After Germany, Canada for the first time then an African selection, Kentucky completes the sweep in Toronto by winning its fourth game: the GLOBL Jam final against Canada, a second time.
Quiet winners, by 17 points (89-72), the Wildcats thus won the gold medal, a year after Baylor’s silver medal, and returned to Lexington to tackle the rest of their summer preparation with full of confidence, when the group had only ten training sessions in the legs before flying to Canada last week. Over the entire tournament, John Calipari’s players won with a margin of 12.8 points.
Antonio Reeves, MVP and leader of a young Wildcats pack
Collectively, the Kentucky players were simply above the rest, and concluded the tournament with a final convincing outing on the offensive level, confirming their very great potential in this area: 89 points scored at 50% on shots (37/ 74) and 40% at 3-point (10/25). Very promising for the upcoming NCAA season.
” It was an awesome experience. I only had ten training sessions before leaving with this team, whose average age is 19 », enjoyed “Coach Cal”. ” We played against players aged 22 or 23, who were physical with us. And my guys responded. It was great to watch from the bench. »
A fifth-year player and therefore a veteran of this young Kentucky team, the scoring guard Antonio Reeves was logically elected MVP of the tournament, which he finished with averages of 22.5 points per game, 57% behind the arc (16/28). Confirming that he will be the Wildcats’ offensive leader this season.
“Freshmen” at the rendezvous
In addition, we will remember that the “freshmen” of this team, brought to occupy a central place in the rotation of John Calipari this season, have all shown good things.
headlining, DJ Wagner And Justin Edwards, who finished the tournament with averages of 14 points and 4.5 assists per game for the first, and 14.5 points and 6.5 rebounds for the second. True revelation of the week, Reed Sheppard compiled 8.5 points and 5.8 rebounds in four games, while Rob Dillinghamwho is taking a little longer to find his footing, clocked in at 5.5 points, 3.8 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game.
Players to follow closely next season on the university circuit, and that we should find very soon, from the Draft 2024 for some of them, in the NBA among professionals.
Photo credit: Kentucky Sports Radio
