Page 14, The Estill County Tribune, January 31, 2018 UK’s Recruiting Woes Are Ones Most Schools Would Love To Have both ends of the floor. He’s fered 6-10 E.J. Montgomery, made strides with his jump the No. 1 player in Georgia shot, and he can shoot with and top 15 player nation- distance better now. I re- ally, a scholarship. Duke, ally like his approach to the North Carolina, Clemson game and his mental abil- and UCLA are among other ity.” schools that have offered Herro is the best shooter and he’s already indicated of the trio of guards, but he will visit Duke. He is a Daniels says he’s a scorer McDonald’s All-American. and not just a shooter. He He originally committed to also jumped into the No. Auburn before changing his 25 spot in the latest ESPN mind after the FBI probe rankings. into college basketball start- “He is pushing 6-5. He’s ed. by Larry Vaught an above average athlete Kentucky has also shown who can really score off the some interest in shooting Now that Zion William- bounce, hit from midrange. guard Anfernee Simons, a son is definitely not com- He can make runners, float- one-time Louisville commit ing to Kentucky, maybe it’s ers. He knows they need a who is the highest ranked time to focus more on the shooter and he can make uncommitted player in the three players that UK coach a shot from both 3-point 2018 Class at No. 7. Tennes- John Calipari has already range and the midlevel see and Florida are viewed signed in his 2018 recruit- area,” Daniels said. as his leaders. ing class. “He has a lot of swagger Another possibility is Not only did UK not and athletic ability. He is a point guard John Lecque, get Williamson, he went fine defender. He’ll have to the No. 9 player in the 2019 to Duke to give the Blue get better defensively like recruiting class who has Devils the top three play- any high school senior, but indicated his might con- ers in the 2018 recruiting he has the ability to defend sider reclassifying to the class. However, FoxSports/ his position. I don’t see that 2018 class. Don’t forget 6-9 247Sports recruiting analyst being a problem for him.” James Wiseman of Mem- Evan Daniels says Kentucky What about Kentucky? phis, the top player in the fans are going to like Tyler How big a problem is it 2019 recruiting class. He Herro, Keldon Johnson and for Kentucky that William- has a UK offer and many Immanuel Quickley. ESPN son picked Duke, not UK? still believe he will reclas- college basketball analyst Where will UK turn for an sify to the 2018 class even Dick Vitale already does. inside presence in its 2018 though he continues to in- “I know about 350 other recruiting class? sist he will not. schools that would like to be “Truth is there is not a lot Outlook Changes having the so-called recruit- of talent at the big man spot ing problems that Kentucky still out there in the 2018 At halftime of Kentucky’s Junior guard Taylor Murray needed a midseason attitude adjustment and has is,” said Vitale. class,” Daniels said. “I am game at West Virginia, so- now elevated her play. (Vicky Graff Photo) Johnson is the highest not sure what direction they cial media was predicting a Jones was the one who for fourth on the UK single- least 20 points and 10 as- ranked of the three play- might take. Maybe they will likely NIT season for Ken- first encouraged him to season list and he is tied for sists in a SEC game during ers and, like Quickley, is a wait for the grad transfer tucky. After UK overcame a come to Kentucky. ninth on UK list for career UK’s recent win over Ala- McDonald’s All-American. market. Somebody will pop 17-point, second-half deficit “When I first got the sacrifices with 21. bama. It was just the fourth “Keldon really plays up for Kentucky. Somebody to win, the outlook totally Kentucky offer, Mac told He also got hit by a pitch 20-point, 10-assist game in hard,” Daniels said. “He’s a always does. changed. me that Kentucky was the 10 times last year, the sec- UK women’s history. driving, slashing guard who “There’s also no cer- “I don’t care how young spot for me. Not Alabama, ond highest total on the Alabama coach Kristy can get to the rim and fin- tainty at Kentucky this year you are, if you can win in but Kentucky and he is at team. Curry called it an “incred- ish or dish. He’s a good ath- on who will or who will not Morgantown you can get Alabama,” Lewis said. “He “If they are going to give ible” performance, espe- lete and a really tough kid. I be back next year. There’s to the Final Four. Huge win told me I would love Ken- me a free base and throw in- cially since she had just one think he really has a bright nothing certain yet on who for Kentucky,” ESPN ana- tucky. I just thought it was side, I am going to take it. turnover. But something future.” may or may not leave for lyst Jimmy Dykes, a former funny for a guy at Alabama That’s part of our offense else impressed Curry even Johnson is ranked as the the draft, so that’s a little dif- UK assistant coach, posted to tell me to go somewhere and our identity,” Squires more. No. 6 player in the class in ferent for UK, too.” on Twitter. else.” said. “We are not going to “I walk out when we first the latest ESPN rankings Calipari has not signed Another ESPN analyst, Here’s another oddity move. If they want to give pull up (to Memorial Coli- and was named to the Nai- a top five recruit in the last Dick Vitale, said before the about Lewis — he is a Duke us a free base, we’ll take it. seum) and she’s already out smith Trophy Midseason three years, something that game “never ever” count on basketball fan because It’s just part of my game. I there on the floor. That’s Team. led many UK fans to specu- Calipari. Duke star Grayson Allen take pride in that as well.” pretty special and you know Quickley is the point late about what has hap- “He has talent / not the su- is also from Jacksonville Kentucky goes into the says a lot about her,” Curry guard Calipari targeted in pened to the once dominant per talent of the past but cer- and Lewis trained with Al- season ranked No. 8, its said. this