Kentucky obliterated the host Canadian team and is now 2-0 in GLOBL JAM.
Game 2 of GLOBL JAM is on the books of the Kentucky Wildcats.
It was hard to have any kind of expectations for this Kentucky team heading into a round robin play at Globl Jam because there were so many unknowns.
I think I speak for most Kentucky fans when I say I was pleasantly surprised at how the Cats handled Germany with relative ease on Wednesday afternoon.
However, in Thursday’s game with the host Canadian team, there were questions about how this young team would respond to playing back-to-back games in July.
Those questions were quickly answered when Kentucky came out imposing its will from the opening communiqué. Despite changing starters, the Cats never missed an offensive win.
UK would lead 49-34 at half-time, but the story of the first half was Red Sheppard’s play. The Kentucky native was dominant on the defensive end getting steals and converting dives on the other end.
After the start, Sheppard led Kentucky in scoring with 12 points to go along with three steals in the first half.
Calipari and the Cats stayed in shape after the break and did nothing but extend the lead in the fourth quarter.
I would have liked to see some competition in the long run, but it was mainly on Kentucky cruise control that they would win 93-69.
Here are five things to know.
Red Sheppard Show
The rookie guard wasted no time in impressing the game after his first start. Sheppard mainly dominated the first half with his aggressive defense propelling his offense.
Numerous steals and championships ignited the Kentucky-dominant crowd, and it was easy to see that Red Sheppard was feeding off of their energy.
For the few who are still wondering “if” Sheppard will play, it’s officially time to change your attitude to “how much” because after what we saw tonight, there’s no doubt the baby will be on the floor.
He had finished the game with 14 points on 5/8 shooting, four assists, four steals, two steals, two steals, and two pass breakups.
Guard play
The Kentucky back court opened Globl Jam with an impressive performance from the assist-to-turnover ratio and picked up right where it left off Thursday night.
After 20 minutes of play, Kentucky had 14 assists while committing only six turnovers.
This season, John Calipari will have the luxury of nearly half a dozen players on his roster who can handle the ball as a starting option.
Whether it’s DJ Wagner, Rob Dillingham, Reed Sheppard, Antonio Reeves – or a combination of all four – it’s safe to say the Kentucky backcourt looks set for a special season.
For the game, UK would end up with 27 (!) assists for just nine turnovers.
Whew.
Trey Mitchell – Great Equalizer
It’s only July, and the point about how important Trey Mitchell is to this team has already been made, but it’s totally valid.
The West Virginia transfer seems to have really learned and embraced his role, all while connecting with his teammates.
During the post-match press conference opportunities, it was evident that Mitchell’s above-ground maturity was higher than that of his teammates.
Remember – Tre Mitchell is a college basketball player, so he knows how to fit himself into a program without ruffling any feathers.
On Thursday night, he causally put down eight points, five blocks, three assists, two steals, and six boards, but it’s his presence on the ground that really nails Kentucky, especially offensively.
Calipari calm?
Again – it’s only July – but with what we’ve seen so far in Toronto, it’s getting to be thought that Calipari might really be a cow to fall back on this season. There was a lot of dialogue about Cal’s desire to be a player-led team.
Most years, I would say that’s coach talk, but with so many hall-of-court tackles, it could become a reality in 2023-2024.
Lots of mouths to feed
The only real concern I can mention after two games in Toronto is that there will be a lot of players who will still be happy. Cats are loaded all over the floor, so finding and maintaining balance will be a critical task for Calipari and his staff.
But that’s clearly the kind of problem you want to have, especially when you consider where this team was a few weeks ago when Trey Mitchell wasn’t in the gate and Reeves was likely leaving town.
My how things have changed.
Kentucky is now off Friday before returning to the game on Saturday against Team Africa. This game is scheduled to kick off at 1:30 PM ET and will air live on CBS Sports.
What are your biggest takeaways from tonight’s match? Let us know in the comments section!
Also, don’t forget that the tape delay of this game airs in a few hours at 12 a.m. ET on CBS Sports. Go here to stream online.
Go cats!!
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