Kentucky Basketball: Reed Sheppard should have Kentucky coaches at every game

Kentucky basketball coaches should be at every Reed Sheppard game.

The Kentucky basketball team struggles to break 60 points a game this season, but every Wildcat fan and coach should take note, watch and follow every game that North Laurel sophomore Reed Sheppard plays in.

If that name sounds familiar he is the son of former Wildcat sharpshooter Jeff Sheppard who played at Kentucky from 1993-98 and mom Stacey who also starred for the Wildcats.

Making this legacy a TOP priority for Kentucky coach John Calipari should be number one. Send a coach to every game or more importantly he himself be there.

The Jaguars are unbeaten in 10 games thus far but the talk of London, KY each week must center around how many points will Sheppard pump in the next game.

Or maybe it is what he did in his last game.

Well, that was simply a triple-double outing against rival South Laurel on Friday where he netted 50 points, grabbed10 rebounds, and handed out 11 assists.

Kentucky fans take note this kid is the real deal.

Colleges will soon be taking note for sure and Sheppard already has offers from Iowa, Iona (Rick Pitino), South Alabama, Stetson, and High Point (Tubby Smith).

Sheppard has been recording ridiculous escalating stats this season with his current average of points per game up to 31.1 points while shooting 58.6 percent overall, 40.5 percent from behind the arch, and dad like 86.2 percent from the free-throw line. He also rebounds well grabbing 8 per game.

While many schools in Kentucky have yet to play many or any games as is the case for the Louisville public schools until today, Sheppard ranks third in the state in scoring.

In fact, he has scored 249 of his team’s 937 points this season.

Cousin Ryan Davidson averages 21 points per game and eight rebounds as a freshman shooting guard. Kentucky needs one of those as well so maybe this is a package deal for the Wildcats.

Those lucky enough to catch a glimpse of what was to come as a freshman last year saw Reed put up a rare quadruple-double night against Jackson County tallying 24 points, 14 assists, 10 rebounds, and 10 steals in an 83-34 win.

In fact, Reed and his teammates will take on Jackson County on February 1 and see if he duplicates that same effort as a sophomore.

Jeff Sheppard was a two-time national champion while playing at Kentucky and came to Lexington from Peachtree City, GA where he was Georgia’s Mr. Basketball while playing at McIntosh High School. He was also a star high jumper as well for the Chiefs winning a state championship.

Like father like son, Reed appears to have that same vertical leap and trademark posture.

Jeff was part of Tubby Smith’s “Comeback Cats” team that won the 1997-98 National Championship.

Mom Stacey Reed played for Laurel County before it was split into North and South Laurell High Schools and led her team to consecutive state championships in 1987 and 1989. She went on to star at UK earning All-SEC honors three years and holds the school steal record of 309.

She ranks in the top 10 of 12 different UK career statistical categories, including scoring, field goals made, field goals attempted, 3-point field goal made, 3-point field goals attempted, free throws made, free throws attempted, free throw percentage, assists, assists per game, steals and steals per game.

Should young Reed continue to put up these gaudy types of numbers he will in the next couple of years be vying for the same honors that mom and dad earned.

Who knows exactly what dreams Reed has but let’s hope he at least shares the first part of dad’s dream of making a final four at Kentucky when he was in high school.