Briscoe gives Kentucky an essential quality: ‘You win with players like Isaiah’

During the Southeastern Conference Media Day interviews Wednesday, Kentucky Coach John Calipari paid Isaiah Briscoe the ultimate compliment.

“You win with players like Isaiah,” Calipari said.

That boiled down a player assessment to the essential.

Several SEC coaches said that the ever-present attention paid to shooting can overshadow the intangibles a particular player can bring to a team.

“I had a number of players, not necessarily great shooters, who had more impact than anybody else,” said Mississippi State Coach Ben Howland, who guided UCLA teams to the Final Four.

The many ways Briscoe helped Kentucky win last season defied an easy labeling with numbers. How do you quantify grit? Competitiveness? Toughness? Fearlessness?

But because he didn’t shoot well, which was well chronicled last season and this preseason, Briscoe’s contributions got overlooked.

Calipari disagreed with that suggestion.

“No, I don’t think so . . . ,” the UK coach said. “Maybe a casual fan. Maybe a writer may not get it. I think people who know basketball are going to look at him and say, ‘You know what? Wow!’”

Briscoe did not accept the idea that the attention paid to shooting robbed him of adequate appreciation for what he did last season.

“I put that on myself,” he said. “Obviously, that will overshadow (the intangible contributions) because that was the category I struggled in.”

Shooting has its place, and especially for Briscoe in his quest to improve last season’s poor marksmanship. Calipari has stressed shooting improvement, in part, because it can be Briscoe’s ticket to the NBA.

“I’ll be surprised if he’s not a first-round pick,” the UK coach said. “Because the only thing between him and that happening is making 65 percent of his free throws and 32 percent of his three-point shots.”

As UK fans know, Briscoe made only five of 37 three-point shots last season (13.5 percent) and 57 of 124 free throws (46 percent).

So far this preseason, Briscoe has shown great improvement.

“He’s shooting 35 percent from three,” Calipari said. “Shooting the ball way better and much more confidently.”

Calipari has spurred this improvement by setting a practice rule: If Briscoe passes up an open shot, the whistle blows and his reluctance is considered a turnover.

“It all comes down to making shots,” Calipari said. “I know he can get to the rim. I know he’s a great layup shooter. I know he knows how to use angles and his body. But he’s now taken it on, ‘I’ve got to shoot the ball.’”

It seemed a given that Briscoe will continue to display the intangibles that make the difference between winning and losing.

Ole Miss Coach Andy Kennedy said he especially looks for these qualities as he assesses his team this time of year.

“I really pay attention during the preseason work,” he said. “Who are the guys who always win? I like those guys.”

As an example of such a player, Howland singled out Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, a key contributer to UCLA’s Final Four appearances of a decade ago.

This kind of player provides great defense, Howland said. Great screening. Great passing. Guards the other team’s best player. Plays great team defense.

“He made us win,” Howland said.

Are those types of players under-appreciated?

“By people who know the game, they’re most appreciated,” Howland said. “For me, I love those guys.”

Alabama Coach Avery Johnson noticed Briscoe’s impact last season.

“When everybody was focused on some of the things (Tyler) Ulis did, there were times (Briscoe) hurt us with breaking down our defense,” Johnson said, “or sneaking in and getting an offensive rebound on a timely possession.”

Briscoe credited where he grew up as a way to explain his competitive spirit.

“You have to be tough coming from Newark,” he said.

The toughness and grit would seem a good way to display leadership, a quality Kentucky is looking for Briscoe to provide this season.

“That’s why we’ll be a great defensive team,” he said. “I know it’ll start with me.”

Whether noticed or not, Briscoe said he takes pride in defense.

“A lot,” he said. “That’s what makes me who I am. That’s what keeps me on the court.”

Etc.

Observations offered by Calipari on Wednesday included:

▪  Freshman Wenyen Gabriel had been the hardest worker in practices. Then Briscoe caught up. Then Bam Adebayo “stepped up because he saw how hard Isaac (Humphries) was working.”

▪  The three guards expected to be starters (Malik Monk, De’Aaron Fox and Briscoe) have not yet played together in practice. “They will be together,” Calipari said.

▪  A key to playing basketball. “How fast you move your feet and then how slow can your mind move?” The game slows down for Fox as he speeds along the court.

Briscoe’s assessments included:

▪  The past tense should be used when discussing UK’s problems establishing a post presence last season. “I don’t think that will be a problem this year,” he said dryly.

▪  UK can achieve at a maximum level. “The sky’s the limit,” he said. “The potential is limitless.”

This story was originally published October 19, 2016 at 7:45 PM with the headline "Briscoe gives Kentucky an essential quality: ‘You win with players like Isaiah’."