Ashton Hagans takes a bad step — and Kentucky sees its season flash before its eyes
The No. 17 Kentucky Wildcats were putting the finishing touches on a workman-like 71-59 victory over the Missouri Tigers in the SEC opener for both teams Saturday when something happened that felt like it could change everything for UK.
As Missouri guard Dru Smith accepted a pass near midcourt, UK point guard Ashton Hagans closed out on him defensively.
The play looked as innocuous as could be — except Hagans appeared to “take a bad step” and pulled up lame.
Hagans grabbed the back of his left ankle, then began to hobble on his right foot, putting no weight on his left leg.
He limped off the court with 1:48 left in the game.
Quicker than you could think “Kevin Durant,” Hagans’ reaction to his injury left the fear he might have ruptured an Achilles tendon.
In an instant, the UK basketball season was flashing before all eyes. More importantly, the impact of an Achilles tendon issue like the one that will keep NBA superstar Durant out for all of 2019-20 could be devastating for Hagans.
“Yeah, that was my fear,” UK Coach John Calipari said when asked if Hagans had an Achilles tendon injury. “Forget about our team, (but) for him, his game and how he plays.”
Yet, after raising concern over Hagans’ status by arriving for his postgame news conference far later than normal, Calipari brought what seems to be positive news.
“It’s not his Achilles,” Calipari said. “It’s a low-ankle sprain. You know, high-ankle sprains take, like, two weeks (to heal). A low-ankle sprain takes 18 hours. So, (Hagans will) be fine.”
The uncertainty about Hagans was a dark cloud on what was otherwise a positive day for Kentucky. Two of the heroes of UK’s 78-70 overtime upset of No. 3 Louisville a week ago backed it up with another strong showing against Mizzou.
Kentucky junior center Nick Richards, who dropped 13 points and 10 rebounds on the Cardinals, produced a more robust double-double against Cuonzo Martin’s Tigers.
The 6-foot-11, 247-pound product of Kingston, Jamaica, had 21 points and 12 rebounds to go along with four blocked shots.
Simply put, if Richards can consistently play at the level he has been at the past two games, UK has a low-post weapon few teams in men’s college basketball can match.
Meanwhile, Wildcats sophomore guard Immanuel Quickley, who had a career-high 18 points in the vanquishing of The Ville, came back with another new career best against Mizzou.
The 6-3, 188-pound native of Havre de Grace, Md., rifled in 23 points, including 17 in the second half. On a team desperate for a reliable three-point shooter, Quickley has now made six of 14 over the past two games.
Yet other positives were dimmed by concern over Hagans (who was not available for postgame interviews).
“I didn’t even see the play. I don’t think (Hagans) knew what happened,” Quickley said. “When he was limping, it definitely dropped my heart. I’m sure everybody was holding their breath.”
Said UK forward Nate Sestina: “I didn’t know until I saw (Hagans) over at the team huddle. But, yeah, that’s our guy. He’s our go-to-guy on offense and defense.”
It is hard to overstate how vital the 6-3, 198-pound sophomore from Cartersville, Ga., is to Kentucky’s 2019-20 season.
Hagans initiates the UK offense. With seven assists against Missouri, Hagans now has 95 total in 13 games, an average of 7.3 per game.
“He’s the guy that gets everybody open shots,” Richards said. “He’s our facilitator.”
A relentless on-ball defender with a knack for steals, Hagans is the tone-setter for the Kentucky defense.
“His toughness alone, teams kind of fear that,” Quickley said.
Kentucky’s next game will be a severe test. The Wildcats (10-3, 1-0 SEC) will play their initial SEC road game at Georgia (10-3, 0-0 SEC). Tom Crean’s Bulldogs upset No. 9 Memphis 65-62 on the road Saturday. The Dawgs are unbeaten (8-0) at home.
Hagans, who originally committed to play at Georgia when the former coaching staff of Mark Fox was in place, was the subject of an unhappy crowd when he returned to Athens last year as a UK freshman.
He answered by scoring 23 points in a 69-49 UK beatdown.
If Hagans is not running Kentucky’s show Tuesday night — or for any remaining game — the Wildcats’ chances of doing memorable things would seem to go down substantially.
“Maybe he doesn’t play against Georgia,” Calipari said. “Then you’re all going to see the impact and the importance he has on this team. His will drags these guys.”
That is why Kentucky fans will be well served to continue to hold their breath until they get confirmation that Calipari’s initially-positive report on the severity of Hagans’ ankle injury is correct.
This story was originally published January 4, 2020 at 7:23 PM.
