Kentucky Basketball: Blue White Game tonight a refreshing return for hoops
By Eric Thorne
It’s time to tip things off in the Bluegrass and tonight’s return of the Blue-White game will only tease our appetite for what should be a rebounding and refreshing return of Kentucky Basketball.
The first four weeks of the season of fun with last week’s hype show of Big Blue Madness, this week it’s playing in front of the crowd with the Blue-White Game, and next week the first exhibition game.
All that build-up is in anticipation of the season opener against Duke on November 9 at Madison Square Garden.
Kentucky basketball has a new look of seasoned, experienced, and youngsters
Last year is in the past and coach John Calipari is reloaded with a mix of three freshmen, four transfers, and five returning players. Something we haven’t seen from Cal in a very long time.
Experience, maturity, basketball IQ, and chemistry hopefully will be what sets this team apart and leads them to New Orleans for the Final 4 in April.
Due to Covid, last year’s game didn’t take place so it’s nice to have it back again and the fans have a chance to see just what this year’s team is comprised of.
What are we looking to see following tonight’s scrimmage?
What will Cal do with all this talent?
Calipari for once doesn’t have the problem of a roster full of young 17 and 18-year-old freshmen he has to get in shape, teach, mentor, and break down and build up hoping it all clicks by February.
No, he has another problem – a lot of experienced players to factor in.
Hey but that’s a good problem to have.
It’s no hidden secret Calipari prefers to play about 7 or 8 players consistently occasionally dipping down further or in last year’s case anybody who could do something slightly productive.
At Media days he talked about this and if he has enough guys to prove they deserve minutes he will have to find ways to play them all. Could he go 10, 11 or even 12 deep?
"“Yes, we do have depth. So now you have guys that are similar skills offensively. Who would you play now? It’s you. They’re very similar offensively. Who are you going to play? It’s done in practice but how about defends better, rebounds better, takes care of the ball better. Those guys get a leg up, and I keep telling them, you’re competing with each other, yet I’ll play as many deserve to play.”"
Well, all of Big Blue Nation will gladly welcome that.