The University of Louisville's 96-66 victory over Arkansas in the Hall of Fame Classic proved to be a satisfying way to open the season for coach Rick Pitino.
Tuesday's night victory at the Scottrade Center downtown meant much more to St. Louis native Jared Swopshire, a sophomore starting forward for the Cardinals.
It was a chance to come home and play in front of all of his family and friends. And the 6'8" Swopshire made the most of his homecoming with an excellent performance. Swopshire scored 10 points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds, much to the delight of his parents, siblings and other family friends who were all in attendance at the game.
"This was a statement game for me," Swopshire said. "It felt great to come home and play in front of all my family and friends. I really enjoyed coming back home."
Swopshire did most of his damage in the first half as the Cardinals built a 48-31 halftime lead. He scored all 10 of his points, including two 3-pointers and grabbed eight rebounds. His effectiveness was limited in the second half due to persistent cramps, which forced him out of the game on several occasions.
"He was terrific," Pitino said of his sophomore forward. "He was the best rebounder on the floor tonight."
Swopshire was making his first start in a Cardinal uniform on Tuesday night. As a freshman, he saw reserve minutes behind current NBA players Terrance Williams and Earl Clark. Now, he has a chance to be a mainstay on the Cardinals front line for the next three years.
Swopshire spent his first two years of high school in St. Charles County at Fort Zumwalt West High. He spent his junior and senior seasons at IMG Academy in Florida.
Once a skinny, gangly young player, Swopshire has built his body to a solid 220 pounds. I even saw him doing a little pushing and shoving out there against some of those beefy Arkansas players.
Excellent job, Jared. It's always good to see a nice young man come home and deliver a sparkling performance for all of his family to see in person.
photo courtesy of www.life.com
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