Kentucky basketball: The value of Sacha Killeya-Jones
The Kentucky basketball team’s loss Saturday at Texas A&M has BBN frustrated. This loss, more than ever, was a sign of just how important Sacha Killeya-Jones is to this team and their chances at victory.
Texas A&M is one of the hottest teams in the SEC right now, with recent wins over UK and Auburn. The Aggies have a great roster with solid guard play and legitimate post players. Going on the road and winning at College Station is always a challenge, each season. But for the Kentucky basketball team, with its youth, inexperience and current state of play, the Cats needed all the help they could muster.
Unfortunately for Kentucky, they were without their sophomore forward, Sacha Killeya-Jones, due to a recent family loss. Texas A&M scored basically at will against the Cats. The Aggies had 5 playersscore in double-digits, had 7 blocks in the game and two of their post players had double-doubles. The Cats needed Killeya-Jones.
I do not understand why John Calipari seems to be so anti-SKJ; it’s always been a mystery to me. Several players have much “longer leashes” than Killeya-Jones and are allowed to play through more mistakes than he is.
The sophomore forward is only averaging about 14 minutes per game in SEC play. In only 14 minutes, he’s averaging 3 points and 3 rebounds, and is shooting 67% from the field. I’m a firm believer that if you have someone shooting 67% from the floor in conference play, that player should be on the floor.
The Cats missed his defensive presence Saturday on the road. He’s a much more intelligent and more composed player than Nick Richards. I’m usually a fan of the “small lineup” that Calipari uses, but this lineup was abused by the size and strength of the Aggies. SKJ would have most certainly been instrumental in slowing down the post play of the Aggies.
I’m not writing this to say that Killeya-Jones would have won the game for the Cats on Saturday. Not at all. I’m writing this to shed light on the value and importance of SKJ to this team’s success. BBN, Coach Cal, and college basketball analysts consistently point to the lack of heart, urgency and energy from the Cats.
Cal blames it on youth and inexperience. Kileya-Jones has experience, he brings energy to the team, and he plays with heart and passion. He dives for loose balls, he plays without an ego, and he does the “small things” that don’t show up in the box scores. So why doesn’t SKJ get more than 14 minutes per game? There are 7 players averaging more minutes than him, with Vanderbilt quickly catching him.
It’s becoming very difficult for me to listen to Calipari post-game interviews or radio talk-shows continue to talk about how the players just don’t get it. He’s right, they’re young and some of them are selfish. But that’s on Calipari if he continues to play them. It reminds me of Archie Goodwin and Ryan Harrow.
Next: BBN can officially panic after Kentucky basketball’s loss to Aggies
The players don’t run the team, they don’t make the decisions. Coach Cal does, and he has to own up to the consequences. If the players “don’t get it” or play selfish ball, then play SKJ more down the stretch. If we continue to see such issues with inexperience and youth, then Cal needs to value his sophomores. What would be the motivation for SKJ to return to Kentucky next year?
This is becoming a very similar situation to Charles Matthews when he was a freshman. Matthews was consistently taken out of games after any mistake he made. Calipari had very little patience with him. Matthews could have helped us to win more games. Now look at what he’s accomplishing at Michigan this season. Matthews is averaging 14 points and 5 rebounds per game for the Wolverines. He’s also shooting 35% from 3-point land. Doesn’t this sound like a player the Wildcats could use this year?
If Calipari doesn’t start showing more value and loyalty to hard-working sophomores such as Killeya-Jones, BBN will continue to see more struggles like this season. As long as Coach K continues to recruit at such a high level, even Bill Self, Avery Johnson and Sean Miller, then Calipari will struggle to put together elite seasons. Reward Killeya-Jones and better results will happen.