Kentucky’s “Basketball Players” Take Gold Medal

UK Athletics Photo

The message again from John Calipari was clear — he has a group of “basketball players” that he really likes.

Often Calipari has emphasized athleticism over skills in recruiting but after four wins in the GLOBL Jam in Toronto, Calipari looks like he has a team with talent, skills and a high on-court IQ.

All that was on display Sunday night in the 89-72 win over Canada in the gold medal game whether it was 23 points and seven rebounds by freshman Justin Edwards or 18 points, 11 rebounds and five assists by Tre Mitchell or 18 points on 4-for-8 3-point shooting by Antonio Reeves.

“For them to have the poise when the moment hit and Canada made a run …. I got a bunch of kids who play basketball,” Calipari told SportsNet after the game.

He joked this was not wrestling or a decathlon and that many say his players are skinny and not big.

“But they are basketball players,” the UK coach said.

What jumps out is how a young team with limited practices shared the basketball. In four games, UK has 103 assists on 142 made baskets. Six players had nine or more assists total in the four games led by Reed Sheppard with 23, DJ Wagner 19 and Tre Mitchell 18.

The obvious MVP in the even senior Antonio Reeves who had 92 points — 23 points per game — in the event. He was 18 for 32 from 3-point range but also showed he could score a variety of ways.

Once again the Cats impressed Kentucky Radio Network analyst Jack Givens. The former UK All-American predicted Canada would push UK harder than it did in a loss on Thursday and he was right for much of the game.

“Canada was bringing physicality and trying to make it as tough as it could on Kentucky around the basket,” Givens said. “They (UK) had to adjust. Are we going to let them beat us up or play? They fought hard and they had to. It was very impressive play.”