Keion Brooks never quit believing in plan God had for him

John Calipari says he's proud of the "man's decision" Keion Brooks made to stay at UK this year and gave him a hug during the win at South Carolna.(Vicky Graff Photo)

The last five games he’s averaging 16.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 30 minutes per game and has made 31 of 59 shots. Maybe Keion Brooks always knew he could put up numbers like that but I am not sure anyone else was quite expecting it no matter what coach John Calipari says.

Brooks has taken just two 3-point shots — he missed them both — and has played to his strengths as a mid-range shooter and athletic rebounder. It’s no coincidence UK is 5-0 in the last five games.

“First of all, I have to thank God. I still believe in him and the plan he had for me,” Brooks said after the South Carolina win Tuesday when he had 15 points, nine rebounds and five assists and was 6-for-9 from the field.

He said his family and inner circle never lost faith in him and he had found a way to be “free” on the court.

“Every night try to take all your troubles and worries away and set them aside for a little bit. I feel like I’ve been doing a good job with that and just going out and losing myself in the game and taking pride in being relied on and being a veteran for this team,” the junior forward said. “I don’t take that lightly. I just want to stay steady, just be free.”

Calipari doesn’t take that lightly, either, and gave Brooks a huge hug near the end of the South Carolina win. Brooks said he was just happy that he “snatched” a rebound with two hands like the coach “preaches” a lot.

“Sometimes we do not have to say anything to each other. We just look at each other and  I got it. You know what’s going on. So I think that was just a combination of what he preaches every day and  me going through and doing it,” Brooks said.

Calipari said what Brooks is doing now and the decision he made to come back to UK for a junior decision was a “man’s decision” not everyone could have made.

“Somebody else probably promised him the world (to leave UK). He made a man’s decision to come back,” Calipari said. “How he is playing right now is where he should be and he’s doing it at Kentucky in the high level games on national television. It’s not just playing. Playing in all those elite games is a different level. I am so proud of him.”