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growth spurt like I did. It has been so beneficial for
my career."
Kaminsky, the former guard, must now guard
against being distracted by the bright lights of the
Final Four. While that also applies to his Wisconsin
teammates, more eyes are on Kaminsky than anyone
else, particularly after scoring 28 points and pulling
down 11 rebounds in the West Regional final.
"You just have to stay humble because I know
it's going to be crazy down in Dallas," he said. "Trae
(UW point guard Traevon Jackson) talked to us to-
day about how we're going to the promised land but
we have to conquer; we have to win another two-
game tournament."
The Badgers knocked off American University
and Oregon in Milwaukee and Baylor and Arizona
in Anaheim. Now, they have drawn Kentucky in
the NCAA semifinals with the winner advancing to
Monday's national championship game against the
winner of the Florida-Connecticut semifinal.
"There are going to be a lot of distractions but we
can't let it get to us," said Kaminsky, who's getting
considerable run as "Frank the Tank" ― the Will Fer-
rell character in the movie Old School. "We have to
stay focused on our goals. That's the biggest thing:
staying humbled and stayed focus."
Barkley, the indomitable TBS analyst/humorist,
called him "fantastic." Jon Rothstein, a college bas-
ketball insider for the CBS Sports Network, said that
he "looked like an NBA five man." Analyst Wally Szc-
zerbiak pointed out the win over Arizona was "all
about Frank the Tank … nobody could stop him."
Kaminsky was flattered.
"But those people don't help you win basketball
games," he said. "It's great to have them promoting
your name, but they don't help you win. It's going to
be the guys in our locker room staying focused and
humbled, like I said, and not letting those outside
distractions get to us."
It can be tough to stay grounded without a degree
of maturity and a measure of toughness. Kaminsky,
by his own admission, has made meaningful strides
"OF COURSE, WE'RE GOING TO ENJOY THIS
WHILE WE'RE THERE," KAMINSKY SAID.
"BUT WE WANT TO WIN A
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP."
