Jayden Quaintance was all smiles after his second-half play sparked UK's comeback win. (Vicky Graff Photo)
If you wondered what impact 7-footer Jayden Quaintance could make for Kentucky, one series early in the second of Kentucky’s game with Saturday provided a perfect example.
Quaintance blocked a shot by St. John’s, sprinted the floor, saved a ball from going out of bounds and then scored on a follow shot to give Kentucky a 44-43 lead it never relinquished in the 78-66 comeback victory. Those plays were a big part in Kentucky’s 14-0 run that broke the game open against former Kentucky coach Rick Pitino.
Quaintance had 10 points — all in the second half — on 5-for-7 shooting, eight rebounds and two blocks in 17 minutes in his UK debut. He transferred to Kentucky from Arizona State where he suffered a knee injury about a year ago and had not played yet this season.
“I am really pleased he got the minutes he did and performed as I knew he would,” said UK Radio Network analyst Jack Givens. “I look for him to get better and know he will.
Pope said he had “no idea” what to expect from Quaintance and thanked “his team” for being generous and trusting him to play Quaintance against St. John’s.
“They were so generous in trusting me if I inserted him into the game and judging how comfortable he was athletically, pain-wise and pace game. So many kudos to go around with his JQ story,” Pope said on the UK Radio Network postgame show. “For him to have the courage to come out and compete fearlessly … he is going to be an important piece of everything we do.”
Pope had senior athletic trainer Brandon Wells, head strength coach Randy Towner and assistant coach Mikhail McLean each with “We Workin’” t-shirts with Quaintance’s likeness on them all attend the postgame press conference with Quaintance and Lowe, who has been battling a shoulder injury and played less than 10 seconds in the first half before returning in the second half.
“This was my first game back. It’s been a long time in the making, and I couldn’t have been here at all without the help of the people on my right. We’ve been here every day since June, and just working every single day, to the point where we’ve even got catchphrases and stuff to kind of get us through every day that Coach B. Wells made up for us, like today, for a game day, just to celebrate all the work that we put in,” Quaintance said.
“Without these guys, Brandon Wells, Randy Towner, coach Mikhail, I don’t think I could have been here today. So all the thanks go to them, for sure.”
Quaintance, one of the nation’s top freshman defensive players last season before he was injured, helped limit St. John’s center Zuby Ejiofor to seven points and one rebound in the second half when UK took charge of the game
“I felt like my conditioning was good. I feel like my guys had prepared me really well in all the practices and months leading up to now,” Quaintance said. “I felt good on the court. I felt like if I was able to have my time to shine, I felt like I’d make it my moment, and I feel like I did that.”
Kentucky-St. John’s Basketball
Photos by Vicky Graff
7 Responses
JQ gives us a presence in the middle that has been missing. No plays were run for him, he just cleaned up the garbage underneath and finished with authority. Lowe was able to get his shot when few were falling for anyone else. The Johnnies were face guarding everyone all over the court…we had problems just getting the ball inbounds. It will be interesting to see how this duo fares against Bama.
I would think the We Workin’ shirt would be a tremendous NIL opportunity.
Hope he didn’t have swelling on Sunday morning. That’s a tell tale on complete healing. No doctor but have endured three knee operations and and eventual replacement of both.
Valid concern: Sir Paul, my first day back to work after knee surgery I had minor swelling. I mentioned this on another site. I was told he's 18 years old. He's had a daily rehab, trainer team, and he should be past the swelling stage of his rehab.
I haven’t seen a lot of some games, but trust my friend The Professor when he told me that JQ & Lowe will be major difference makers in this team. Hopefully their impact and solid play will lift a starting 5 into a TEAM 1st instead of individuals who don’t share the ball.
Moreno, Chandler & Noah would make a starting 5 who can hit the 3 and control the inside at both ends of the floor. I believe these 2 bigs will share the ball, as will Lowe, Chandler & Noah.
Too many players are going solo just to score without sharing the ball, even if they shoot poorly. That is NOT team ball & it has been a big problem this season, when UK went 13-11 after starting 11-1. This season, team play only lasted through 1 Exhibition game.
So, the future of this season & the handling of the pressure on Pope is simply in thr hands of JQ & Lowe to play dominant AND GENUINE TEAM 1st ball.
These 2 with the right TEAM players on the floor with them can make UK a FF contender. Otherwise, it was on a path to exit the 1st weekend of the Big Dance.
What a game! I am still reveling in the victory. So proud of JQ and Lowe. Well, the entire team. And Oweh, of course. And I mean TEAM. That depicts a winner. None of this me me me. I hope we continue on this path toward #9. I just love these guys. GO CATS!
I am with you UKKathy
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