It was a long day. Finally getting settled down in the room to type out some notes after leaving home this morning at 8:00 A.M. to make the ride up I-65. It is the first live period of the spring, and Mark Pope and Jason Hart were very visible throughout. I spoke to Coach Pope briefly in the parking lot when I arrived. He is a very personable man with a great personality.
It is going to be somewhat of an adjustment getting used to a different recruiting philosophy. John Calipari was easy to figure out. Find the top-20 guys. Pope is going to look for players that fit his style of play, and many of them may not be ranked as high as what we have been used to. Some of the newer names would be Jerry Easter for starters. The very quick guard had 25 points and 9 rebounds against the Nightrydas. He is quick as a cat and hit three of four three-pointers. The Nightrydas are loaded with the Boozer twins, and they just picked up Caleb Wilson who came over from the Georgia Stars. The trio combined for 49 points, 15 rebounds, and 13 assists.
Shelton Henderson and Hudson Greer are two other players who are beginning to hear from Pope. The duo out of Texas plays for JL3. Henderson has a man's body from the off-guard spot. He had 20 points and 6 rebounds. He looks like an Eric Bledsoe. Hudson Greer is a wing who can really shoot it. He struggled, but the flashes are there.
Tonde Yessoufou may be a name to remember. He is from Africa, and plays for Team Why Not out of California. He really likes Kentucky, and voluntarily called them his "dream school." He is another very strong and powerful wing in the 6-5 range. He had 11 points, and did go 2 for 4 from deep.
Jasper Johnson had 20 points on just eight shots. He hit all three of his trifecta attempts. A.J. Dybansta had 21 points, but two of the best performances I have seen this season was going on at the same time on different courts. Tyran Stokes was dialed in and looked like an absolute freak with 31 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. He toyed with the opponent, and made three-pointers look like layups. Then he had some open floor dunks that were absolutely scary. Nobody wanted to get in front of him. Think Earl Campbell jumping over the backboard.
The best was Will Riley. He finished with 42 points (I had him with 45). He went 15 for 16 from the field, and many of his shots were tough, contested ones from all three levels. He was five for five from deep, and all seven of his free throws. It was as close to as perfect of a game as one could get. Don't forget he has Kentucky in his final four, and is a reclass candidate. Pope was at Dybantsa and Stokes game, and not at Riley's. But you can only be one place at a time, and I'm sure he will see him tomorrow. We will be there too.
It is going to be somewhat of an adjustment getting used to a different recruiting philosophy. John Calipari was easy to figure out. Find the top-20 guys. Pope is going to look for players that fit his style of play, and many of them may not be ranked as high as what we have been used to. Some of the newer names would be Jerry Easter for starters. The very quick guard had 25 points and 9 rebounds against the Nightrydas. He is quick as a cat and hit three of four three-pointers. The Nightrydas are loaded with the Boozer twins, and they just picked up Caleb Wilson who came over from the Georgia Stars. The trio combined for 49 points, 15 rebounds, and 13 assists.
Shelton Henderson and Hudson Greer are two other players who are beginning to hear from Pope. The duo out of Texas plays for JL3. Henderson has a man's body from the off-guard spot. He had 20 points and 6 rebounds. He looks like an Eric Bledsoe. Hudson Greer is a wing who can really shoot it. He struggled, but the flashes are there.
Tonde Yessoufou may be a name to remember. He is from Africa, and plays for Team Why Not out of California. He really likes Kentucky, and voluntarily called them his "dream school." He is another very strong and powerful wing in the 6-5 range. He had 11 points, and did go 2 for 4 from deep.
Jasper Johnson had 20 points on just eight shots. He hit all three of his trifecta attempts. A.J. Dybansta had 21 points, but two of the best performances I have seen this season was going on at the same time on different courts. Tyran Stokes was dialed in and looked like an absolute freak with 31 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. He toyed with the opponent, and made three-pointers look like layups. Then he had some open floor dunks that were absolutely scary. Nobody wanted to get in front of him. Think Earl Campbell jumping over the backboard.
The best was Will Riley. He finished with 42 points (I had him with 45). He went 15 for 16 from the field, and many of his shots were tough, contested ones from all three levels. He was five for five from deep, and all seven of his free throws. It was as close to as perfect of a game as one could get. Don't forget he has Kentucky in his final four, and is a reclass candidate. Pope was at Dybantsa and Stokes game, and not at Riley's. But you can only be one place at a time, and I'm sure he will see him tomorrow. We will be there too.
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