Greg Hansen ranks Steve Kerr's top 10 games as an Arizona Wildcat
- Updated
It's difficult to rank the top 10 games of Kerr's remarkable career, but the victory at Iowa City tops the list.Β
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Editorβs note: This summer, Star columnist Greg Hansen is counting down the top 10 of just about everything related to Tucson sports.
Todayβs list: Steve Kerrβs top 10 games at UA:
Every seat at the new Carver-Hawkeye Arena, all 15,500, were filled long before Lute Olson walked on to the court a minute or two before tipoff.
They were waiting for him: βLuuuute!β Much of it sounded like a chorus of boos, cascading down from the rafters.
Olsonβs old team, the No. 3 Iowa Hawkeyes, were matched against Olsonβs new team, No. 4 Arizona. As far as regular-season games go, it was the Game of the Decade for the Wildcats and maybe for the Hawkeyes, too.
Of all the games Iβve had the pleasure to cover between Top 25 teams at Maples Pavilion, Mac Court and Pauley Pavilion, I donβt recall any matching the intensity of that icy Saturday night in Iowa City, December 12, 1987.
Steve Kerr was the difference in the game. Arizona won 66-59, after which Kerr said, βOur coaching was excellent.β
What college basketball player ever says that? Almost none. But Kerr, who was part-coach, part-leader, part-deadeye shooter in his UA days, had a different basketball intuition than most college kids.
Iowa was averaging 93 points a game entering the Olson Homecoming showdown. Olsonβs tactics slowed the Hawkeyes fast break and allowed Arizona to win. Kerr knew it wasnβt just his shooting.
βThis is the most fun way to win a game,β he said after the game. βYou come into a hostile arena, look βem in the eye and beat βem.β
Itβs difficult to rank the top 10 games of Kerrβs remarkable Arizona career, but the victory at Iowa City is probably at the top. He played the full 40 minutes and did not commit a turnover against relentless pressure. He scored 15 points, swishing four 3-pointers, and dished out six assists.
On the final possession of the first half, trailing Iowa 25-23, Kerr drilled a long 3-pointer over the in-your-grill defense of annoying Iowa guard Jeff Moe. On the way to the locker room, Kerr and Moe crossed paths.
Kerr pumped his fist in Moeβs face. Game on.
Hereβs my attempt at ranking the top 10 games in Kerrβs UA career.Β
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Ten days later, Arizona climbed to No. 1 for the first time in school history.Β
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
On the night a handful of Sun Devil students taunted Kerr before tipoff β disrespectful comments about the 1984 death of Kerrβs father β Kerr was superb. He swished a 3-pointer 12 seconds after the tip and scored a career-high 20 points in the first half, including a perfect 6 for 6 from 3-point range. He did not commit a turnover in 32 minutes, finishing with 22 points. βIβve never seen Steve get 20 points in a half,β said Olson. βI assure you that was his answer to those jerks.βΒ
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Kerr had the equivalent of a baseball pitcherβs perfect game: He was 7 for 7 (including five 3s) and scored 21 points before a sellout crowd of 10,000 at Gill Coliseum.Β
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
As Kerr emerged as an All-Pac-10 player, he scored a career-high 28 in a made-for-CBS game in Florida. He scored 16 in the final 15 minutes. His line: 41 minutes, zero turnovers, three steals, seven rebounds, 28 points. Miami coach Bill Foster said, βIf you can tell me how to stop that guy, please do.βΒ
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Matched against future NBA All-Star Kevin Johnson, Kerr was at his best, scoring 23 points, getting seven rebounds and making eight long baskets before the NCAA 3-point rule was implemented. All eight mightβve been 3-pointers today. A few months later, Georgia Tech coach Bobby Cremins, who was Olsonβs assistant on the USA gold medal World Championship team, said, βI wonder who has been keeping Kerr a secret.βΒ
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Kerr was exceptional in what was then the UAβs greatest win in history, scoring 14 points, making three 3-pointers and committing just one turnover in 39 minutes.Β
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
As the UA clinched its first Pac-10 championship, at Pauley Pavilion, Kerr scored 15 points, made 5 of 8 shots and hit a 20-footer to give Arizona a 71-68 lead with 5:11 remaining. Again, he committed one turnover in 39 minutes. βEverywhere I go people ask me if I play for Arizona State,β he said. βNow theyβre going to get it straight.βΒ
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In just his second game since returning from a 1986-87 knee surgery, Kerr scored 14, with three 3s, against the No. 9 Wolverines in the semifinals of the Great Alaska Shootout. A night later, Arizona would beat No. 1 Syracuse. βIβve been trying to ease my way back in,β said Kerr. βMy shot feels great. I feel totally comfortable.βΒ
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Arizona clinched a tie for the Pac-10 championship as Kerr had another flawless performance: 14 points on 5 for 5 (with three 3s) and no turnovers at point guard.Β
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Four nights after his father Malcom was murdered in Beirut, Lebanon, Kerr, a relatively unknown freshman, scored 12 points coming off the bench in his first-ever game against ASU. Kerrβs first shot, with 12 minutes remaining in the first half, gave the Wildcats a 12-10 lead and is considered the turning point in breaking the Sun Devilsβ six-year domination (11-1) of the series.