recruiting class from recruiting hauls Calipari tainly good enough to win / len and played some pickup highest preseason ranking It does considering the the start and he played on had. You saw it today baby,” Vi- basketball with him. ever. struggles coach Matthew the USA under 18 team that “We don’t get every kid. tale posted on Twitter after “Kentucky always has Challenged team Mitchell’s team has had Calipari coached last sum- I’ve said that all along. We UK’s win. one of the best basketball this year. Those struggles mer. If both Quade Green get the ones that need to Flip to Kentucky teams in the country. I know Kentucky cheerleading weighed on Murray, a ju- and Shai Gilgeous-Alexan- come here. Others chose that,” Lewis said. “But I coach Jomo Thompson nior guard, at times. der return to UK next sea- not to and that’s fine. That’s Jacksonville offensive was a Duke fan. I do love challenged his team when “I thought she lived in a son as most expect, Daniels their choice,” Calipari said. lineman Nick Lewis flipped Duke because I played with practiced started. place of disappointment and said Quickley would have “Obviously, the kids who his commitment from Grayson Allen and we are “This was a year that lot discouragement for some no problem playing with ei- have come here are worth Washington State to Ken- friends. He’s my man. I got of people said we were not time, and you can’t get bet- ther one. He’s dropped from over a billion dollars. Sev- tucky and was expected to to be for him.” supposed to win (the na- ter in that. It’s been some 12th to 17th in the rankings enteen have graduated. sign with the Wildcats this Switch to Fl. State tional championship) and I discouraging times and dis- after missing the first month Thirty-five, or whatever, got week. He’s a 6-10, 350- even told team at the begin- appointing results, but you of the season with mono- drafted. Three No. 1 (overall pound tackle who is a three- The flip side of the flip ning of the year we were not can’t live there. You’ve got nucleosis. NBA draft picks). I mean, star prospect. came with Ohio linebacker as good in some areas as we to pull yourself out of it, and “Quickley is going to be kids who have come here He’s a former Bolles Xavier Peters, the high- needed to be,” Thompson to her credit, she has done good. He has great court vi- belonged here. It doesn’t School teammate of Ala- est rated commitment in said. that,” Mitchell said. sion, can run and can distrib- mean that everybody needs bama quarterback Mac UK’s 2018 class, when he If that was true, it changed “She has really listened ute the ball,” Daniels said. to come here. I don’t think Jones, a one-time Kentucky switched to Florida State because Kentucky executed to us. I think all of us at “He’s 6-3 with long arms. it’s changed much at all.” commit before he flipped to over the weekend. a near flawless perfor- some point have to surren- He really competes hard on Kentucky last week of- Alabama. When he didn’t sign with mance in its final routine der to what’s going on and UK in December like other at the nationals in Orlando not fight it. I’m really proud players who had verbally last month to win its third of her resilience and being a committed, it indicated he straight national title — and big enough person to admit might no longer be all-in 23rd overall. Thompson said she needed to change her at- with UK. He announced UK did that even though titude and she has.” he would visit Florida and four team members had the Quotes of the Week Miami, but then flipped to flu and the team also had a Florida State. stunt mishap in the semifi- Quote of the Week: “Au- More than 1 gift nals. burn has probably played “I do not worry about hit- the best of anybody in our Senior catcher Troy ting a perfect routine in the league. They have just got a Squires is as good as any- semifinals because that can lot of weapons that are diffi- one in the Southeastern make their heads too big. cult to defend. The environ- Conference at throwing out That kind of humbled us,” ment down there looks tre- runners trying to steal bases. Thompson said. “We were mendous, too,” LSU coach That’s one reason he was a still head and shoulders Will Wade on playing an all-SEC player last season. above everyone else com- Auburn, something Ken- However, he’s got a gift ing out of semifinals, but I tucky will do Feb. 14. for two other things — sac- didn’t let them know that.” Quote of the Week 2: rifice bunts and getting hit Kentucky scored a 97.3 “She is one player that has by pitches. out of 100 in the finals, just the ability to change the “I don’t like to toot my below the 98 Thompson game in one swing. If she own horn but I take pride had the team aiming for. was a man, she would be in the short game,” Squires, “We are competing worth a million dollars,” an all-state player at Central against some great cheer- UK softball coach Rachel Hardin High School, said. “I leading teams from the past Lawson on third baseman take pride in bunts. It started (at UK),” Thompson said. Abby Cheek. back in high school. I batted “Every year our goal is to Quote of the Week 3: second because if guy got introduce a new element not “I really want to be a poli- on I was getting him over seen in cheerleading. Our tician. Not the president, (to second base) with the hit goal is to raise the bar every that’s a little too high. May- and run or bunt. At an early year. That is something that be a senator or representa- age my dad really taught me allows a team to thrive.” tive. Maybe the mayor of how to control the bat. I just 20 Points 10 Assts. my home town. I really added that to my arsenal.” have an interest in politics,” The catcher ranked 19th Taylor Murray became UK pitcher Justin Lewis on Cheer coach Jomo Thompson challenged his team to start the year and it re- nationally in sacrifice bunts the first Kentucky women’s what he would like to do af- sponded by winning a third straight national championship. (Vicky Graff Photo) last year with 13. That’s tied basketball player to have at ter baseball.