Sanogo snags ball, MOP honors for UConn in NCAA title win

HOUSTON (AP) — Adama Sanogo stood on thesideline watching his UConn teammates dribble out the final secondsto secure the program’s fifth NCAA championship. He looked eager,ready to sprint in at the first chance.

When the horn sounded, reserve Andrew Hurley used both hands tospike the basketball near midcourt and start the celebration — onlyto see Sanogo run straight in and secure it like a fair catch.

“I need that ball. That’s a ball I want to save for my kids, mygrandkids,” Sanogo told The Associated Press. “I need thatball.”

It was fitting for the first souvenir to go to the big man whohad been the rugged interior presence all season for theHuskies.

Sanogo finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds in Monday night’s76-59 win against San Diego State in the national title game. The6-foot-9, 245-pound big man from Mali was named the MostOutstanding Player of the Final Four after tallying his fourthdouble-double in six tournament games, making him the centerpieceof the Huskies’ dominant run to title No. 5 — just as he had beenall season, really.

While teammates cut down the nets, Sanogo confessed that he hadbeen planning all day to keep track of the ball at the horn ifUConn completed its dominant tournament run.

“He was sitting on that one, I guess, before the game,” Hurleysaid with a chuckle.

And with Sanogo’s play, was there really any question whodeserved that ball?

“Oh, he has every right to keep it,” guard Nahiem Alleyne saidwhen told Sanogo snagged the ball. “He’s the most outstandingplayer of this tournament. He’s been a dominant force this wholetournament. I mean, without this guy, we wouldn’t be here, simpleas that.”

After coming into the game averaging team-highs of 17.2 pointsand 7.6 rebounds, he was efficient, going 5 for 9 from the fieldand 7 for 8 from the foul line. He was active, with five of hisrebounds coming on the offensive glass. And it all came from aplayer who has spent recent weeks managing a strict fast from dawnuntil sunset to observe Ramadan as a Muslim.

“He wanted to step up,” forward Alex Karaban said. “He wantedthis moment so badly.”

For Sanogo, it was the end of a yearlong push after afirst-round exit from the NCAA Tournament in a loss to New MexicoState. That included getting to visit with former UConn great EmekaOkafor — the top big man on the program’s 2004 title winner — lastfall and picking his brain about what it would take to win achampionship.

Roughly seven months later, Okafor was standing on the court,watching the Huskies players cut down the nets and pose for trophyphotos.

“He’s just done an excellent job being just a foundation,”Okafor said.

“He did it defensively, he did it offensively. He made big playswhen you needed it. And this past weekend he did it while fasting.I think that’s just a testament to his mindset, his will and hisdedication to achieving the goal set to achieve at the beginning ofthe year.”

His biggest offensive rebound came after UConn’sonce-comfortable lead had shrunk, the pressure rising. TristenNewton drove into the paint and launched a floater that bounced offthe back of the rim, only for Sanogo to jostle a San Diego Staterebounder for position and bat the ball with his right hand off thebackboard and straight through the net for a 58-50 lead with 7:12left.

It was part of a night when the Huskies squandered most of a16-point first-half lead, but kept coming up with key plays — astop here, a basket there — after the Aztecs kept repeatedlypushing back and got as close as five with 5 1/2 minutes left.

Ultimately, UConn reestablished its comfortable margin down thestretch, allowing coach Dan Hurley to sub out his top-of-lineupguys to enjoy the finish from the bench. That included Sanogochecking out with 30.2 seconds left and walking straight to Hurley,who was already locked in a hug with Karaban.

It didn’t matter. The big man wrapped his arms around bothHurley and Karaban to turn it into a brief group hug to share themoment.

Well, except for making sure to snatch that ball once the hornsounded.

“I’m definitely keeping it,” he said with a big smile. “Yeah,definitely, definitely.”