
“It means a lot,” Dantley told Nantz on the dais after the announcement. “You and I go way back. I remember you at Utah. I mentioned to you that I’d make the Hall of Fame one day. And it happened. It took a long time, but it happened.”
Also to be inducted Sept. 5 in Springfield, Mass., are Detroit Pistons owner Bill Davidson, former New York Knicks all-star Patrick Ewing, former Houston Rockets all-star Hakeem Olajuwon, Miami Heat coach Pat Riley, former Immaculata College women’s coach Cathy Rush and ESPN commentator Dick Vitale.
Dantley was a six-time NBA all-star and led the league in scoring in 1981 and 1984. He was a two-time All-American at Notre Dame and also won an Olympic gold medal in 1976.
“I got a little water-eyed,” he said. “It’s quite an accomplishment with all the great players on that list.”
All-tournament team.
Kansas’ Mario Chalmers was named the most outstanding player. Others who made the all-tournament team were Chris Douglas-Roberts, Derrick Rose, Brandon Rush and Kansas’ Darrell Arthur.
Point taken off.
Memphis coach John Calipari wasn’t happy that Rose’s banking 3-pointer at the 45-second buzzer was changed from a 3-pointer to two with 4:10 left. It changed Memphis’ lead from 57-49 to 56-49.
“I don’t like this being able to go to the monitor,” Calipari said. “I’m going to try to get that changed now.”
BESTS
In the clutch.
It’ll go down as one of the greatest shots in Final Four history, if not the greatest. Mario Chal- mers’ 3-pointer under heavy pressure tied the score with 2.1 seconds left in regulation, and the momentum swept Kansas to victory in overtime.
Denied.
Sherron Collins’ defense held Memphis’ Derrick Rose, the surefire MVP until the closing seconds in regulation, without a point in overtime.
Rose blazing.
Rose scored 16 points in eight minutes of the second half to turn a 43-40 deficit into a 56-49 lead.
WORSTS
Hurting themselves.
Memphis’ horrid foul shooting this season finally caught up with the Tigers. Chris Douglas-Roberts and Rose, the team’s two best foul shooters, missed four straight in the final 1:15 to allow Kansas to tie.
Too many turnovers.
Kansas couldn’t hang on to the ball in the first half, committing eight turnovers in the first 13 minutes, preventing it from taking more than the 24-21 lead it held.
Big man out.
Memphis center Joey Dorsey couldn’t stay out of foul trouble, and his fifth foul with 1:23 left in regulation cost the Tigers an inside presence. All four of Kansas’ field goals in overtime were scored inside.
John Henderson, The Denver Post
