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He’s not the star of the team. He’s not the player being mentioned as a first-round NBA draft pick. He’s not a prolific scorer.
Yet Kentucky’s upside for the rest of the season may end up resting a lot with 7-foot sophomore Ugonna Onyenso.
He had six points on 3-for-4 shooting, grabbed four rebounds, and blocked three shots in 25 minutes in a 63-57 win at Arkansas. When Onyenso was on the court, UK was a plus 14 in points — the highest total of any UK player Saturday night.
Former UK all-American Jack Givens told Onyenso on the UK Radio Network postgame show he wished there was a statistic showing how many Arkansas shots were altered by Onyenso’s presence. Unlike Tuesday’s loss at South Carolina where the Gamecocks got inside and seemed to score at will, that didn’t happen this game because of Onyenso’s play.
“I take pride in defense. People driving thinking will they make a layup or not gives me joy,” Onyenso said. “I did what I usually do. I am not surprised (by the way I played).”
Givens and ESPN analyst Jay Bilas praised Onyenso during the game for the way he helped defend the pick-and-roll, something UK has not done well this season.
“We got one assignment. Usually when I defend the pick-and-roll I have one hand high and one low. I anticipate the pass and why I have one hand down,” Onyenso, who had a deflection late in the game that led to a UK transition score.
“I really take pride in defense. I would love to score but I am trying to fill the stat sheet by rebounding and blocked shots. They got a couple of layups on me in the first half but I knew I would not make the same mistake again.”
He also urged teammates not to panic and all collapse inside so quickly if an opposing player brings the ball into the lane. Instead, he said to trust him, Aaron Bradshaw, or Zvonimir Ivisic to stop the shot.
“This was Kentucky’s defense. We are going to keep proving we are connected defensively,” Onyenso said. “With me, Aaron, or Z, they don’t need to foul (if they get beat.”
Givens felt Onyenso totally changed the flow of the game with his defense and that helped enable Kentucky to win despite shooting just 37 percent from the field.
Givens said teammates have to know now they can trust Onyenso to protect the rim even if Bradshaw and Ivisic have yet to show they can consistently do that.
“That has to be proven. It can’t be talked about. With the way Ugo is playing when he is out there you know there is a good chance of him erasing mistakes you might make on the perimeter,” Givens said. “Just doing what he did you don’t have to block every shot but it you make them think you are then you are going to accomplish a lot.”
Onyenso even showed off a rare offensive move with a dunk. He got the ball in the corner, saw a path to the basket, and drove to score.
“I got the rebound. I looked around, I saw the lane was open. I am taking a chance. All I had in my mind was dunking the ball,” Onyenso said. “That is what happened. When I saw that open lane, ‘Yeah I am dunking the ball.’”
18 Responses
The closest thing this team has had to a rim protector yet–congrats to Big O for his performance tonight, and in the last couple of games too–and just from his comments here about the pride he takes in his defense, he deserves a start. Bradshaw could learn a thing or two from Big O’s outlook. Unlike Bradshaw, Big O just likes to get in and go to work, and be a grinder–he doesn’t have to try to do anything flashy or try to do something that will get him on SC TOP TEN–he just brings that lunch pail and goes to work. He gives everything for what he has got–and its those kind of players I enjoy watching most–one reason because they have to earn more thru their play rather than having had so much handed to them like some of these prima donnas who are showered with and given everything during or even before highschool–much less when they get to college…….I was a Big O fan last year, as well as Thiero. I’m so glad he made it back tonight–this team has missed him dearly. He’s another one who is just a grinder–just gives u all he’s got–stat filler, versatile, and much-needed defensive presence. He is like a DeAndre Liggins of the 2020’s, except probably a little more talented! These two guys put in the work and do what they’re asked to do–thats the definition of team guys!!! Enjoy watching them both–and I hope they continue to improve and become a bigger presence and make a larger impact on this team as we go fwd–hard to believe it’s almost FEB!!!
Love the Liggins comparison! That is spot on. Willing to work hard and get the job done, even if it doesn’t result in individual glory. I especially loved his comment about taking pride in his defense. He’s coming along nicely and it’s so much fun watching him play.
