Just when I thought the other losses were terrible. This game tonight versus Georgia is probably the worst loss I've seen in my lifetime at Kentucky. At least in the regular season.
OFFENSE SUCKS: No true point guard out there. Davion Mintz is a more of a two guard, and Devin Askew can't guard a telephone pole in a man to man. He's just not quick enough to do it. Guys run off picks along the baseline is supposed to result in an open shot. It usually would, but the point guards get the ball to the shooter too late. No rhythm in the offense at all. BJ Boston and Dontaie Allen are usually the ones running around the picks being set. I've seen them time and time again getting open when they come around the screen. The ball is late most of the time arriving to both. The guards also have no clue on how to feed the post. Honestly most young players these days have no clue. This is because the game has gone all perimeter and no true post players. Coaches are not teaching the guards how to feed the post. It is obvious the Kentucky guards have issues feeding the post.
FREE THROW SHOOTING: Coach Cal has said himself he does not emphasize this part of the game. Why? I've never heard a coach be so indifferent about this part of basketball. I feel we have lost at least two National Titles because of bad free throw shooting. It is VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!!! Free throw shooting is practice, muscle memory, and repetition. Unfathomable Coach Cal's thinking on free throw shooting.
THREE POINT SHOOTING: This is another area Coach Cal is stubborn about addressing in recruiting. You need to find shooters who can stay on the floor for major minutes. It is not easy coming off the bench cold and lighting it up. Basketball has gone they way of needing at least 3 three point shooters, more than likely 4 to spread the defense out. There's not one player on this team that fits the bill. Dontaie Allen could be the guy but in this system you have to play serviceable defense. He does not do that to play 30 minutes a game on the court.
REBOUNDING: This team is a good rebounding team, they just don't get the key rebounds and loose balls at key times in the game. Kentucky was only +1 on the glass tonight vs Georgia. Kentucky this year is not strong enough to fight for those loose balls and key rebounds in close tightly contested games. The last burly Big Man that Coach Cal has recruited was Dakari Johnson and he didn't run the floor well enough for this system. Kofi Cockburn was a big miss in recruiting. He's a sophomore at Illinois getting double/doubles on the regular. No toughness from our Bigs. Lance Ware is one of the few but he's foul prone and can't stay on the floor.
NO BASKETBALL SENSE: This Kentucky team has no sense of time and score, makes puzzling turnovers at inopportune times. Davion Mintz is decent with basketball sense but the rest of the team is not. Keion Brooks Jr shows some of this, but he's still getting over rust from sitting out the first 9 games of the season. Example: tonight Kentucky is up 6 in the last minute. You think DON'T GIVE UP A THREE!!!!!!!! Devin Askew gives the offensive player too much space, he does a jab step and knocks in a three to cut it to 3. Just no basketball sense at all.
THE TEAM IS YOUNG: Yes indeed they are young in college basketball terms, but this team messes up the most mundane things you learn from grade school basketball. Example: up 1 with 3.6 seconds left in the game. Georgia ball underneath their own basket. You're supposed to cut off the ball from being passed under the basket right? Well Kentucky allows Georgia to pass the ball directly under the basket for a layup. Kentucky loses by 1. I would buy the youth argument if they were making mistakes and turnovers because of the ability of other college players. They are making bonehead mistakes like passing the ball when the receiver is covered. Throws the ball right to the other team. I guess the passer expects the Georgia player to move? Not good.
This is a lost season. Most Kentucky fans hope the guys will come back and be a year better. I don't see that happening. I see BJ Boston, Terrence Clarke, and Isaiah Jackson leaving as one and done players. Olivier Sarr and Davion Mintz will probably depart too. Cam'Ron Fletcher is a question mark to come back, though I hope he does. This team will have to make a miracle run to salvage the season and make some kind of post season tournament. If people think I missed something let me know in the comments. 4-9, 3-3 in the SEC is unacceptable.
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