clarke & boston: the keys to big blue victories? #bbn commentary by larry vaught | photo courtesy the sec network Sometimes it’s easy to forget that what seem like the simplest lessons can still be hard to learn, especially for a freshman in the University of Kentucky basketball spotlight. “We didn’t know how to handle being down when it happened,” said UK freshman Isaiah Jackson said early this season. “I feel like we are going to keep growing, so when the season gets toward the end, we will be better and things will work out in our favor.” Kentucky had way more chances to adjust to being down early this season than at any time in John Calipari’s tenure at UK. Now can Kentucky overcome its rough start this season to find March success again as it has so often under Calipari? The Kentucky coach says yes. The Wildcats were a preseason top 10 team and had the nation’s top recruiting class last season. History shows that Calipari has turned teams with early-season question marks into postseason winners. For that to happen this season, who are the players Kentucky needs to mature and emerge the most? — Terrence Clarke heads the list. He’s an enormous talent who has been feeling his way into the go-to role that Calipari has envisioned for him – including playing point guard as needed – since the day he committed to UK. “Clarke is as gifted as any kid that has come to Kentucky,” ESPN analyst Jimmy Dykes (a former UK assistant coach under Eddie Sutton) said. “Cal is doing a nice job getting the casual parts out of him with some tough love, and he is learning every day. He does things few guys can do, but he has got to stay consistent with his energy. He can’t disappoint at times. He has to be the guy.” — BJ Boston is 1A on the list. Like Clarke, he was highly ranked and considered one of the next one-and-done stars at UK, but he has to become a better shotmaker and ballhandler. “Boston can really just twist and turn his body and score in a lot
of ways,” Dykes said. “[Boston] is a fighter and a very talented player. He’s got to be a guy that takes extreme pride in being a guy that we call upon to get buckets, and it is our job to teach him that,” Kentucky assistant coach Joel Justus said. Sporting News college basketball writer Mike DeCourcy believes Kentucky will go as far as Clarke and Boston can take it during March. “You are talking about elite, dynamic wings who could be gamechangers on both ends of the floor, and should be,” DeCourcy said. “Brandon is not ever going to be a sturdy defender. He’s not built for it, but he can be very disruptive with his length and knock balls loose and block shots because he is playing against smaller players less physically gifted than him. I think Terrence can do the same. “They do not have to be great shooters but have to be consistent shooters, something they both are capable of doing. They have to understand quality shots. Every team they have been on, they have been the most talented player and very few times could they be stopped. Now they are still talented but are going against guys who have a better understanding of how to stop them. As they get a better understanding of that, they’ll get a lot better.” Kentucky has a chance to be elite defensively with its length and athleticism. Jackson could be one of the best shot blockers/ rebounders Calipari has had at Kentucky. They have to get more physical, something Calipari stresses almost daily. Still, to be elite in March, the offense has to be the catalyst. “The have to figure out who they are offensively to be elite,” Dykes said. “Cal will figure it out. He’s good at that. Until then, they have to win with defense, rebounding and speed. But to be elite in March, their offense has to be elite, and that’s where Boston and Clarke have to be the guys to make it happen.” •
“Now can Kentucky overcome its rough start this season to find March success again, as it has so often under Calipari? The Kentucky coach says yes.” January 2021 | TOPSinLex.com
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