STILL BLEED BLUE
Knicks’ Michigan duo has fond NCAA run memories
Five years and one vacated championship later, two of the principle players for Michigan, current Knicks teammates Tim Hardaway Jr. and Trey Burke, cherish their Final Four memories.
Oh, and both maintain Burke did not foul on one of the key plays of the Wolverines’ 82-76 loss to Louisville in the 2013 national championship game in Atlanta. So with Michigan set to face Cinderella Loyola Chicago and the bazillions of Sister Jean fans Saturday, the two Knicks recalled their Final Four run.
“Man, everybody says we would have won the game if they wouldn’t have called that. I don’t know if we would have won,” Burke said Friday after Knicks practice in Tarrytown. “I believe we would’ve, but man it was a gamechanger. … And from that point on, we were just depleted. I believe it wasn’t a foul. The refs made the call, but it’s something I’ll always remember for sure.”
Five years ago, the scoreboard saw Louisville leading, 67-64. With 5:09 left, Louisville’s Peyton Siva headed for a fast-break score. Burke arose and appeared to make a stunning block. But the refs called a foul, apparently for body contact. Michigan went on to lose, 82-76. Louisville since has vacated the title in wake of the program’s sex scandal involving escorts, strippers, players and recruits.
It is one thing Burke recalls.
“It was a whirlwind. I honestly don’t remember it much. It was so fast,” Burke said of the collective experience.
Hardaway also remembers that foul call — as well as a tightropedance save of a rebound that ignited a game-clinching fast break en route to a 61-56 victory over Syracuse in the semifinals
“I have a couple key memories,” Hardaway said. “The save that I got against Syracuse that could have made or broken us going to the championship. The other one, which was the most devastating was when Trey got the block on Peyton Siva and they called a foul. That is just relived in my head the whole entire time and it just sucks how it had to end up that way.”
But overall, the memories are still riveting. That Michigan team featured five current NBA players, four playing in New York: Hardaway, Burke, plus the Nets’ Nik Stauskas and Caris LeVert (who accepted the flip back from Hardaway on the key save). Additionally, the Pacers’ Glenn Robinson III was on that Final Four team.
“It was one of the most fun times of my life,” Burke said. “It was great. A lot of people don’t have that opportunity. A lot of guys can’t say they played in the championship game or in the Final Four,” Hardaway said.
If they could advise coach John Beilein’s current bunch, above all they would say enjoy, soak up every minute and save nothing. The two Knicks can’t watch all of the game as they have a 5 p.m. date Saturday with Detroit at the Garden. Work always gets in the way, you know?
“I would tell them stay in the moment. Everything that they’ve done prior to that point is over with and anything they’re thinking about that’s past that point [in the future] is unrealistic, it’s an illusion,” said Burke, whose summer wedding included Beilein among the guests. “You’ve got to stay in the moment, every single moment, because the Final Four obviously the world is watching. All of those things play in your mind when you’re out there.”
Hardaway would say simply give your all.
“Everybody lives and breathes for this opportunity, to play on this stage,” Hardaway said. “Out of all the five-star, four-star recruits, you guys weren’t chosen by those colleges. Those colleges aren’t really there. The Dukes aren’t there, the North Carolinas aren’t there. Virginia, Kentucky.
“A lot of those guys aren’t there and you’ve guys were three-star, two- star recruits that paved the way and sacrificed a lot to get in this position to win this championship. ”
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