Javier Morales took first place in the 2010 Arizona Press Club’s Metro Sports Reporting category

Don’t forget: For all the links, Twitter feeds and news feeds related to Arizona and its opponents, go to Morales’ site WILDABOUTAZCATS.NET. No other Arizona sports Web site is like it!

In case you missed it: The Top 10 Badass Defensive Players and the Top 10 Badass Offensive Players in Arizona football history

1996-97 Arizona Wildcats (25-9)
–Beat Providence 96-92 in overtime in the Southeast Regional Final; beat North Carolina 66-58 in the Final Four; and defeated Kentucky 84-79 in overtime to win its first NCAA championship. To note: The Wildcats became the first team to beat three No. 1 seeds (Kansas, North Carolina and Kentucky) en route to the title.

2002-03 Arizona Wildcats (28-4)
–Lost to Kansas 78-75 in the West Regional Final. To note: The Wildcats beat Gonzaga 96-95 in double-overtime in a West second-round matchup that is one of the classic games in NCAA tournament history.

Note: Please vote on which team you believe should advance in the bracket at WILDABOUTAZCATS.net. Thank you
Also: The poll is still open for the 1975-76 vs. 2000-01 matchup

MATCHUPS

Point Guard

Mike Bibby (1996-1998) vs. Jason Gardner (1999-2003)

Mike Bibby

Jason Gardner

Mike Bibby goes against another storied Arizona point guard, Jason Gardner, in this one. Both have their numbers retired and hanging from the rafters at McKale Center. They are the only point guards to lead the Wildcats to a national title game.

Bibby is arguably the best point guard in the esteemed history of Point Guard U. He was the total package — student of the game (his father, Henry, experienced success at UCLA and the NBA), capable leader, solid playmaker, accurate perimeter shooter, clutch performer … and decent rebounder?

One of the most forgotten stats of Arizona’s magical national championship run was Bibby’s nine rebounds against Kentucky in the title game. This occurred a game after he yanked seven against North Carolina in the Final Four game. That showed more than anything Bibby’s nose for the ball and ability to always make something happen.

His second half against the Tar Heels has to rate among the best halves for a UA player in the program’s history. He drilled five 3-point shots, committed no turnovers, and scored 17 points to finish with 20 in the UA’s 66-58 victory. No Wildcat played more minutes than Bibby’s 38.

“I believe in fate and that there is little you can do about it,” Bibby said after the game. “So, I go out and just play basketball, doing everything I can to help fate turn my way. I play the games over in my mind at night. I dream about the game. I try to envision how the game will go, how it should go, and what I should do. And then I just try to go out and have fun and make it happen.”

Gardner, the Iron Man of the Arizona program, finished his accomplished UA career in 2003. The school’s career record-holder for average minutes played — 35.5 — Gardner also was versatile at point guard. He is third on the UA’s all-time scoring list with 1,984 points, and he also ranks among the top 10 in 13 statistical categories.

One of Gardner’s most impressive feats: He had 10 games in his career in which he played 30 minutes or more and did not commit a turnover. He and backcourt mate Gilbert Arenas established one of the best UA backcourts in history starting in their first game together against Kansas State in the 1999-2000 season-opener. They combined for 28 points, 15 assists and eight steals in the 88-69 win at McKale Center.

Gardner, selected Mr. Indiana after his senior season in high school in Indianapolis, nearly had a double-double in his first collegiate game, recording 14 points and nine assists.

“He is a freshman and he isn’t,” Olson told reporters after the game. “I’m not sure if we have ever had a freshman point guard come in and play like he did tonight.”

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Arizona forward Derrick Williams overpowered Duke's Kyle Singler with 32 points and 13 rebounds in the UA's 93-77 Sweet 16 win Thursday in Anaheim (US Presswire photo/Gary A. Vasquez)

If somebody was lost at sea since 2007 and returned to hear the news about Arizona qualifying for the Elite Eight on Thursday, what would the reaction be?

“That’s great to hear. Lute’s finally got them back where they belong. Great to see it happen after that collapse in 2005 against Illinois. When is he hanging it up? What is he 80?”

You were lost only four years ago, but since then, Lute Olson took a leave of absence and eventually retired. In the meantime, a couple of coaches replaced him as caretakers, each for a season, and then they finally hired this young, 42-year-old guy named Sean Miller.

Arizona is in the Elite Eight and Lute is not the coach? What?

Believe it. Nobody, not even Miller, can say they are not surprised. Last season, the Wildcats failed to make the NCAA tournament … (interrupted)

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Didn’t make NCAA tournament? Don’t they go every year?

