Denny Crum

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — I learned several bounce passes ago about the risk of making too many declarations after a college basketball intrasquad game.

I believe it was after Samardo Samuels dominated one so thoroughly that I immediately projected Samuels would be a multi-season All-American and national player of the year candidate.

Ooops.

Saturday afternoon, as the University of Louisville played a 30-minute Red/White scrimmage at the KFC Yum! Center, I went to a more authoritative voice for his thoughts on Chris Mack’s fourth U of L team.

That would be Denny Crum. The Cards’ Hall of Fame coach joined about two dozen former U of L players for a center court salute between the second and third quarters.

Then Crum, 84, saluted what he saw from the 2021-22 U of L team.

“I don’t have any doubts they are going to be better than last season,” Crum said. “Much better.”

I asked Crum what he liked about this team over the one that finished last season 13-7 and missed the NCAA Tournament.

“Everything,” Crum said. “I think they’re better in every area. Better shooting. Better ball-handling. Better passing. Better rebounding. They don’t make as many mistakes, especially for this early in the year. And they’re deeper.

“I think they’re definitely heading in the right direction.”

Here are several things that I also liked about the Cards:

Jae’Lyn Withers expanded his game. In three 10-minute quarters while being matched with different teammates, Withers was the most complete performer with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

The presence of Malik Williams, Sydney Curry, Gabe Wiznitzer and Roosevelt Wheeler enabled Withers to return to the perimeter, where he figures to be a difficult matchup because of his ability to shoot or drive.

Withers took four shots from distance and made half of them. He looked solid handling the ball and showed a willingness to lead his teammates.

“He’s a load,” Mack said. “He’s 6-8. He’s practiced the entire preseason as a perimeter player. He’s a tough matchup in the post, too. He opens up a lot of possibilities.”

“It feels great to be back out there but I’m still trying to get adjusted to it,” Withers said. “It’s more of my natural position.”

Matt Cross, the transfer from Miami (Florida), is more than a shooter. Cross, who is 6 feet 7 and 230 pounds, burned the Cardinals last winter by making four three-pointers when Miami upset U of L in January. He made 20 of 50 shots from distance for the Hurricanes.

Cross did not make any threes Saturday, missing all four attempts. But he looked confident driving and going around defenders, finishing with 11 points and 3 boards.

The shots will fall. And Cross will create more space to deliver jumpers if he can force opposing defenders to honor his ability to drive. Cross said that was the plan.

“They (the U of L coaches) trust me more than other coaches that I’ve had in the past to do those things,” Cross said.

Cross said the Cards will play even faster than they did in the scrimmage. He said it has been a point of emphasis since practice began.

“We want to get going right off the rebound and not let the defense get set up,” Cross said.

El Ellis and Jarrod West will be an intriguing point guard combination.

West, the transfer from Marshall, looked like the guy that his 2021 stats suggested he would be — solid with the basketball, team-oriented, dependable on defense. He also made half of his four shots from distance.

Ellis, a transfer from Tallahassee Community College, is faster and more creative with the ball. He knifed through the defense on consecutive possessions in the second quarter and delivered sharp passes for easy baskets.

He finished six points, four assists and one turnover. Ellis should be a weapon deep in possessions when Mack needs somebody to break down his defender to make a play.

Malik Williams played with a sleeve on left calf but showed solid side-to-side quickness and mobility. Williams played nearly 20 of the scrimmage’s 30 minutes, contributing 8 points and six rebounds. His consistency will be critical to Louisville’s success.

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