UGO - Silver Lining

[Cowtown Cat]

For all of you that said UGO wouldn’t give us anything this season, yall were way off. Unbelievable stat like for him in last night’s game. Hell, he almost fvcked around and got a triple double: 13 points, 16 boards, 2 steals and 8 blocks, while shooting 5/6 at the line. Wow!

He’s our best big. We desperately need one of the three 7 footers to be good, and it looks like he’s answering the bell.

 

[JonathanW]

I was if not the only one, then one of the very few who last summer before his Canada injury was saying that Onyenso may be our starting C this year over Bradshaw, that even though Dickinson is better that we didn't need him.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

I was if not the only one, then one of the very few who last summer before his Canada injury was saying that Onyenso may be our starting C this year over Bradshaw, that even though Dickinson is better that we didn't need him.

I’ve been saying all offseason that he would be a key player for this team. For one, Bradshaw is much too raw and is way too weak to play effectively in the SEC, night in and night out. He may have some bright spots, but overall he’s just not strong enough.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Just means he won't be back next season.

Happy for him though.

 

[CUJO_1970]

Bradshaw is soft and weak, and Edwards is a bust.

Ugo has the potential to be a beast, he needs to work on his hands - he has Nick Richards hands right now.

 

[UK67KU59]

Hell of a game from the young man. Too bad we wasted it and laid a big goose egg. If we would have just not let them shoot a season high from deep we could be giving Ugo his well deserved praise instead of lamenting the depressing trajectory this team is taking toward a 1st or 2nd round loss in March.

 

[wildcat_nation28]

For all of you that said UGO wouldn’t give us anything this season, yall were way off. Unbelievable stat like for him in last night’s game. Hell, he almost fvcked around and got a triple double: 13 points, 16 boards, 2 steals and 8 blocks, while shooting 5/6 at the line. Wow!

He’s our best big. We desperately need one of the three 7 footers to be good, and it looks like he’s answering the bell.

Needs to make the easy 2 ft jumper

 

[K_TIME]

For sure..Ugo is a nice to see him be so good last night.

1. His defensive presence has been on display since SEC play....he's just different to score upon vs. Bradshaw/Mitchell...and probably Big Z. And since this team can score so good and defense is so poor....Ugo is a natural fit to play more minutes. You just have to play him 25 minutes.
2. To bulldog that many rebounds was the part I was not sure of....but hes' grabbing tough rebounds...not just the ones that fall to him.
3. His offense is a work in progress.....but if he can strengthen his hands adn develop at least some drop steps moves and finish going to the rim vs. hook shots.....he's a NBA dude at that point.

But he'll be gone next year and we'll never get to see it....so I don't know why I just posted 🤷‍♂️

 

[CRZ4UK]

For all of you that said UGO wouldn’t give us anything this season, yall were way off. Unbelievable stat like for him in last night’s game. Hell, he almost fvcked around and got a triple double: 13 points, 16 boards, 2 steals and 8 blocks, while shooting 5/6 at the line. Wow!

He’s our best big. We desperately need one of the three 7 footers to be good, and it looks like he’s answering the bell.

Big Z should be first off the bench as well. He does everything better than Bradshaw. So Calipari after working with these guys 2 months starts Bradshaw, then Z then UGO got 2 minutes for the first 3 weeks they are available. The best player ends up being UGO, then Z and Bradshaw. You just can’t miss evaluating more than that. Exactly backwards from his 2 months of eval.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

Big Z should be first off the bench as well. He does everything better than Bradshaw. So Calipari after working with these guys 2 months starts Bradshaw, then Z then UGO got 2 minutes for the first 3 weeks they are available. The best player ends up being UGO, then Z and Bradshaw. You just can’t miss evaluating more than that.

Agreed. It should be Ugo and then Z. Bradshaw only plays for breathers and foul trouble. Dude just isn’t that good.

 

[CRZ4UK]

Agreed. It should be Ugo and then Z. Bradshaw only plays for breathers and foul trouble. Dude just isn’t that good.

Remember Klutch was demanding he play the 4 before the season?? Lol

 

[FirewithFire]

The most important part about Ugo is his rim protection. That will allow our guards to stop sagging off their man and we can finally extend our three point defense.

I really do think that alone will change the trajectory of this season.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

The most important part about Ugo is his rim protection. That will allow our guards to stop sagging off their man and we can finally extend our three point defense.

