John Clay's Sidelines

Hat tip to Bluegrass State Basketball which alerted me to this post from Alvin Brooks, UK’s former director of basketball operations:

Big Blue Links for Monday:

• NBA Draft Express’ latest mock draft, updated at 1:25 a.m., has Jodie Meeks as the 47th pick overall.
• WLEX’s Alan Cutler talked Sunday night to Orestes Meeks, who said Jodie has still not made a decision about whether to stay or withdraw from the NBA draft.
• Harrison Goodman of the Washington Times has Meeks atop his list of five players who need to withdraw.
• ESPN draft expert Chad Ford thinks Jodie Meeks will pull out of the draft.
• Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News says that after rumors Meeks would withdraw, all is quiet.
• Bluegrass State Basketball thinks that without a last-minute surprise Meeks will return.
• Gary Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette profiles John Calipari.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Decision day for Jodie Meeks’

Big Blue Links for Friday:

• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader talks to Matt Pilgrim’s father, who says that both Matt and Kevin Galloway did not have their scholarships renewed.
• H-L reports that field has been set for Cancun Tournament.
• Mark Maloney of the H-L reports on UK baseball players taken in the MLB draft.
• Chip Cosby of the H-L blogs on next week’s Bear’s Boys Reunion.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger also talks to Matt Pilgrim’s father.
• On his C-J blog, Rick Bozich writes on former UK commitment Dominique Ferguson.
• At A Sea of Blue, Dicky Lyons posts another entry to his NFL tryout journals.

Continue reading ‘BBL: UK basketball moves and news’

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• Nothing official from UK, but WLEX is reporting that Matt Pilgrim and Kevin Galloway will not be on the UK basketball team next season.
• WKYT is also reporting that Galloway and Pilgrim are out.
• Herald-Leader’s Jerry Tipton reports that Martin Newton is now officially UK’s director of basketball operations.
• Tipton also reports that Scott Padgett is happy to be a coach in training.
• Herald-Leader’s Mark Maloney writes on UK discus throwers Rashaud Scott and Chase Madison, who are among the favorites at the NCAAs.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes that UK’s football camps are booming.
• Zagsblog writes that if Jodie Meeks does return, Kentucky will be loaded.
• In the Voice-Tribune, Earl Cox writes that Mike Pratt would be a TV winner.
• Bluegrass State Basketball writes it source says Meeks will reluctantly return to UK.

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader will have the Eric Bledsoe announcement this morning on his blog.
• Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News writes that Bledsoe is the latest Alabama prep star to head for the border.
• Jody Demling of the Courier-Journal thinks Bledsoe will announce for UK today.
• Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog is hearing the same on Bledsoe.
• A Sea of Blue is looking beyond Bledsoe to Kentucky.
• Eddy Landreth of the Chapel Hill News writes on the continuing John Wall saga. (Hat tip to Aaron’s UK Basketball Blog.)
• Dan Wolken reports in Memphis Commercial Appeal that Bledsoe favors UK over Memphis.
• In Memphis Edge, Wolken argues that Bledsoe and John Wall could not co-exist in the same backcourt.
• Bluegrass State Basketball thinks UK’s recruiting class will be the nation’s best.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Preparing for Eric Bledsoe announcement’

John Wall

Update: According to 850 The Buzz in Raleigh, Florida’s Billy Donovan is visiting John Wall today.

Big Blue Links for Monday:

• In the Charlotte Observer, Shaun Powell writes that John Wall created a stir in New York.
• Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger reports on UK baseball’s 22-17 win over John Cohen and Mississippi State.
• The Herald-Leader’s Chip Cosby writes on the return of Randall Cobb.
• Chip’s story from Saturday’s UK football scrimmage.
• Chip’s blog post on UK football’s first commitment for 2010.
• My Sunday column on the UK defense.
• The Kentucky Kernel’s B.W. Jones writes on Zipp Duncan’s move to left tackle.
• Jerry Tipton’s Sunday notebook has John Calipari saying not everyone will like him, but everyone will like his wife.
• Eric Crawford of the Courier-Journal writes that Calipari has made UK basketball fun again.
• Brett Dawson of the C-J reports that Patrick Patterson and Jodie Meeks will undergo NFL-style combine testing.
• Keith Taylor of the Winchester Sun writes that Kevin Galloway is looking forward to Calipari’s style of play.

