Kentucky’s Dontaie Allen talks about toll it takes to persevere through injury
Freshman Dontaie Allen returns to the court Saturday. But he won’t be playing for Kentucky against Georgia Tech. He’ll receive a ring commemorating being named 2019 Kentucky Mr. Basketball in a pregame ceremony (at about the 12:30 mark on the clock counting down the time until player introductions).
Of course, Allen tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, an injury that limited his high school senior season to 13 games. That ended a high school career that saw him score 3,255 points (11th most by any Kentucky high school player) and grab 1,228 rebounds (22nd most).
“I just went for a hop step, then went into a fadeaway,” he said of the injury. “My knee kind of buckled. . . . I thought it was just general soreness. But we found out, maybe a month later, it was an ACL.”
Allen credited his family for helping him deal with the injury, which took place on Dec. 22 last year.
“My family let me know it wasn’t the end of the road,” he said, “and to just keep pushing.”
Allen, a 6-foot-6 guard, said he returned to full-contact practicing about 10 days ago. He acknowledged that it can be difficult to practice day after day.
“It’s really just how the knee is feeling,” he said. “If it’s sore, if it swells up a little bit, which is part of the process, then it’s really dependent on that.” UK Coach John Calipari said Allen’s return to play is “a ways away.” Calipari said Allen appeared to be about 75 percent of his former self.
Of his return to practice, Allen said, “I was just running around, like, jumping around. It was really fun. . . . My love for the game hasn’t wavered.”
Fun aside, Calipari said that practices can be instructional, especially for a player sidelined. “You should know all the stuff because you’re sitting there,” he said.
Allen acknowledged that he has fallen short of knowing all the stuff.
“It’s so much different from high school,” he said. “Level of play. Defense. Strategies. Things like that.”
Kahlil and Johnny
Calipari called for more production from freshmen Kahlil Whitney (activity, defense, rebounding) and Johnny Juzang (shooting).
“For us to be one of those teams, which we are not right now, . . . (Whitney) has got to play well. And Johnny’s got to make a couple shots.”
Juzang has made five of 23 shots (two of 13 from three-point range).
In the last three games, Whitney has made four of 16 shots while averaging 4.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 16.3 minutes.
Never satisfied
Nick Richards had one double-double in his first two seasons. He’s had four in the last seven games. He leads UK in scoring (14.0 ppg) and rebounding (8.5 rpg).
Is Calipari satisfied? Is Santa Claus a miser?
After a recent double-double, Calipari said Richards should have had 25 points and 15 rebounds.
“Why not get 15 (rebounds)?” the UK coach said. “Why not go after every ball with two hands? Why not create space?”
Said Richards of Calipari’s insatiable appetite: “Shows he sees something in me that he wants. And he wants to bring it out of me.
“He’s obviously right. I have to be better as a player, push myself and try to bring more to the team.”
EJ Montgomery, who’s scored career-high points in the last two games (16 against UAB, 25 against Fairleigh Dickinson), got the more-more-more treatment.
“Let’s go rebound and play better defense,” Calipari said of Montgomery. “Keep scoring. But let’s do that, too.
“We’re never going to be satisfied, OK? What’s the next step up for these kids.”
Jordan sidelined
Ben Jordan, the baseball pitcher imported to give UK basketball a practice player, is sidelined with a head injury.
Short-handed
Georgia Tech is playing without point guard Jose Alvarado. Coach Josh Pastner said Alvarado was Tech’s best player in the summer and fall.
“So not having him really hurts us,” Pastner said.
Through seven games, Georgia Tech has more turnovers (122) than assists (102).
And Jordan Usher, a transfer from Southern California, will not be eligible until next Wednesday. He averaged 8.6 points and 3.7 rebounds for USC last season.
“So, we’re missing two of our best guys, which makes it tough,” Pastner said. “(Usher) gives us another alpha guy who can really score, and (provide) a great jolt of energy.”
‘Lethargic’
In its last game, Georgia Tech lost at home to Syracuse, 97-63.
Syracuse was “on fire,” Pastner said. The Orange, who improved to 5-4, made 29 of 57 shots, 14 of 33 three-point shots and 25 of 30 free throws.
“We were just lethargic,” Pastner said. “We played like we were in the middle of finals.”
Final exams at Georgia Tech began Dec. 5 and ended a week later.
‘Bubba’
Playing for VMI last season, Georgia Tech guard Bubba Parham scored 35 points against UK. That’s the fourth-most points scored by an opposing player in Calipari’s 11 seasons as coach.
“It’s pretty cool to hear,” Parham said of his place in Kentucky basketball history. “I actually didn’t know that till now.”
When asked about Parham returning to Rupp Arena, Calipari quipped, “He hasn’t slept in two days waiting on this game.”
Etc.
Jason Benetti and Jay Bilas will call the game for ESPN.
