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I think we all wondered how Zvonimir Ivisic would impact the Kentucky basketball team after word came out Saturday afternoon that the NCAA had finally ruled him eligible.
Would coach John Calipari use him against Georgia? If he did play, how would he impact the Kentucky rotation and team chemistry?
Well, a free Big Z was SENSATIONAL in Kentucky’s 105-96 win in Rupp Arena. Calipari didn’t waste any time putting him into the game and he got a standing ovation for just reporting to the scorer’s table.
But what he did the first five minutes of his career was legendary.
He went 4-for-4 from the field in less than three minutes. Three of the shots were 3-pointers and the other one was just in front of the 3-point line.
He also had a nifty behind-the-back pass to Antonio Reeves for a 3-pointer.
In his first five minutes of action at Rupp Arena, he had nine points, three rebounds, two blocks, two assists and one steal. He was an amazing plus 23 in the plus/minus ratio when he went out.
He finished the game playing 16 minutes and had 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting, five rebounds, three blocks, two assists and two steals. He also got a technical foul for hanging on the rim and a flagrant foul.
And yes, he got ovation after ovation from the Rupp Arena faithful and set X on fire with posts not only from UK fans but from national media members who loved the 7-2 Croatian.
“To be honest, I was really nervous,” Ivisic told the SEC Network after the game. “But when the (first shot) went in, I was happy. It felt good. I enjoyed it. . . . I had a really fun time. I think I was prepared pretty good.”
Pretty good? He was more than ready for the challenge and never looked like the moment was bigger than him despite not finding out until after UK’s shoot around that he was finally eligible.
“We both cried. And then we both started jumping in his office,” Ivisic said when asked about Calipari’s reaction to the eligibility news just a few days after pleading for UK to get more aggressive with the NCAA.
Former UK All-American Jack Givens had pleaded with UK fans to be patient with Ivisic when he did get to play. Givens was as giddy as UK fans over how the freshman played.
“He has to get in game condition and he will do that but it is sure going to make practice more interesting from here on because the bigs are going to have to fight for playing time,” Givens said. “He had a complete game for the minutes he played.”
Ivisic wore No. 44, the same number UK greats Dan Issel, Cotton Nash, Charles Hurt and Chuck Hayes wore. Not saying he will have the career any of those players did but he certainly had a spectacular start.
“I want to say thank you all for the support. I couldn’t do it without you,” Ivisic told UK fans on the UK Radio Network after the game. “I had to stay patient. I was praying and everything.”
Later he said he was “proud” of his teammates for supporting him the way they did and if not for them he would not have been able to withstand waiting so long to be declared eligible.
“I like to win. I don’t like to lose it all. It don’t matter to me if I play or not. I just want to give support to guys,” Ivisic said.
He told Givens on the UK Radio Network that he wanted to get stronger to be a better defender and rebounder.
Ivisic admitted he was nervous before the game but said once Calipari put him in the nerves went away.
“I was confident. Tonight I had a really fun time,” he said.
SEC Network analyst Ron Slay liked what he saw in his first extensive look at Ivisic.
“He looks like a guy who just knows how to play. Of course you are going to have butterflies but he made the right plays, the smart plays,” Slay said. “He has seen other guys make the open pass and he just mimicked that.”
Givens knows how Big Blue Nation is going to embrace him.
“He is going to continue to come one. He is already a crowd favorite but he is going to get even bigger,” Givens predicted.
Slay, a former Tennessee player, couldn’t help but embellish what Ivisic did.
“We are now watching the best player in Kentucky basketball history. Big Z is going to be a household name. What is wrong with the NCAA? This man is playing this way after having to sit out …,” Slay said. “This man has watched a top 10 team thrive without him. His teammates allowed him to be himself tonight. He shot open shots and made them. He protected the rim. He just had fun.”
And Kentucky fans also had fun and now think the rest of this season might be even more fun than they were already thinking.
7 Responses
It was good to see Z have a good game. We played a great first half. The second half showed that we only play defense when we have to. Giving up 61 points in the second half should be a major embarrassment for the team, but they couldn’t care less. We made no effort to stop the ball in the second half. It was like go ahead and score so we can play offense. That cost us the game at A&M. If this doesn’t change, it will cost us 4 more games before the SEC tourney which will cost us a double bye and the SEC title. This team can be fun to watch at times but they are not committed to win any kind of title. That would require an all out defensive effort for an entire game, game after game, and they simply aren’t going to do that. Getting paid $300 to $750 thousand dollars and hearing all the talk about being lottery picks at the end of the season has ushered in a level of complacency that will not allows us to win a title again as long as Calipari is running the show. Remember, he has stated that winning titles isn’t important…getting kids into the NBA is all Calipari cares about. Sadly, the Calipari effect will linger on for years even after the fraud is gone. We are slowly but surely becoming the next Indiana. What will all of you Calipari lovers have to say then? You will be just as guilty of killing our program as he is. I can hear the squealing now, but 20 years from now people are going to say this guy was right. I truly wish I was wrong.
Barry what kind of Kool aid are you drinking? Lol
Little bp you sound like a former president. Trying to get people to believe a bunch of crap that you make up in your head.
I think opinions like most things occur along a bell curve. 95% of us will be in agreement and a couple percent on one end or the other. My opinion is you are out there on the margin. You have to look an entire landscape of college sports. Every kid wants to play at the “next level”. The whole landscape of sports has changed since Indiana won a championship. If you are a “elite” player do you want to go where you have the best chance to play at the next level. Get the most attention? I think you have very negative opinion and “need” to be “right” even if it takes 20 yrs to prove. Well who knows what 20 yrs will hold. What we really have is now. The old days are gone and we have today. We have a great team and a real “shot” this year. Who knows about next year? We have a great shot at a top ranked class next year. But let’s live for now rather than a doomsday scenario that will take 20 yrs for you to be able to “ your right”. I would encourage you to enjoy what we have now rather than be miserable about the current situation of college sports. GO CATS 💙💙💙😺
Leave it to Barry to take a magical night and do nothing but complain about what we need to do to become a perfect team, a team that does everything right and makes zero mistakes. Barry you have to be the most negative person on the planet. While you moan and complain about everything, I am going to enjoy watching this team and our hall of fame coach.
I don’t think so! I guess you know it all for all.
I’m just enjoying this team and hoping that Cal can see it is far more fun to have actual players that understand the game than athletes trying to play the game.
When you have to have a basket, I will put Mitchell, Reeves, and Sheppard up against anyone. All three can score consistently from anywhere on the floor.