With you on that Katie and Liggins one of my all-time favorite Cats
It’s obvious that Calipari’s pets are not living up to their high school hype. Shepperd has earned the right to be the starting point guard. He passes the ball and gets the offense flowing, but he HAS TO take more shots to take some pressure off of Reeves. Reeves is the natural shooting guard. Thiero has to get back into playing shape, but he should be the small forward. He defends and rebounds and will mix it up with the bullies. His offense will come around as soon as he gets in better shape. Mitchell is the proven power forward, and Onyenso is our post guy. Barring foul trouble or injury, this group should get no less than 25 minutes of playing time TOGETHER. Calipari is pissing his pants about the thought of not having Edwards, Waggoner, and Bradshaw in that group, but they have not earned it. Edwards has not made the transition to college play. Waggoner is a dribble, dribble, dribble, shoot first guy who does not engage the rest of the team. He reverts back to hero ball play like he did in high school. Bradshaw is not tough enough and does not give the rim protection that Ugo does. Dillingham will not be happy with less minutes, but this is the 5 that plays the best together and gives us the best chance to win as a team. Dillingham would be the first guard off the bench and Z would be the first big in.
Will Calipari put UK first and the team first or will he continue to coddle his pets? I wonder if NIL has an influence here too. These "sponsors" who are paying big money will not be happy with their guy sitting on the bench. You have to wonder if "promises" about starting and PT have been made.
Our defense looked better even though we did not play any zone. We will need to do this as a change of pace if we are to have any shot at winning the SEC and going far in the Dance. Our offense with Calipari’s starting 5 has very little chemistry and flow. We get off to slow starts due to one on one play and then have to play catch up. I honestly don’t see Calipari putting the University and our team first. He is all about getting kids into the NBA.
Even if we were to win the SEC and a national title, Calipari would see the season as a dismal failure if his highly touted recruiting class didn’t play the leading roles in that. Calipari needs to decide if he works for the University and is accountable to it or if he is going to continue being the tail that wags the dog to pursue his own agendas. I see this going one of two ways. Calipari keeps on doing this his way and we win nothing this season or Calipari puts the team first, we win the SEC, make the final 4, and maybe bring home number 9. If the latter happens, BBN will be ecstatic, but Calipari will see it as a failure and will retire.
Barry, I didn’t read your comment because I know it’s a bunch of crybaby bull crap. Cats won and Cal and his players don’t play for whiney so-called fans. Your kind are a stain on Kentucky. Like the one in your underwear.
Really? Did not ;read it but ready to take pot shots at him.
Well, thanks for letting the rest of us know your acumen.
Well Professor I don’t read yours anymore either. You have been the Leader of the Whiners for years!
By the way Professor, you’re a good one to talk about taking pot shots at someone. You use Cal as your punching bag daily. You must be miserable.
Professor, Jimmy doesn’t know enough about basketball to make any intelligent critique or understand that of those who do. It’s know nothings like Jimmy who have allowed Calipari to stay here as long as he has. We can only hope that when Calipari does go, he will take his lovers with him. Watch how mouthy he gets when Florida AND Tennessee thump us in Rupp this week.
Barry if you were so smart you wouldn’t be a internet coach. You would have a job coaching somewhere. Cats are playing their @$$ off. Playing as hard as I’ve ever seen. Things aren’t going to be perfect. Ugly wins are fine with me. Things don’t always fall into place. Losses happen. I’m not going to "pretend" to be smarter than a Hall of Fame Coach. Everyone plays. They love each other and their coach. You were born crying, have always cried, and will die crying. Pathetic.
Jimmy, is that all you got, lol? This team has a chemistry/jealousy problem that is on the verge of tanking this season. There are too many players and not enough minutes. This will be apparent to even mouthy simpletons like you after this week.
Well big mouth Barry, you were one that was whining the Cats wasn’t going to have enough to practice. Now too many!!!! Cry cry cry!
I have a different view, of course. Yesterday’s game does not change my outlook for the rest of the season. Yes, the defensive efficiency was better than it has been most games this season, but the offensive efficiency was one of the lowest of the season, 63 points in 69 possessions. The net game efficiency, the only measure that matters, was essentially unchanged from the season average. No Change In Prospects.
This team remains a top 20 type team. That type of team is likely a roiund of 32 loser, with a small chance of advancing to the Sweet 16. This team has hovered in the 18 to 22 rank position based on Net Efficiency for this entire season. That is what this team has been, is and will continue to be.
I agree that this team’s collective talent is very high, but it is not the sum of the parts that matters, it is the synthesis of that individual talent into a team that maximizes its collective effectiveness, its collective efficiency.