Editorβs note: This summer, Star columnist Greg Hansen is counting down the top 10 of just about everything related to Tucson sports.
Todayβs list: Steve Kerrβs top 10 games at UA:
Every seat at the new Carver-Hawkeye Arena, all 15,500, were filled long before Lute Olson walked on to the court a minute or two before tipoff.
They were waiting for him: βLuuuute!β Much of it sounded like a chorus of boos, cascading down from the rafters.
Olsonβs old team, the No. 3 Iowa Hawkeyes, were matched against Olsonβs new team, No. 4 Arizona. As far as regular-season games go, it was the Game of the Decade for the Wildcats and maybe for the Hawkeyes, too.
Of all the games Iβve had the pleasure to cover between Top 25 teams at Maples Pavilion, Mac Court and Pauley Pavilion, I donβt recall any matching the intensity of that icy Saturday night in Iowa City, December 12, 1987.
Steve Kerr was the difference in the game. Arizona won 66-59, after which Kerr said, βOur coaching was excellent.β
What college basketball player ever says that? Almost none. But Kerr, who was part-coach, part-leader, part-deadeye shooter in his UA days, had a different basketball intuition than most college kids.
Iowa was averaging 93 points a game entering the Olson Homecoming showdown. Olsonβs tactics slowed the Hawkeyes fast break and allowed Arizona to win. Kerr knew it wasnβt just his shooting.
βThis is the most fun way to win a game,β he said after the game. βYou come into a hostile arena, look βem in the eye and beat βem.β
Itβs difficult to rank the top 10 games of Kerrβs remarkable Arizona career, but the victory at Iowa City is probably at the top. He played the full 40 minutes and did not commit a turnover against relentless pressure. He scored 15 points, swishing four 3-pointers, and dished out six assists.
On the final possession of the first half, trailing Iowa 25-23, Kerr drilled a long 3-pointer over the in-your-grill defense of annoying Iowa guard Jeff Moe. On the way to the locker room, Kerr and Moe crossed paths.
Kerr pumped his fist in Moeβs face. Game on.
Hereβs my attempt at ranking the top 10 games in Kerrβs UA career.Β
Ten days later, Arizona climbed to No. 1 for the first time in school history.Β
On the night a handful of Sun Devil students taunted Kerr before tipoff β disrespectful comments about the 1984 death of Kerrβs father β Kerr was superb. He swished a 3-pointer 12 seconds after the tip and scored a career-high 20 points in the first half, including a perfect 6 for 6 from 3-point range. He did not commit a turnover in 32 minutes, finishing with 22 points. βIβve never seen Steve get 20 points in a half,β said Olson. βI assure you that was his answer to those jerks.βΒ
Kerr had the equivalent of a baseball pitcherβs perfect game: He was 7 for 7 (including five 3s) and scored 21 points before a sellout crowd of 10,000 at Gill Coliseum.Β
As Kerr emerged as an All-Pac-10 player, he scored a career-high 28 in a made-for-CBS game in Florida. He scored 16 in the final 15 minutes. His line: 41 minutes, zero turnovers, three steals, seven rebounds, 28 points. Miami coach Bill Foster said, βIf you can tell me how to stop that guy, please do.βΒ
Matched against future NBA All-Star Kevin Johnson, Kerr was at his best, scoring 23 points, getting seven rebounds and making eight long baskets before the NCAA 3-point rule was implemented. All eight mightβve been 3-pointers today. A few months later, Georgia Tech coach Bobby Cremins, who was Olsonβs assistant on the USA gold medal World Championship team, said, βI wonder who has been keeping Kerr a secret.βΒ
Kerr was exceptional in what was then the UAβs greatest win in history, scoring 14 points, making three 3-pointers and committing just one turnover in 39 minutes.Β
As the UA clinched its first Pac-10 championship, at Pauley Pavilion, Kerr scored 15 points, made 5 of 8 shots and hit a 20-footer to give Arizona a 71-68 lead with 5:11 remaining. Again, he committed one turnover in 39 minutes. βEverywhere I go people ask me if I play for Arizona State,β he said. βNow theyβre going to get it straight.βΒ
In just his second game since returning from a 1986-87 knee surgery, Kerr scored 14, with three 3s, against the No. 9 Wolverines in the semifinals of the Great Alaska Shootout. A night later, Arizona would beat No. 1 Syracuse. βIβve been trying to ease my way back in,β said Kerr. βMy shot feels great. I feel totally comfortable.βΒ
Arizona clinched a tie for the Pac-10 championship as Kerr had another flawless performance: 14 points on 5 for 5 (with three 3s) and no turnovers at point guard.Β
Four nights after his father Malcom was murdered in Beirut, Lebanon, Kerr, a relatively unknown freshman, scored 12 points coming off the bench in his first-ever game against ASU. Kerrβs first shot, with 12 minutes remaining in the first half, gave the Wildcats a 12-10 lead and is considered the turning point in breaking the Sun Devilsβ six-year domination (11-1) of the series.
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