Perhaps Brandon Knight is a bit biased. Perhaps he’s just trying to be a good teammate. Whatever it is, the Kentucky freshman certainly likes new teammate Terrence Jones. Jones put on a superb show during Tuesday’s Blue-White game by scoring 29 points on 13-of-26 shooting from the field. He had eight rebounds, three assists, three blocked shots and only two turnovers.
Boxscore and Game Notes: Blue-White Scrimmage
Brandon Knight scored 37 points Tuesday night to lead the Blue team past the White squad 101-74 in Kentucky’s intrasquad scrimmage. Knight is taking over at point guard this year after John Wall was selected by the Washington Wizards with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft following one season in Lexington. The Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., native was part of another strong recruiting class for coach John Calipari.
For the second time in two days, a former UK basketball player is in trouble with the law. Lexington police say they arrested Souleymane “Jules” Camara, 31, early Monday morning at the intersection of New Circle Road and Alumni Drive and charged him with DUI.
The NCAA clearinghouse has yet to proclaim Enes Kanter eligible to play for UK. The wait has extended more than one month after the date Calipari anticipated, according to a Sep. 8 Kernel article. This is an extraordinary disservice to the university, the fans and the team, given the small roster this year. However, this comes as no surprise given the NCAA’s lack of urgency when declaring lack of eligibility.
Anthony Epps, Marion County High School’s new basketball coach and former University of Kentucky basketball star, was arrested early Saturday on a charge of driving under the influence. Epps, 35, of Lebanon, was stopped by Lebanon police near the Hamilton Heights neighborhood around 2:05 a.m. and failed “normal field sobriety tests,” said Lebanon Police Sgt. Greg Young.
Darius Miller knows everyone expects him to have a much bigger role on John Calipari’s team at Kentucky this year. However, during the SEC Media Day here Thursday he said not to underestimate another junior — guard DeAndre Liggins. “A lot of people are going to be surprised by DeAndre’s part on this team. He’s been doing a great job,” said Miller.
Kentucky forward Darius Miller expects the same results from the Wildcats this season, but in a much different way. Even though the roster is minus five first-round draft picks and features seven new players, Miller thinks the Wildcats will be just as successful despite the cast of newcomers. That’s a tall order, considering the the team went 35-3 last season, capped by an appearance in the Elite Eight.
Kentucky assistant coach Kenny Payne knows the NCAA championship he helped win at Louisville looks good on his resume, but he knows his NBA experience brings him “instant credibility” that is even more important in recruiting. “What is instant credibility for kids? I want to be a NBA player. The moment you have been in the NBA and are coaching and talking to a kid, you have got his ear,” said Payne. “That’s what they want to hear and be associated with.
Former Cat Darnell Dodson was arrested in Lexington last night for disorderly contact. Sources say he was involved in a fight off Vine Street. Details will be forthcoming I’m sure.