‘I know my time is going to come.’ Kentucky freshman not worried about playing time.
Going into Friday’s game against North Florida, freshman Bryce Hopkins is averaging 12.6 minutes of playing time. That is the eighth-most among Kentucky players.
Hopkins is unfazed.
“I knew when I committed here I wouldn’t be a star player because we have so many great players here,” he said Wednesday. “But it’s not a bad transition. I’m glad to be on the court with great players because (opponents) can’t just focus in on you.”
Earlier this season, UK Coach John Calipari said Hopkins and another freshman, Daimion Collins, were “crushed” after playing barely four minutes combined in the opening game against Duke.
“I wasn’t crushed,” said Hopkins, who played two and one-half minutes against Duke. “I was trying to live in the moment. It was great to play in Madison Square Garden. . . . To be able to walk on that court and be on that stage was just big for me. . . .
“I know my time is going to come. Whenever that is, I want to be ready.”
Associate coach Orlando Antigua said that Hopkins’ combination of size (6-foot-6, 220 pounds) and skill makes him capable of filling multiple roles.
“He can play both inside and outside,” Antigua said. “Our challenge to him is to continue to stay motored up and keep after it on the defensive side, and rebound and let the rest of the game come to him.”
‘Great luxury’
Jacob Toppin did not play in the last four games because of a shoulder injury. An ankle injury sidelined Lance Ware for the last three games.
When asked what their absence took from the team, Antigua said, “Those guys are unique. They bring a certain toughness and a different energy.
“Not that we’re missing (those qualities). It’s something they add to our team which is a great luxury to have when you have the kind of depth we have.”
The absence of Toppin and Ware has also given freshmen Daimion Collins and Hopkins a chance to gain more game experience.
“It’s going to benefit us down the road,” Antigua said.
Scholar Athlete
Carter Hendricksen, who played at Lexington Christian Academy, leads North Florida in scoring (13.8 ppg) and rebounding (4.0 rpg).
He also leads the team in the classroom. Hendricksen was named the Atlantic Sun Conference Scholar Athlete of the Year for 2020-21. He had a grade-point average of 3.76.
“To balance school and athletics, and have a little bit of success at both, it’s a good feeling,” he said. “Academics and what you learn at school is going to go a lot further than basketball will take you.”
Cal tumbles down?
North Florida Coach Matthew Driscoll said he was in Pittsburgh recently. He was there to attend his god daughter’s Senior Day event. His god daughter plays volleyball for Fairmont State, which is in northern West Virginia.
Driscoll said he stayed at a hotel across the street from Moon Area High School, which is UK Coach John Calipari’s alma mater.
“I thought to myself, if I do seven laps around the school like they did for the walls of Jericho, maybe Coach Cal will come down just like the walls,” Driscoll said. “And we’ll have a chance to make a couple of baskets. We’ll see how that works out.”
In the Book of Joshua, the Israelites sought to conquer the city of Jericho. The Israelites marched around the city walls once a day for six days. Then on the seventh day, the Israelites marched seven times around the city, then blew their trumpets.
The walls of Jericho tumbled down.
Rebounding
In its last two games, Kentucky out-rebounded Albany 48-24 and Ohio 53-17. As of Wednesday, UK led the nation in rebound margin at plus 20.4.
To explain UK’s rebounding proficiency, Antigua said, “It’s a combination of will, a combination of skill and a combination of want-to.”
Competing with Oscar Tshiebwe, who leads the nation in average rebounds (16 rpg) and offensive rebounds (7.2 per game) enhances the team’s rebounding, Antigua said.
North Florida has been out-rebounded by an average of more than 10 per game (29.7-41.2).
Driscoll playfully suggested Thanksgiving could ease his concern about rebounding.
“The good news is I’ll get tryptophan from the turkey,” the North Florida coach said of the supposed sleep-inducing element of eating turkey.
North Florida schedule
Surely, a difficult schedule contributed to North Florida’s 1-5 record, The Ospreys opened this season with five road games in nine days. The opponents were Texas Tech and Texas A&M on back-to-back days, Grand Canyon, Arizona State and UCLA.
UK will be North Florida’s sixth road opponent in the first seven games.
Later, North Florida will play at Florida (Dec. 8) and at Florida State (Dec. 21).
“It’s money driven,” Driscoll said. “We have to bring in over $500,000 (to help fund North Florida each school year).”
Etc.
Roy Philpott and former Florida “big” Patric Young will call the game for the SEC Network.
This story was originally published November 25, 2021 at 7:45 AM.
