Maxey steps up for UK again. ‘He can take over games at any point in time.’
Tyrese Maxey debuted as a Kentucky player in grand style. He set a program record for points by a freshman in his first game with 26 against No. 1 Michigan State.
Was that the “real” Tyrese Maxey?
Or did the real Maxey show himself in Game 2: nine points and four turnovers?
Or was it the 3-for-15 shooting from three-point range since Michigan State going into Sunday night’s game against Lamar?
Or, UK fans can hope, it was the Maxey who made four of six three-point shots and scored 21 points in the 81-56 rout of Lamar.
“Those are all Tyrese,” Maxey said with a smile after the Lamar game. “It’s whatever the team needs.”
Kentucky needed Maxey — or someone — after an early 15-2 lead disappeared in less than six minutes. With the score tied at 19, Maxey contributed four three-pointers in a 20-0 run that steered UK toward victory.
“That tells you the type of player he is,” teammate Nick Richards said. “He can take over games at any point in time.”
Maxey acknowledged that he has been guilty at times of thinking too much on the court. But he had stated a good reason why.
“It’s new for me,” he said of basketball at the college level. “What is this? Six games?”
Players are bigger, stronger, faster and better than he’s used to, Maxey said. And scouting reports are more detailed by opponents more willing to follow coaches’ instructions.
“In high school, you just go out there and play, really,” Maxey said.
Days for practice
UK Coach John Calipari welcomed the increased practice time the upcoming schedule provides. Kentucky will play only six games in the next 40 days.
“We’ve got a long ways to go,” Calipari said. “But we have time now. … I’ve got practice days. I can get them in there. We can scrimmage and talk through all the things that we’re trying to do on the run.”
Among the changes Calipari hoped the upcoming six weeks can bring include making freshmen Kahlil Whitney and Keion Brooks become more comfortable on the court.
And, the UK coach added, “We’ve got to get Nate (Sestina) back to being comfortable and more of a guy that’s, you know, showing who he is (and) not trying to live up to something. Because it changes how you play.”
Every possession
Calipari attributed the 15-2 first-half lead that disappeared in less than six minutes to players not prizing each and every possession in a game.
“You have to put a premium on every possession,” he said before impersonating the approach he’d want a player to take. “‘I’m playing every possession as though it matters.’
“We’re not there yet. We’re playing about 60 percent of the possessions (where) we’ll really fight and dig in and play.”
‘Never satisfied’
Calipari noted Maxey had three assists, then immediately said he’d like to see the freshman have six assists.
Maxey said this was being pushed by a diligent coach.
When asked how often Calipari has expressed satisfaction with a player’s performance, Maxey said, “Nah. Nah. He’s never satisfied. He wants us to reach our full potential. That’s one of the reasons he’s one of the greatest. … You’ve always got 40 percent you can get better.”
Thanksgiving
Richards said he was not sure how the UK team would celebrate Thanksgiving.
“We’re probably going to have dinner as a team,” he said. “Probably going to do a lot of team activities, a lot of team bonding.”
Thanksgiving is not a holiday in his native Jamaica, Richards said. But that doesn’t mean he’s not thankful.
“I’m thankful for a lot of things right now,” he said. “Teammates. Family. BBN for supporting us through a lot of ups and downs throughout the season.”
Unsteady Lamar
As turbulent offseasons go, Lamar had to make sure its seat belt was securely fastened and remember to put on its oxygen mask before helping others.
Seven players from last season with remaining eligibility are not on the team.
Lamar chose not to renew the scholarships of four players, Coach Tic Price said.
Another player chose not to continue playing after sustaining a third concussion. “He picked his health over basketball,” Price said.
Another player went home after the spring semester and decided not to return.
“We had quite a few things happen at the end of the year that made us scramble during the summer time when we felt we had recruiting locked down,” Price said. “It wasn’t that way. We had to scramble at the end to get some players.”
Next game
UAB at No. 9 Kentucky
7 p.m. Friday (SEC Network)
This story was originally published November 24, 2019 at 11:12 PM.
