Vicky Graff Photo
The passes that Jaxson Robinson made that led to Kentucky field goals to start the overtime period against Gonzaga in Saturday’s win were what coach Mark Pope called “courageous” plays.
Robinson was not the only reason UK rallied to win 90-89 in Seattle after being down 16 points at halftime but he certainly was a big reason. He was brilliant in the second half after he had missed seven of eight shots in the first half and scored only three points.
Robinson went 6-for-7 from the field in the second half and scored 15 points while also playing the final 13 minutes at point guard after backup Kerr Kriisa, who started because Lamont Butler was out with an ankle injury, went down with a foot injury.
Pope could not say enough good things about Robinson, a BYU transfer, after the game.
“So we talk about this a lot, today in college basketball you don’t get to coach guys for multiple years very often. So I was really blessed to coach, I am insanely blessed to get to coach Jax for a third year,” Pope said.
“Watching players grow is like the best thing ever. It’s just the best thing ever, it’s the best thing about basketball.”
Pope revealed that he still teases Robinson about a game last season when BYU was playing at Oklahoma and BYU had “laid an egg” in the game.
“Jax was having to play a lot of point guard for us at the time, and after one bad play, he was in transition defense — I guess in the first half — running right by me on the bench and he turned and yelled in transition defense, ‘I’m never playing point guard again!’” Pope said.
“And my guy, a year later, is a five-assist, zero-turnover, played the point for the last eight minutes of the game under massive duress, and the full overtime. I’m telling you, he’s special.”
That’s what Kentucky was hoping he would be but didn’t look that way when he scored only one point in the win over Duke. He’s not been the dominant, consistent scorer most expected — but Pope never doubted his fifth-year guard.
“What Jax has done the last three or four games, defensively, is breathtaking, and toughness-wise, is incredible,” Pope said after the win. “(He) hits an insanely difficult shot in the overtime period to boot. He was really special man.
“The first thing he did was go straight to the training room, trying to get Lamont and Kerr healthy. We’ll see how that works out, but until that happens we’re really blessed to have Jaxson Robinson.”
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Kentucky will host Colgate Wednesday night.
9 Responses
In playing better teams, selflessness often becomes a casualty since what aids person A’s game seems to take away from person B’s game. The more dominant alpha usually wins out. Pope continues to look for ways to get the most out of his team, not only for this year but also for the next, but the super seniors only have this season to audition for a chance to play at the next level. It’s an interesting game of multi-dimensional chess which is ultimately a game of calculated sacrifice that produces a decisive advantage for checkmate. Checkmate only comes from a number of pieces being removed from the game to obtain the final victory. Who will be happy being consumed vs. being the few pieces left on the board?
I think it will be good for the team for Travis Perry get substantial playing time while Kerr is out.
That’s not possible against the better teams! He’s not ready defensively. Pope knows this the training staff knows this and the players know this. He can run the point against Eastern Kentucky or Queens but not against Gonzaga or Duke or even Arkansas. He’s not ready and won’t be until maybe the end of the year but I’m guessing next year is when Perry and Noah have a breakout year! They are not ready this year I would have redshirted them but barring injuries that probably won’t happen. But on a perfect team with no injuries the best thing to do is save them for the next 4 years. Its no knock on there game its just hard to go from playing Lee county to playing Duke or North Carolina and that adjustment usually takes a year. Some people waste a freshmans season by playing them early. Next year Jasper Johnson who is a top 15 recruit will play early and struggle. Moreno will play early but struggle the first half of the season. If you remember correctly coach cal had guys ranked in the top 40. Very rarely would he recruit someone outside of the top 40 and even then the players would struggle. Unless your a Julius Randle or Anthony Davis or John Wall your going to struggle the reason these guys don’t struggle is because there bodies are ready and they are already listed as top 5 picks without ever playing a game. Noah and Perry will be fine we are just used to freshman who are more gifted than usual freshman and that’s not the case with Noah and Perry they need some time to catch up to the game speed! Next year will be like there freshman year! If they were still playing AAU ball and high school for a extra year they wouldn’t be ranked in the top 25. What I’m saying is Jasper Johnson is probably better than Noah. Moreno is probably better than them. But Perry and Noah won’t be far behind. I can see them being the 8th and 9th man next year. Maybe 13-15 minutes a game for Noah next year maybe less. I think Perry jumps off the bench first because hes a marksmen.
We play Colgate the next game. Not Duke or Gonzaga again.
I understand that but did you see who was playing the point guard with Kriisa and Butler out! Robinson! Perry isn’t ready! The point guard for Colgate will eat Perry up! He’s very good! He’s just not ready defensively. Offensively he could probably hold his own? Idk!? Maybe? But defensively he’s a liability! Pope knows this and that is why he comes in the game with 90 seconds remaining! If he was great he would play! This is Pope not Cal! Pope knows Perry and Noah are going to be great but its going to take a little time! Perry could come in against Colgate and hit 4-5 3 pointers and I guarantee against better competition he wouldn’t play the next game except clean up minutes! HES NOT READY YET! The same with Cutter in football he wasn’t ready yet!
According to Coach Pope, Robinson, Perry and Chandler will split the point guard duties tomorrow night.
Coach Pope doesn’t know that Perry isn’t ready.
I agree that Perry needs to get as many minutes as possible because we may need him down the road due to injuries. As long as this team stays healthy, he will not get a lot of PT. Colgate and Brown will be perfect opportunities to get more PT.
I thought it was a tale of 2 halves for jaxson .. thought he was playing soft in the first half ..obviously second half speaks for itself
We will be fine, we now have a coach that will game plan for the team we are playing and find there weakness! It will be a good opportunity for Perry to get some playing time against not as good of a team and we still win comfortably! One thing Coach Pope should do if it is a close game against any team, maybe a two point lead or a tie, Perry should be in game so other team has to foul him, he is almost automatic at foul line!