Until Miller’s first year last season they went 25 straight years. But it’s not his fault the streak was snapped. The interim coaches — Kevin O’Neill and Russ Pennell — did not actively recruit in the two years after Lute left. A lot of turnover occurred as Miller brought in five of his own guys last year — three at the last minute because the USC coach left amid turmoil and those guys shifted their allegiance to Arizona. Miller told the Tucson media that he has a three-year plan to coach Arizona back to prominence.

Hold on. Arizona lost Olson, used two interim coaches, hired Miller … lost out on some recruits, all in the last four years … didn’t make the NCAA tournament last year. … and this guy Miller, in only his second year, has Arizona in the Elite Eight?

Like I said. Believe it. The Wildcats also won the regular-season Pac-10 title this year.

C’mon. Being lost at sea is troubling enough for my brain to process.

In my opinion, Miller’s coaching performance and the Wildcats’ 93-77 dominating win over No. 1 seed and defending national champion Duke on Thursday in Anaheim ranks as one of the program’s top five victories in their history.

Not to beat my own drum, but I have followed the Wildcats since Fred Snowden coached in the early 1970s. I sat in McKale Center with the 6,000 or so fans in Olson’s first year at Arizona in 1983-84 after the embarrassing year of Ben Lindsey as head coach. Yes, I also attended most of the games when Lindsey’s team went 4-24.

I covered the Wildcats for The Arizona Daily Star during their historic run through the NCAA tournament in 1997. I have watched probably more than 1,100 Arizona basketball games in my lifetime (I turn 44 in July).

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Former Arizona player and assistant coach Josh Pastner is the second-youngest head coach in college basketball at 33 years old (US Presswire photo/Nelson Chenault)

What good is Josh Pastner for the Arizona basketball program? Who did he recruit: Fendi Onobun? Mohamed Tangara? If he was so good why did Kevin O’Neill never seek his advice during a game? Why did former UA athletic director Jim Livengood never seriously consider him as a permanent replacement for his mentor Lute Olson?

All valid viewpoints of Pastner, now the head coach at Memphis, which plays Arizona Friday in the first round of the NCAA West Regional in Tulsa.

Chances are these comments — they have been said on radio talk shows and written in blog comments — are made by people who have never met him. They are said and written because they see Pastner as someone who is no longer a priority for Arizona’s basketball program, which is now in the very good hands of Sean Miller.

If Pastner was good enough, he’d still be at Arizona.

I’ve heard that comment more than once.

After the Tim Floyd fiasco, when Floyd basically used Livengood and Arizona for contract leverage with USC, I remember communicating with Pastner via text message. I published the site UAHoopsCoach.com (now WildAboutAZCats.com) at the time and my focus was getting information about who Livengood might consider next.

I remember Pastner writing back that it would be an honor to be mentioned as a possibility. My first thought was, “Are you serious?” This is not because I didn’t think Pastner was capable. It’s because Pastner, to me, is always that young exuberant guy on the Arizona bench, waving his towel, jumping up and down, clapping, and slapping guys on their posterior. I was not sure if people would take Pastner seriously, although he had a lot to do with Mike Bibby‘s maturity and development when they were freshmen in 1996-97.

I covered Pastner and the national championship team that season for the Arizona Daily Star. One of my most vivid memories after Arizona won the Final Four game against North Carolina was the door opening to the locker room and the first player standing there was Pastner.

He did not play a minute in the game. “What do you need to know Javier?” Pastner said in a matter-of-fact tone. “You need an interview? I’m right here.”

It donned on me that, yes, I could use a comment from Pastner about working on Bibby’s jumper before the game. The freshman sensation had 20 points on 7 of 18 shooting from the field, including 6 of 11 from three-point range. The minute I started talking to Pastner, three or more reporters crowded around and scribbled on their notepads.

Here was Pastner, a walk-on no less, getting attention from the national media following a monumental game for the Arizona program. The reporters were well aware of Pastner’s goal at the time to become a coach like Olson, his idol and mentor. They knew of his AAU coaching past (despite being 18 at the time) and how his father, Hal Pastner, was an esteemed AAU organizer in Houston.

And, of course, the younger Pastner’s bubbly personality could win over Simon Cowell.

When Josh Pastner coached under Olson from 2002-2008 it became obvious to McKale insiders that in order for him to ever coach at Arizona, he must try leading another program first. The prevailing thought was Pastner must mature and become more worldly in his coaching endeavors before remotely thinking about a head coaching opportunity with the Wildcats.

Before John Calipari provided the young coach that opportunity, hiring him as his lead assistant coach for the 2008-09 season at Memphis, Pastner made a lasting impression on my life in a couple of ways. Nobody had to convince me that Pastner would be mature enough someday to lead his own program into the NCAA tournament, which he will do for the first time Friday against his alma mater.

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