Fresh Kimble brings energy against Wake Forest

When it’s Lamarr “Fresh” Kimble’s time, he is ready to produce for Louisville men’s basketball. The graduate transfer from Saint Joseph’s had 14 points on 4 of 7 shooting with four assists and four rebounds as the Cardinals rallied from a 15-point deficit to defeat Wake Forest 86-76 at the KFC Yum! Center Feb. 5.

Kimble made a season-high three 3-pointers and had his ninth game with four or more assists. Kimble had an efficient offensive performance, but he thought his defensive energy helped Louisville rally from a 12-point halftime deficit.

The Cardinals held Wake Forest scoreless for more than four minutes during a 15-0 run that allowed Louisville to take its first lead. Kimble scored Louisville’s first four points of the second half, making a free throw and hitting a shot from behind the arc.

“Every day isn’t going to be yours on this team with so much depth that we have, but when it’s your time to do what you need to do for the guys to win you have to do that,” Kimble said. “Tonight during the second half, I felt like I had to put my foot on the gas a little bit, not offensively, but more defensively.”

Wake Forest’s leading scorer Brandon Childress went 4 of 6 from the field for 10 points in the first half, but Kimble helped limit the Demon Deacon guard in the second half. Childress went 0 of 6 from the field and scored four points after halftime.

Louisville coach Chris Mack said Kimble played defensively the way he has played all season.

“He’s arguably our best defender at that position, so you feel like you need him on the floor,” Mack said. “I thought Fresh was great. He had some timely threes but has to do a better job at the foul line because he had the ball in his hands a lot.”

Kimble calls playing for Louisville an everyday challenge since its high-level basketball.

“Every day is a different day, you got to bring a different attitude every single day,” Kimble said. “I’m continuing to fight, I’m continuing to fight for my guys, my coaches, the whole city, for us to do something special.”