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Any history buffs want to chime in on the JV system?

WildcatsAndBourbon

WildcatsAndBourbon

Jan 27, 2023
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I assume the JV teams existed mostly because freshmen couldn’t play varsity, although, I feel like I know that JV lasted well past the freshman rule ended. Are there any JV teams left at any level of college ball? When did Kentucky’s JV team come to an end? Was there any controversy?

Did games have much attendance/viewership/radio audience? Were the games played on the same day as the varsity games? Was there a JV national tournament/championship? Were there guys who only ever played JV and never moved up to varsity? Did JV and varsity teams practice together?

I’m sure there’s plenty of other questions about this topic to be asked, so please prattle away if you know anything worth mentioning. I really know nothing about the subject.
 
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WildcatsAndBourbon said:
I assume the JV teams existed mostly because freshmen couldn’t play varsity, although, I feel like I know that JV lasted well past the freshman rule ended. Are there any JV teams left at any level of college ball? When did Kentucky’s JV team come to an end? Was there any controversy?

Did games have much attendance/viewership/radio audience? Were the games played on the same day as the varsity games? Was there a JV national tournament/championship? Were there guys who only ever played JV and never moved up to varsity? Did JV and varsity teams practice together?

I’m sure there’s plenty of other questions about this topic to be asked, so please prattle away if you know anything worth mentioning. I really know nothing about the subject.
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Rupps freshman teams usually did well.
 
I certainly remember decent crowds showing up early for the Super Kittens games back in the 70s. That squad caught the public's attention, and of course went on to hand Bobby Knight his only loss over a 2 yr span in the '75 Regional Final.

Absolutely that "team" was better for having stayed and played together for 4 years. And every DI game had a JV game preceeding it with the same opponent. Just like high school. But those days are gone and aren't coming back.

I find it hard to believe that UNC's JV team really gets much outta beating the stuffing outta some other JV or an NAIA school. Hint, if the opposing team's center is under 6'5", this might be just practice. And nobody come to watch them at all.
 
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JPScott said:
A number of years ago I put together a mini website giving details about UK’s freshmen and junior varsity teams. If anyone has any more details to add, let me know.

UK Freshmen and Junior Varsity teams
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JP, Thanks for the walk down memory lane! I'd forgotten about so many great players that never finished four years at Ky. One name that stood out was Conley from Oil Springs who was on the 60 freshman team. Conley was a member the 59 Oil Springs HS team where the coach screwed up and scheduled two holiday tournament games on the same day. Rather than cancel one of the games, he split his team, assigning half to play on Conley's team and the other half to play with his big 6'7" center. I think his name was Blair . Oil Springs won both games. This story appeared in newspapers across the country.
 
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When Pitino had the JV team I think he filled its roster out with walk-ons besides Nazr and a few others that didn’t play much. There’s not too many college players that would want to play on a JV team now. I wonder if the games would count against a player if he gets any playing time with the varsity team, if there’s a rule about game limits?
 
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Bluegrassking said:
When Pitino brought it back I loved it because it seemed to really help develop the bench players resulting in quality depth that was accustomed to and in shape for game action.
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Those games counted against their eligibility, but the stats didn't, that kinda sucks. they could only play in so many JV games and weren't eligible to play in the same number of varsity games.

I recall the football team having a JV team for a few years under Mumme as well.
 
WildcatsAndBourbon said:
I assume the JV teams existed mostly because freshmen couldn’t play varsity, although, I feel like I know that JV lasted well past the freshman rule ended. Are there any JV teams left at any level of college ball? When did Kentucky’s JV team come to an end? Was there any controversy?

Did games have much attendance/viewership/radio audience? Were the games played on the same day as the varsity games? Was there a JV national tournament/championship? Were there guys who only ever played JV and never moved up to varsity? Did JV and varsity teams practice together?

I’m sure there’s plenty of other questions about this topic to be asked, so please prattle away if you know anything worth mentioning. I really know nothing about the subject.
Click to expand...
I was early in HS when Pitino had Nazr and Oliver Simmons on the JV team. Used to read about it in the paper-only copy of the Cats Pause!
 
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I know Pitino did it in 96. But other than that, the JV team/system was before my time.