Calipari will never return another UK team to a final four. His priorities are wrong. As Barry puts it, "Calipari needs to decide if he works for the University and is accountable to it or if he is going to continue being the tail that wags the dog to pursue his own agendas."
This is the problem, and this fraud will never abandon his NBA First Priority and place the interests and well being of the UK basketball program at the top of his list of priorities as he should have always done.
Agree with Givens’ comment – the stat line does not reflect what Onyenso brought to the game. He was so much fun to watch on defense last night. Totally engaged and energetic and becoming very consistently reliable, game in and game out. Something this team has desperately needed. When Thiero is back in game shape – watch out! It will be fun!
Always said you were a smart young lady Katie
I feel like this team can be great and alot of what Barry said is true to a certain extent. I feel like you are very wrong about Dillingham. He is one of the best players on the team. My only question is why does Edwards and Bradshaw receive more playing time then Burks. Every time Burks gets in the game he provides a instant spark. I think he is a better basketball player than Thiero as well. I would have a starting 5 of Dillingham running the point Reeves as the shooting guard and Sheppard as the off guard capable of running the point or playing off Dillingham or making that second pass to a wide open player. I would have Mitchell as the 4 and O as the 5. Sheppard can rebound better than Edward’s at the 3. Wagner being the 6th man for whatever guard needs a breather first with Burks backing up Sheppard or Mitchell and Big Z replacing big O when he needs a breather. If you noticed Big Z had a phenomenal first game and that wasn’t beginners luck. He seen that when he makes a mistake he gets pulled and he looks nervous to me. You can throw Bradshaw and Edward’s in the trash they wouldn’t start for any top 25 team in the nation. Bradshaw thinks he’s a 3 and isn’t fast he can’t rebound he can’t defend and his offense if overrated. Thiero is overrated to me as well. Can someone please explain why Burks does get more playing time? It doest make sense to me. He is really to small for the 4 to bang but he would be a perfect 3 and a 4 in desperate times. Calapari does try to force players who have hype to play more than they should. This is a legit final 4 team but I don’t know if we will put it all together to make that run. It’s hard for us to play 4 consecutive great games in a row. Calapari should have 4 championships at Kentucky. Usually high school players defense catches up after there offense and it’s hard for freshman to play man to man for 40 minutes if he would play a zone for even 10-15 minutes a game we would have at least 11 banners but his ego is so high he doesn’t want to look like his system doesn’t work. We have by far the most talented team in college basketball this year. Look at Purdue or Uconn they have a team full of 4 and 3 star players but they have coaches who can actually coach basketball they don’t rely on NBA players to win college games.
Remember, most of the Cat’s that play are freshman that has a lot to learn, hopefully the more games they play, they will get better on both sides of the Ball. Go Big Blue
I thought O played without making any big mistakes. His stat line is average at best for the number of minutes he played but the way he defended the pick and roll was a vast improvement over much of the season with other bigs. In 25 minutes however he needs to have double the rebound he collected to be a "good" center.
If you look at the past few games, Cal yanks Big Z after every mistake. Some of that is understandable in that Z does look lost at times regarding his assignment on both ends of the floor but his upside is dramatically higher than either Ugo or Bradshaw. His productivity per 40 minutes also is dramatically higher than either other big. I hope Cal is working double time to catch him up on team assignments because he would provide us the highest ceiling as a team if he is able to not give up buckets with missed assignments.
This team has alot of potential but after 20 games I am not confident our approach defensively is going to get corrected. Cal mentioned going to zone at times to get Z more minutes. I think it may help to also reduce straight line drives by guards. Sheppard is our most efficient offensive player and statistically with steals and blocks appears efficient on that end but he also gives up more open threes than our other guards due to turning his back to his man on post entries.
If it were me and I am certainly not the coach seeing every practice I would reduce our rotation to 8 players and see Edwards and Bradshaw minutes dramatically reduced.
I think that Wagner remains our best on ball defender with lateral quickness and his aggression on offense leads to more of Reed’s looks than any other player on the floor. That said, I would start Reed at the point, Wagner at the 2, Reeves at 3, Mitchell at 4 and Big Z at 5.
I would have Dillingham, Thiero and Onyenso rotating in. If I found myself with two 7 footers on the floor I would play zone and use that length to create problems from beyond the arc. Playing a zone would also allow DJ to stay up top defensively hiding his poor rebounding production from the floor.
Go CATS.