Hart’s powers of observation allow ’Nova to play for title
NEW YORK >> Villanova’s Josh Hart saw Kris Jenkins wide open for one of the few times all night and did not hesitate to get his teammate and longtime friend the ball, even though Jenkins was having an off night. Jenkins was so surprised to be that open with the game on the line that he had to collect himself before he pulled the trigger on his last field goal attempt of the night. He finally let it fly, though, just as he did nearly a year earlier in Houston.
Only this time, the 3-point try was from the left wing, not the right side of the court as the winner in NRG Stadium was last April. As always, the 6-6 senior thought his shot was true. He thinks every shot he puts up is going to fall through the basket.
Hart, however, knew otherwise.
“I knew he put a little too much mustard on it,” Hart said. “And I was like, you know what, just go get it.”
Hart came off the weak side, put back Jenkins’ miss, was fouled and made the free throw with 9.6 seconds remaining to give the secondranked and top-seeded Wildcats the final three points in a 55-53 victory over fifth-seeded Seton Hall in the Big East Tournament semifinals at Madison Square Garden.
It was the kind of play the Wildcats have come to expect from their enormously talented teammate.
“He’s Josh Hart,” point guard Jalen Brunson said. “He’s the national player of the year.”
You may get some argument from Kansas fans or UCLA supporters, who believe KU’s Frank Mason III or the Bruins’ Lonzo Ball are locks for top player honors in the country, but in the Villanova locker room, the feeling is unanimous.
“He’s the best player in the country,” Jenkins said.
So you think he should be the national Player of the Year then, right?.
“He’s the best player in the country,” Jenkins said. “That’s all I’ll say. He’s the best player in the country.”
Guard Donte DiVincenzo did not mince words.
“He’s the Player of the Year,” DiVincenzo said. “There’s no doubt about it.”
You would get few arguments from the 19,812 spectators who watched Hart lead the Wildcats over the Pirates in an absolute gem of a contest in the first game of Friday’s semifinal doubleheader at Madison Square Garden.
Brunson played a key role as the Wildcats erased an 11-point, firsthalf deficit to become the first team since Louisville in 2014 to reach the Big East Tournament final for the third year in a row. The 6-2 sophomore scored eight of his 13 points in the second half to help the Wildcats overcome one of their worst halves of the season with one of their best.
Jenkins was huge, too, even though he was just 1-for-8 from the field overall and missed all five of his 3-point attempts. His defense against Angel Delgado prevented the Seton Hall center from getting in a position to take his favorite shot, a hook over his left shoulder.
Delgado had to settle for a short jumper, which was off the mark. The 6-10 sophomore tried to rebound his miss for a put-back that would have tied the game, but DiVincenzo slipped in and slapped the ball away as time expired.
Villanova, of course, would not have won without Hart and his quick analysis of that Jenkins jumper. He played like the Player of the Year candidate that he is, which is what you expect that this time of year.
Hart scored 14 of his game-high 19 points and grabbed six of his teamhigh 10 rebounds in the second half as the Wildcats rallied from a 27-20 halftime deficit. He also had two steals, one assist and one blocked shot.
“The thing about Josh is, he doesn’t just score points,” DiVincenzo said. “He fills up every line in the box score. He gets rebounds. He gets steals. He gets assists and he defends. His offense starts on the defensive end.”
A year ago, Seton Hall had the best player on the floor, at lead on championship night, as the Pirates upset the top-seeded Wildcats, 69-67, in the final. Guard Isaiah Whitehead put the Pirates on his shoulders and carried them to their first Big East Tournament title in 20 years.
This time around Villanova not only had the best player on the court, but the No. 1 player in the country. At least he was in the eyes of everyone in the Villanova locker room and in the MSG stands on this night.
“Nothing he does surprises us,” sophomore forward Eric Paschall said. “He’s so talented and there isn’t anything he can’t and won’t do. He wants to win every time he steps on the floor and that’s why he’s the best player in the country.”