Although interestingly, yesterday afternoon I went to play golf out in the country an hour from Raleigh (course was pretty empty as you would imagine) and when I was taking the clubs out of my UK-blue truck with special UK license plate (here in North Carolina) some guy hollared "are you a UK fan". Not many of us (BBN) away from the cities of NC, out in the country. Turns out his father-in-law played for UK back in the 60's. I looked up the name this morning and couldn't find it, so he must have been a JV player. The guy said he didn't play much if any.
 
tug1543 said:
JP, Thanks for the walk down memory lane! I'd forgotten about so many great players that never finished four years at Ky. One name that stood out was Conley from Oil Springs who was on the 60 freshman team. Conley was a member the 59 Oil Springs HS team where the coach screwed up and scheduled two holiday tournament games on the same day. Rather than cancel one of the games, he split his team, assigning half to play on Conley's team and the other half to play with his big 6'7" center. I think his name was Blair . Oil Springs won both games. This story appeared in newspapers across the country.
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I played buddy ball with Blair sons my dad went to high school with Blair and Conley. The Gym still standing
 
JonathanW said:
I know Pitino did it in 96. But other than that, the JV team/system was before my time.

Although interestingly, yesterday afternoon I went to play golf out in the country an hour from Raleigh (course was pretty empty as you would imagine) and when I was taking the clubs out of my UK-blue truck with special UK license plate (here in North Carolina) some guy hollared "are you a UK fan". Not many of us (BBN) away from the cities of NC, out in the country. Turns out his father-in-law played for UK back in the 60's. I looked up the name this morning and couldn't find it, so he must have been a JV player. The guy said he didn't play much if any.
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Honestly, that's the main reason I put that website together is because there were so many people (actually primarily their family members) who would contact me and ask why their father or grandfather wasn't listed on my website. In many of those cases, they had played on the freshmen or JV team but for various reasons never made varsity.
 
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I have/had 2 friends who played on JV teams at UK in the 60s. (HS friend. Someone I met after college.) They were both walk-ons. There was a difference between being a recruited player and a walk-on even on JV. They totaled maybe 10 minutes of play between them. One scored 6 points. The other 0.

The experience has rarely come up. In fact, the only time was when we were both getting physical therapy because we're old. (He was in PT for knee replacement) I'd known it before because someone else told me. The one I kept contact with wasn't a particularly great player in the few times we played.
 
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NC Weasel said:
I certainly remember decent crowds showing up early for the Super Kittens games back in the 70s. That squad caught the public's attention, and of course went on to hand Bobby Knight his only loss over a 2 yr span in the '75 Regional Final.

Absolutely that "team" was better for having stayed and played together for 4 years. And every DI game had a JV game preceeding it with the same opponent. Just like high school. But those days are gone and aren't coming back.

I find it hard to believe that UNC's JV team really gets much outta beating the stuffing outta some other JV or an NAIA school. Hint, if the opposing team's center is under 6'5", this might be just practice. And nobody come to watch them at all.
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My 1st memory of a UK JV team was the 1971-72 super kittens that you posted about. Kevin Grevey, Jimmy Dan Connor, Mike Flynn, Bob Guyette, ect.... That team destroyed every team that they played on their way to a 22-0 undefeated season & was named as the mythical National Champions by it was either Basketball Weekly or Basketball Times. That team was so good I can remember them winning some games by 45/50/55 points.
 
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littlecreek said:
When Pitino had the JV team I think he filled its roster out with walk-ons besides Nazr and a few others that didn’t play much. There’s not too many college players that would want to play on a JV team now. I wonder if the games would count against a player if he gets any playing time with the varsity team, if there’s a rule about game limits?
Click to expand...
Cameron Mills was also on that JV team.
 
TopCatCal said:
My 1st memory of a UK JV team was the 1971-72 super kittens that you posted about. Kevin Grevey, Jimmy Dan Connor, Mike Flynn, Bob Guyette, ect.... That team destroyed every team that they played on their way to a 22-0 undefeated season & was named as the mythical National Champions by it was either Basketball Weekly or Basketball Times. That team was so good I can remember them winning some games by 45/50/55 points.
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We must be close in age TC. I remember that team as well. ! Jimmy Dan was The Man , lol.
 
Many D2 And D3 schools are going to multiple JV teams as a way to increase enrollment. I recently talked to a coach who has a varsity team and three “developmental” teams. He has one part time assistant coach. He teaches class until noon and then conducts three or four practices. The developmental teams are almost entirely freshmen and almost entirely small guards. This brings in an extra 50 students / paying customers! Glorified intramural program.
 
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Wish we had a JV team. Imagine the number of high school players in the state that would give anything to be at UK and play ball but at the moment not quite good enough to play on the varsity. Knowing that they could be around the program and have a chance to one day maybe getting to play on the varsity. Would be great for the state for the kids that fell into that category.
 
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