Anaheim, Calif. ? Arizona guard Salim Stoudamire is a man of few words.
After the Wildcats lost, 78-75, to Kansas on Saturday in the NCAA West Regional final, Stoudamire had virtually none.
He hung a towel over his head, tears in his eyes.
Stoudamire had scored just four points, and was often replaced at the top of the Wildcats’ 1-3-1 zone defense by freshman Hassan Adams.
“I can’t even describe what I’m feeling right now,” Stoudamire said.
As much as he was known outside the UA program for his clutch shooting, Stoudamire was known inside it for defense, and he took pride in that role.
But Adams gave the Wildcats another three inches of height to defend with, and he was exceptionally active in both of the UA’s West Regional games this weekend.
“Hassan was bigger and he was more of a factor on the glass,” UA coach Lute Olson said.
Adams finished with 11 points, four rebounds and three steals in 26 minutes.
Coming back
Center Channing Frye donned a warm-up jacket displaying several NBA logos while preparing to leave the locker room Saturday.
But he said he hardly has the NBA on his mind, vowing to return to Arizona for at least another season.
“No, not after losing this,” Frye said. “Definitely not. I feel like I can work on so many more things.”
Bittersweet ending
Among the more upbeat personalities in the UA locker room after Saturday’s game was forward Rick Anderson. He was often upbeat, cracking jokes and a favorite of the players during his five years at the UA.
But even as he talked about the good memories he will have from the past two seasons, Anderson’s eyes remained swollen.
“It’s been a pretty great career with Luke (Walton) and Jason (Gardner),” Anderson said. “Those guys will always be my friends. Finality, though, is the hardest thing, isn’t it?”
Rim shots