Continue reading ‘BBL: John Wall and UK baseball’

On the road, so these Big Blue Links are a bit late:

• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader has the advance on tonight’s UK-South Carolina game.
• Jerry’s notes package includes note that UK has started a Jodie Meeks for Player of the Year campaign.
• My column on the breakdown of the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee, which includes just four of 10 members boasting a basketball background.
• There’s word from KSR that Kevin Galloway did not make the trip because of a death in the family.
• In The State, Seth Emerson writes that UK-Carolina is something to shout about.
• The State also has a Q&A with SEC commissioner and NCAA Selection chairman Mike Slive.
• Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal writes on the Kentucky-South Carolina showdown.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger weighs in on tonight’s game.
• Bobby Reagan of the Kentucky Kernel writes on the battle for first place.
• The Kernel’s Jon Hale writes that a deep tournament run could send two Cats running to the NBA.
• Ken Howlett of A Sea of Blue breaks down the Cats and South Carolina.
• Straitpinkie breaks down the game.
• Kentucky Sports Radio talks about stopping Devan Downey.

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• My notes column for Thursday includes argument that Gillispie’s half-baked halftime shows need to stop.
• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader writes on Kevin Galloway unleashed.
• Herald-Leader has report of the passing of UK signee Daniel Orton’s mother.
• Brandon Chatmon has the sad details of Carolyn Orton’s death in the Oklahoman.
• UK update says Patrick Patterson is day-to-day with sprained ankle.
• Mark Maloney of the Herald-Leader writes from UK baseball’s media day.
• Doug Segrest of the Birmingham News puts the UK coaching job No. 1 in the SEC.
• Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal also writes on Galloway.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes on Jodie Meeks’ game-winning shot.
• Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald reports that Antoine Allen, who decommitted from Providence and drew interest from UK, has committed to Miami.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Galloway makes most of his chance’

Photo by Charles Bertram.

Five quick impressions from Kentucky’s 102-58 whipping of Tennessee State:

• Better start up those 1-2 punch comparisons. Dan Issel and Mike Pratt? Pat Riley and Louie Dampier? Rick Robey and Jack Givens? Patrick Patterson and Jodie Meeks are quite a dynamic duo of late. Last Saturday, Meeks scored 46, Patterson 19. Tonight, Patterson scored 33, Meeks 32. The two combined to go 25-36 from the floor.

• Thought Kevin Galloway played maybe his best game since coming on campus. The juco transfer was more active, more confident. Made a couple of no-look passes. Ended up with five rebounds and four assists. He only played 14 minutes, and only took three shots, but shooting isn’t his role on this team. As a starter, getting the team off to a fast start is his role, and he’s done that.

• The Cats had 30 assists. That’s the most by UK since 31 against — get this — Tennessee State on Dec. 30, 2002. (The team record is 35 in the NCAA Tournament against San Jose State in 1996.) UK’s points per possession average was a season-best 1.322, topping the 1.204 against Mississippi Valley State. Michael Porter contributed seven assists in 25 minutes, and turned it over just once.

• Billy Gillispie said afterward he wanted the Cats to play faster. Never mind that they’ve scored 93 and 102 points the last two games. There were 79 possessions last Saturday, 77 tonight. Season-high was 83 possessions against Longwood. The Cats turned it over 19 times against Longwood, compared to 16 tonight.

• This team had made 25 consecutive free throws, dating back to the Appalachian State game, before DeAndre Liggins missed the back end of a two-shot foul with 8:09 left. The Cats have made 31 of 33 free throws in their last two games. They’re at

Photo by Pablo Alcala.

Some UK player assessments after the 93-69 win over Appalachian State:

• Jodie Meeks: Billy Gillispie called his junior guard incredible after Meeks made 14 of 21 shots, including nine of 14 three-pointers and nine of 10 free throws. Meeks scored 24 points in the first half. It was the most points by a Cat in Freedom Hall, topping Mike Pratt’s 42. It was the sixth most points by an individual Cat in UK history. Meeks admitted his defense was not the best, but he sure was hot on the offensive end. In three career games at Freedom Hall, Meeks has made 20 of 35 shots, including 15 of 28 three-pointers.

• Patrick Patterson: He tied his season high of four blocked shots, but Gillispie was not crazy about Patterson’s defensive effort. Offensively, the sophomore scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Made just six of 13 shots, first time since going 4-for-10 against Delaware State that he has been under 50 percent from the floor. Patterson did make all seven of his free throws, his best accuracy showing as a Cat on that many attempts.

• A.J. Stewart: The sophomore played a season-high 15 minutes, scoring a season-high nine points. That’s his most minutes since 21 at Alabama back on Feb. 9 of last season. The nine points are Stewart’s most since scoring 10 against Liberty on Nov. 21, 2007. Gillispie’s only complaint was that Stewart made too many “not-thinking” plays.

• Ramon Harris: Good to see the junior back on the floor, even if it was for only nine minutes after that frightening collision with Michael Porter in Lamar game. Harris’ defense was such that Gillispie cracked that Appalachian State might not have scored in the first half if not for Harris. Ramon said it wasn’t a case of being rusty, just a case of him not focusing enough when in the game.

Continue reading ‘UK player notes after win over ASU’