Archive for February, 2008 Page 2 of 4

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Gillispie salutes Pelphrey

Published by jtipton on February 22, 2008 in UK opponents. 0 Comments

Kentucky Coach Billy Gillispie spoke glowingly of his counterpart in Saturday’s game: Arkansas coach and former UK player John Pelphrey.

When asked about the warm reception expected for Pelphrey, Gillispie said, “He deserves it. His jersey is hanging in the rafters here. Just a fantastic person.” [Hear Gillispie’s Friday news conference.]

Of Pelphrey’s return home as a head coach, Gillispie said, “We’ll embrace that 100 percent. Now when the game starts, we’re going to go at it like crazy. But we’ll definitely welcome him back, and I’ll be one of the guys clapping hands.”

UK does not plan any ceremony or presentation to recognize Pelphrey, spokesman Scott Stricklin said.

Gillispie: Kentucky needs its best

Published by jtipton on February 22, 2008 in Uncategorized. 1 Comment

The last Arkansas team to win at Kentucky went on to win a national championship. That was in 1994, when the Hogs beat Duke to take the title.

Despite UK’s dominance in the series, which includes a current streak of seven straight wins by the Cats, Kentucky will need a great effort to beat the Hogs on Saturday.

“We’re going to have to play by far the best we’ve played all year to have any chance,” UK Coach Billy Gillispie said. “…The game will be decided not by history, but by two teams and how they perform.” [Hear Gillispie’s Friday news conference.]

Gillispie called pressure on the ball a big key in the game. He said he hoped the Cats could play at a bit of a faster pace.

Meeks ‘questionable’

Published by jtipton on February 22, 2008 in Injuries. 2 Comments

Kentucky Coach Billy Gillispie did not sound optimistic about Jodie Meeks playing against Arkansas on Saturday.

Meeks, who has played in 11 games this season, had participated in practice on a “very, very limited” basis, Gillispie said after Friday’s practice.

“He’s trying his hardest,” said Gillispie, who added that Meeks was “questionable.” [Hear Gillispie’s Friday news conference.]

Macy to represent Kentucky

Published by jtipton on February 21, 2008 in SEC. 1 Comment

Former All-American Kyle Macy will represent Kentucky when the league honors past basketball notables at this year’s SEC Tournament.

Other persons scheduled to be honored include Corliss Williamson of Arkansas, Wesley Person of Auburn, Dan Cross of Florida, former Georgia Coach Hugh Durham, Joe Harvell of Ole Miss, Bernard King of Tennessee and Barry Goheen of Vanderbilt.

The tournament will be March 13-16 in Atlanta.

No UK recruit makes McDonald’s All-American team

Published by jtipton on February 21, 2008 in Recruiting. 0 Comments

Neither DeAndre Liggins nor Darius Miller made the 2008 McDonald’s All-American team.

The team was announced on Thursday. It included Scottie Hopson of University Heights High in Hopkinsville, Ky. Hopson committed to Mississippi State, but he has not signed with the Bulldogs.

Of course, Liggins and Miller are highly regarded players. Most observers believe the McDonald’s team is an honor, but not a sign of future success.

Here’s the team:

                      ALPHABETICAL ROSTER
                                  EAST TEAM
 
    No. Name       Pos. Hgt. Wgt.   High School, State (Hometown)  College
 
    42  Al-Farouq Aminu F  6-9  205   Norcross High School, GA
                                       (Norcross, GA)              Wake Forest
    44  William Buford  G  6-5  185   Libbey High School, OH
                                       (Toledo, OH)                Ohio State
    32  Ed Davis        F  6-9  215   Benedictine High School,
                                       VA (Richmond, VA)           North
                                                                   Carolina
    1   Tyreke Evans    G  6-6  217   American Christian Academy
                                       and Prep School, PA
                                       (Chester, PA)               Undecided
    50  JaMychal Green  F  6-9  220   St. Jude Educational
                                        Institute, AL
                                        (Montgomery, AL)           Alabama
    24  Sylven
         Landesberg     G  6-6  205   Holy Cross High School, NY
                                       (Flushing, NY)              Virginia
    3   Michael Rosario G  6-2  180   Saint Anthony High School,
                                        NJ (Jersey City, NJ)       Rutgers
    55  Samardo Samuels F  6-9  230   St. Benedict’s Preparatory
                                       School, NJ
                                       (Montego Bay, Jamaica)      Louisville
    31  Chris Singleton F  6-9  225   Dunwoody High School, GA
                                       (Dunwoody, GA)              Florida
                                                                    State
   15  Kemba Walker    G  6-0  175   Rice High School, NY
                                       (Bronx, NY)                 Connecticut
    25  Elliot Williams G  6-4  165   St. George’s Independent
                                       School, TN (Memphis, TN)    Duke
    40  Tyler Zeller    C  7-0  220   Washington High School,
                                       IN (Washington, IN)         North
                                                                   Carolina
 