I really do think that alone will change the trajectory of this season.

Exactly! Been saying forever that he’s our best shot blocker my a WIDE margin! Cal needs to stick with Ugo and allow him to develop and get up to game speed. Have Z as backup. Bradshaw is odd man out.

 

[ukcatz12]

The most important part about Ugo is his rim protection. That will allow our guards to stop sagging off their man and we can finally extend our three point defense.

I really do think that alone will change the trajectory of this season.

If the guards could actually start doing that it would be great. Still way too much ball watching and sagging off their man and it cost us repeatedly last night.

 

[K_TIME]

Big Z should be first off the bench as well. He does everything better than Bradshaw. So Calipari after working with these guys 2 months starts Bradshaw, then Z then UGO got 2 minutes for the first 3 weeks they are available. The best player ends up being UGO, then Z and Bradshaw. You just can’t miss evaluating more than that. Exactly backwards from his 2 months of eval.

I never thought of it this way..but you’re right.

Cal has had all these guys for months in end in practice and pre season….snd he clearly had Bradshaw best and then Ugo BigZ after him…and it’s like the better players are backwards in reality

Cal ranking are purely based on high school rankings…

 

[BC_Wader]

Bradshaw is soft and weak, and Edwards is a bust.

Ugo has the potential to be a beast, he needs to work on his hands - he has Nick Richards hands right now.

Some of those aren't his fault. You can't throw low passes in traffic to most any 7 footer. Throw it up high. Ugo also has a tendency to bring the ball down once he has it. Recipe for the small guys to come and knock it loose. Still, he's our best big by a MILE and I was happy for him last night. He earned way more PT going forward. Now let's hope Cal doesn't defer to draft picks. The Bradshaw experiment just isn't working. He's charmin soft and just isn't tough enough.

 

[Fox2monk]

For all of you that said UGO wouldn’t give us anything this season, yall were way off. Unbelievable stat like for him in last night’s game. Hell, he almost fvcked around and got a triple double: 13 points, 16 boards, 2 steals and 8 blocks, while shooting 5/6 at the line. Wow!

He’s our best big. We desperately need one of the three 7 footers to be good, and it looks like he’s answering the bell.

He played really well for sure. Still wish Cal would play Z a little bit. Hard to believe he had a debut like he did and now gets 3 minutes a half. No wonder dudes transfer from here.

 

[Fox2monk]

The most important part about Ugo is his rim protection. That will allow our guards to stop sagging off their man and we can finally extend our three point defense.

I really do think that alone will change the trajectory of this season.

Maybe but it didn’t work last night, we got lit up from 3 again. I can’t believe after this long that guys are still ball watching. I can’t believe Reed was so out of position again a kid that hit 7 3’s last night for the game. They were so concerned not giving up a 2 they lost the game.

 

[docholiday51]

I never thought of it this way..but you’re right.

Cal has had all these guys for months in end in practice and pre season….snd he clearly had Bradshaw best and then Ugo BigZ after him…and it’s like the better players are backwards in reality

Cal ranking are purely based on high school rankings…

I doubt that Cal misevaluated the three that badly(did his staff do the same, all of them) He chose to play these guys as he did. In Z's case maybe the NCAA foot dragging played a role. Cal is not about winning games, or even preparing for March. He plays AAU/NBA politics from the time players get here till they go out the door.

UK basketball since 2015 has been nothing more than an NBA draft prep organization. Cal has been successful in that endeavor for the most part

 

[EliteBlue]

The most important part about Ugo is his rim protection. That will allow our guards to stop sagging off their man and we can finally extend our three point defense.

I really do think that alone will change the trajectory of this season.

This.

I doubt it’ll happen but our help defense is garbage. We need to largely abandon it and press up into a pressure man. Essentially a lot of denying and forcing 1v1 play on the perimeter W Ugo in the paint to challenge shots. If we are going to give up points I’d rather it be challenged 2s getting beat off the bounce instead of open 3s from over helping. Only help should come from 2 passes away, not sagging off 1 pass away. 1pass away Denies ball.

This simplifies assignments and protects the 3 line. 99% of teams can’t out score us without hitting 10+ 3s. Good help defense requires great team rotation…which we are awful at

 

[BigTyrone]

I was wrong. I didn't expect him to contribute much this year.