Three takeaways from Kentucky basketball’s win over Africa in GLOBL JAM 2023
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Kentucky at the 2023 GLOBL JAM
Click below to read all of the coverage from the Lexington Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com from the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team’s gold-medal winning performance in Canada.
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Three takeaways from Kentucky basketball’s 104-92 win over Africa on Saturday at GLOBL JAM 2023 in Toronto:
1. Kentucky had to show something different in this win
After a victory over Germany in the opener of this four-team tournament on Wednesday, and a blowout of host Canada on Thursday, John Calipari’s Cats appeared in control over winless Africa for three quarters until, all of a sudden, it appeared the outcome might go either way.
After trailing 61-41 early in the third quarter, Africa fought all the way back to pull within just six points of the Wildcats, 87-81, when Jean Jacques Boissy buried a three-pointer with 5:20 remaining.
Challenged for the first time all game, Kentucky responded. Freshman Justin Edwards followed in his own miss. Freshman Reed Sheppard buried a pair of free throws. D.J. Wagner scored on a floater as the shot clock was ticking down. Finally, Antonio Reeves nailed a three-pointer with 2:47 left to end the 9-0 run which gave Kentucky a 96-81 cushion.
Reeves finished with a game-high 27 points, giving him 74 points in the three games. The fifth-year veteran was 9-of-14 from the floor, including 8-of-11 from three-point range. Wagner finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists and zero turnovers. Sheppard ended up with 18 points, eight assists and two blocked shots. After scoring nine points in the first quarter, Edwards finished with 15.
2. Kentucky sharp again behind the three-point line
Prior to the Canada trip, Calipari said this should be a good three-point shooting team. But then doesn’t the Kentucky coach always say his team is or should be a good three-point shooting team? Sometimes, he’s right. Sometimes, he’s wrong.
This time, Cal may be right. UK was 14-of-35 from behind the line on Saturday for 40 percent. Over the three games, the Cats are 34-of-92 from three for a respectable 37.0 percent. Reeves is 14-of-24 from three-point land in Toronto.
Many of those three-pointers have come when Kentucky has pushed the fast break and found either trailers or teammates open on the perimeter. Other times, different Cats have driven the ball to the basket off spread action. It is reminiscent of Calipari’s early teams at Kentucky and his latter teams at Memphis.
How will big men Ugonna Onyenso and Aaron Bradshaw fit into that style of play? We won’t know for sure until both are back from their injuries — Onyenso an ankle; Bradshaw a foot — but the guess is they’ll be just fine. Onyenso is long, lean and can run the floor. Bradshaw is touted as more of a stretch-four than a post-up player.
3. UK has been impressive north of the border
With the addition of three new players, including Louisville center Emmanuel Okorafor, an 0-2 Africa turned out to be a tougher test Saturday than first thought.
And while Germany and Canada did not exactly live up to the pre-tournament hype, you have to be impressed with the way Kentucky has played, going 3-0 heading into Sunday’s gold medal game.
The Cats have shared the ball. They were credited with 26 assists, giving them 77 for the three games. Sheppard led the way with eight assists against Africa, followed by Tre Mitchell with seven and D.J. Wagner with five.
UK has also played well defensively. Calipari even used a lot of 2-3 zone in the second half Saturday against the taller African team. Edwards and Adou Thiero each had three steals. Sheppard blocked two shots, both on three-point attempts.
Kentucky basketball’s cumulative stats in Toronto
This story was originally published July 15, 2023 at 4:29 PM.
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