| | By Jay Bilas
Special to ESPN.com
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Friday, Oct. 13
Kentucky does not return any of the SEC's top scorers or rebounders, but you can bank on this: Kentucky will be very good. And while the Wildcats are not invincible, Tubby Smith's team could very
well win the SEC and advance to a regional final.
Kentucky has almost everybody back from a team that won 23 games, and the Wildcats' youth was tempered by fire in some brutally tough games. With added experience, and Jason Parker, Kentucky will challenge anyone.
Here are a couple of things that we should see from Kentucky in 2001.
Kentucky was dead last in the SEC in most shooting categories,
and there are no true marksmen on the roster. However, Kentucky was young
last year and simply let some early season shooting woes snowball on them.
The harder they tried, the more pressure they put on themselves to hit
shots, and it was a yearlong struggle. There are players on this team that
are capable, and there should be significant improvement in the shooting
numbers in 2001. The Wildcats will not be a great shooting team, but they
will be better.
Kentucky will have better depth, and should be able to pressure the ball more aggressively. While Tubby Smith was a disciple of Rick Pitino, Kentucky is now more of smash-mouth, pressure man-to-man style of defense in the halfcourt, and the Wildcats put themselves in a position to win by shutting you down. Smith will run with you, and he will have the personnel to press more often this season. But the Wildcats are more of a ball-control team that executes well, and scores off its defense rather than on 3s.
Make no mistake, Kentucky will be a factor in the championship hunt -- both in the SEC and the NCAAs.
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Frontcourt
Kentucky will again be young up front, but Tubby Smith has undeniable talent to work with this season.
While 6-foot-10 center Jamaal Magliore is gone, 6-8 freshman Jason Parker has arrived. Kentucky won the sweepstakes
for the talented power forward when it was discovered that, after Parker was
dropped by North Carolina, he was eligible to play this season.
Parker is a terrific athlete that plays the low post and has the complete package
inside the paint. He is a good rebounder, a marvelous interior passer, and
has a very good touch. He can rise up and finish inside, or blow by a
defender for almost any type of interior shot.
Parker really improved his game in his one season in prep school, and is much more matured in his game.
Parker will likely start, but will be a major contributor in whatever role
he accepts.
Marvin Stone only played 13 minutes per game as a freshman, but has very good skills. Stone (4.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 49 percent FGs) can shoot facing up, use fakes, and he is very effective along the baseline and in the low post. He is physical and uses his strength to power up to the basket very well. Stone also uses his good hands to pass well out of the post.
Marquis Estill is a shot-blocker and rebounder who sat out all of last season. He has trimmed down and also has the ability to hit the face up jumper or play with his back to the basket.
Jules Camara is lost for the season after being found guilty of drunken driving this week. Camara is a big loss. He was expected to have a solid year at the power forward slot after averaging 7.2 points and 4.2 rebounds as a sophomore.
Backcourt
Kentucky's biggest question mark heading into last year was the point guard position. And while Saul Smith stepped in for Wayne Turner and performed admirably under difficult circumstances, the position remains a question mark to many who watch the Wildcats.
Smith is a solid handler and decision-maker who is not flashy or spectacular. But Smith is tough and
competitive. If he weren't Tubby's son, the talk about Saul would be about
his positives, rather than his negatives.
|  | | Keith Bogans could be the Wildcat who steps up to lead Kentucky on the offensive end. |
Smith averaged 6.6 points and 3.5 assists a game. He shot 33 percent and had a 1.3 assist-to-turnover ratio. Draw your own conclusions, but Smith is very intelligent and is the emotional leader of the team. A capable ball-handler, Smith is prone to turn the ball over. But when he is aggressive, his team takes on the same personality. On defense, Smith is a good defender that keys the Wildcat pressure. But he is often attacked from the point guard spot.
Keith Bogans will start alongside Smith at the off guard spot. A dynamic scorer, Bogans (12.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 41 percent FGs) is very comfortable with the ball in his hands. He is very strong and athletic. Bogans' offense often includes contact, which he likes to initiate to draw fouls when finishing. He's also a capable 3-point shooter.
Because he can hit the three, Bogans is aggressive in exploiting defenses through penetration. Bogans has the potential to lead Kentucky in scoring, and like most scorers, he gets to the free throw line often. On the defensive end, he is also a
good defender, gambling for steals, and playing physically with his matchup.
Backing up Smith at the point will be freshman Cliff Hawkins, an outstanding defender and penetrator that will be an immediate impact on the defensive end. Hawkins is smart and puts great pressure on the ball. He
moves his feet and has very active hands. The pressure he puts on the
ball will allow Kentucky to extend its defense further out on the floor.
Expect Smith to start, but Hawkins will see plenty of time, and the two could play together if Tubby wants to go small.
Tayshaun Prince, the 6-8 junior swingman (13.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 42 percent FGs) is Kentucky's best and
most versatile player. With NBA potential, Prince is a lefty who has a seven-foot wingspan, and is becoming a complete player.
Prince is a good handler, a crafty passer and will shoot the three from deep (31 percent). Prince also has the ability to penetrate to his left, and can post up, usually on the left side of the lane. He is a good rebounder and can block shots with his long
arms, timing and athletic ability.
Prince played this summer on the U.S. Under 20 National Team, and played well overall. But he did not shoot the ball
with consistency.
J.P. Blevins was the Wildcats' top 3-point shooter last season, shooting just under 36 percent from behind the arc. Blevins hit some
big threes when Kentucky needed them, and will fill that role again this season. Freshman guard Gerald Fitch, a 6-3 shooter from Georgia, and junior Todd Tackett will round out the backcourt.
Bottom Line
Kentucky will be better than they were last year, and because of depth, talent and defensive abilities, can play with
anyone. Tubby Smith had a long and successful summer with the Dream Team, but instead of being tired, should be energized by his team's chances. | |
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