                                 WEST TEAM
    No.    Name       Pos. Hgt. Wgt.   High School, State (Hometown)  College
 
    5   Luke Babbitt    F  6-8  225   Galena High School, NV
                                       (Reno, NV)                  Nevada
    24  Demar DeRozan   F  6-6  210   Compton High School, CA
                                       (Compton, CA)               USC
    22  Larry Drew II   G  6-0  160   William Howard Taft
                                       High School, CA
                                      (Los Angeles, CA)            North Carolina
    33  Michael Dunigan  C 6-10 248   Farragut Career Academy,
                                       IL (Chicago, IL)            Oregon
    21  Jrue Holiday     G 6-4  195   Campbell Hall
                                       School, CA
                                       (Chatsworth, CA)            UCLA
    31  Scotty Hopson    G 6-5  180   University Heights
                                       Academy, KY
                                       (Hopkinsville, KY)          Undecided
    3   Brandon Jennings G 6-1  165   Oak Hill Academy, VA
                                       (Los Angeles, CA)           Arizona
    11  Malcolm Lee      G 6-4  165   John W. North High School,
                                       CA (Moreno Valley, CA)      UCLA
    10  Greg Monroe      F 6-10  235  Helen Cox High School, LA
                                       (Gretna, LA)                Georgetown
    32  B.J. Mullens     C 7-1   260  Canal Winchester High School,
                                       OH (Canal Winchester, OH)   Ohio State
    1   Iman Shumpert    G 6-4   200  Oak Park-River Forest
                                       High School, IL
                                       (Oak Park, IL)              Georgia Tech
    12  Willie Warren    G 6-4   195  North Crowley High School,
                                       TX (Fort Worth, TX)         Oklahoma
 
 

Dusty Mills is off the team

Published by jtipton on February 19, 2008 in Uncategorized. 10 Comments

Freshman walk-on Dusty Mills is off the team. He will not dress for tonight’s game.

Williams still on team, ex-coach says

Published by jtipton on February 19, 2008 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

Morakinyo Williams remains on Kentucky’s team despite rumors of his dismissal, the player’s former high school coach said on Tuesday.

Williams and walk-on Dusty Mills got on the wrong side of UK Coach Billy Gillispie because they were laughing and/or smiling on the bench during the Cats’ 93-52 loss at Vanderbilt last week.

Neither made the trip to LSU last weekend.

During a news conference on Monday, Gillispie was asked about Williams’ absence. Gillispie said he had not suspended the 6-foot-11 freshman.

Mark Vincent, who coached Williams at Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria, Va., said the player had not been kicked off Kentucky’s team.

“He’s still on the team, he’s still practicing,” Vincent said on Tuesday.

Vincent acknowledged having heard talk about Williams getting in trouble for his demeanor on the bench at Vandy.

Trouble for Williams, Mills

Published by jtipton on February 19, 2008 in players. 3 Comments

It wouldn’t be Kentucky basketball without intrigue.

The latest example involves Morakinyo Williams and walk-on Dusty Mills. Their transgression: the camera catching them smiling and/or laughing on the bench at Vanderbilt as Kentucky was getting beat 93-52.

Neither player made the trip to LSU last weekend.

During a news conference on Monday, UK Coach Billy Gillispie was asked why Williams did not make the trip. Gillispie said he simply chose not to take Williams, and that the player was not suspended.

Perhaps something else will surface Tuesday night when Kentucky plays Georgia.

Meeks practicing; UK at full strength

Published by jtipton on February 15, 2008 in Injuries. 3 Comments

For the first time all season, Kentucky is at full strength.

UK Coach Billy Gillispie noted how Jodie Meeks has been practicing. Meeks played six minutes at Vanderbilt on Tuesday as he tries to recover from a strained hip flexor injury.

“He’s practicing like a guy that hasn’t been out there for a while,” Gillispie said. [Hear Gillispie’s Friday press conference.]

Meeks needs the practice time to return to full form. “You don’t get in shape in two days (of practice) and six minutes of a game,” the UK coach said.

Gillispie: Do something special

Published by jtipton on February 15, 2008 in Uncategorized. 5 Comments

A 41-point loss at Vanderbilt on Tuesday did not kill Kentucky’s long-range hopes for this season, Coach Billy Gillispie said on Friday. [Hear the press conference.]

He noted the improvement made this season and said, “We’re battling to do something special before it’s all over.”

Gillispie was vague about what special accomplishments can be achieved.

“You never know,” he said. “We’re trying to be special every day.

“I always try to get my teams to overachieve greatly.”

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