Even for a shooter like Antonio Reeves it was a rewarding feeling to shoot like he did in Bahamas

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Antonio Reeves made 14 3-pointers in four games in the Bahamas. (Chet White/UK Athletics Photo)

Making 3-point shots is nothing new for Antonio Reeves. He hit almost 40 percent from 3-point range at Illinois State last year when he averaged 20.1 points per game and had 18 games with 20 or more points.

His explosiveness was on full display in the Bahamas Sunday when he hit four straight 3-pointers, including three in less than a minute, in a 98-74 win over The Bahamas. He finished with 22 points on 7-for-14 shooting, including 4-for-9 from 3, along with four rebounds and one assist in 20 minutes.

The senior was named the tournament’s most valuable player after averaging a team-high 17 points per game in the four wins and was 14-for-27 from 3, a 51.9 percent accuracy rate. Overall he was 22 of 42 from the field and 10-for-10 at the foul line.

Reeves admitted it was a “rewarding feeling” to make shots the way he did.

“I have been working hard this summer. We put in our work and it shows,” Reeves said.

The Bahamas had the oldest, most experienced team that Kentucky faced on the exhibition tour and it showed when the Cats fell behind by eight points in the first half. Reeves admitted it got “hot for a minute” in the huddle before UK regrouped.

“It was just a learning experience. We had not really played a team like that,” Reeves said. “Seeing that and playing against it makes us better.”

Assistant coach Orlando Antigua was not surprised that Reeves “got it going” the way he did.

“What you saw is what we preach. The rest of the guys are fully aware we want to feed that guy (who is hot),” Antigua said. “He has demonstrated that in practice. He can get it going pretty quickly.”

Some had wondered if he could get it going defensively as quickly knowing the demands Kentucky coach John Calipari has on the defensive end. Antigua said after UK’s first exhibition win that Reeves has “so many layers” to his game other than just scoring.

“That’s what his team needed him to do at Illinois State, but he’s a guy that’s got great size. He can play the 1-2-3, can handle the ball, can pass the ball. He’s a better defender than he’s been asked to be. And we’ll continue to ask him to be a better defender,” Antigua said.

Assistant coach KT Turner praised Reeves’ unselfish play after Saturday’s win.

“He’s done a heck of a job figuring out where he fits in at, and when he can score and when to pass. And he’s really unselfish. He’s not hunting shots and stuff like that. So he’s been doing really good for us, and I expect him to have a big year,” Turner said.

Antigua calls the senior transfer a “phenomenal kid, phenomenal young man” who is bonding well with teammates.

“I don’ know how much has been asked of him but he is being asked now to make himself a well-rounded player. He has to keep going,” Antigua said.

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