Each Wednesday here at Cat Scratches, we’re going to take a look back at the latest week’s news in UK Athletics from around the Web..Best on the ‘net
UK Hoops: UConn transfer Samarie Walker “very, very talented” (Lexington Herald-Leader)When Walker is able to play for UK next season, she will have an immediate impact, said Tom Jenkins, who runs the Ohio Girls’ Basketball Report. Jenkins has known Walker since she was in sixth grade.”Kentucky’s a great fit for her, and she’s a great fit for Kentucky,” Jenkins said Saturday. “The style that (coach Matthew Mitchell) has developed there: playing 94 feet with exceptional athletes, it fits Samarie perfectly. … She has the size, the speed, the athleticism. She has it all.”Men’s basketball: Calipari raves about his team’s upside (Louisville Courier-Journal)Calipari: “I think there’s no team in America that has more upside than this team, based on the fact that individual players, I believe, aren’t playing to the level I believe they’re going to play in another month or so.”
Women’s gymnastics: “Gymkats’ overcoming fears on beam (Kentucky Kernel)The Gymkats have had solid results on vault, uneven bars and floor so far this year. They are now focusing their efforts on an improved team performance on the balance beam.”Beam has always been a struggle for us at Kentucky and my main goal is figuring out why that is and how we can fix it,” assistant coach Heather Hite said. “I think that we made a lot of steps toward fixing it as far as if we are falling, we’re still getting good scores.”Men’s basketball: Calipari molds style to fit young team (Sporting News)“We’re getting better,” UK coach John Calipari said, “but we may be a little different team than I think. We might be an execution team that has to grind it a little bit more than I would like, but if that’s how we have to play, then that’s how we play.”Football: Minter planning transition to 3-4 defense (Herald-Leader)“My ideal vision is what we could call a 3-4 with a hybrid linebacker who could also put his hand on the ground,” (Minter) said. “That way if we needed to go with four down (linemen), we could get in and out of it without having to substitute.”Men’s basketball: Lexington mayor Gray calls for Rupp redesign panel (Herald-Leader)“There are many people who believe the civic center’s arena and the convention complex need a total redesign and renovation to bring the facilities up to competitive standards,” Gray said. “It needs to be the best — state of the art. Making it the best is a responsible investment in our Lexington brand.”Wildcats in the prosChuck Hayes relishes challenge of guarding NBA’s best post scorers (Houston Chronicle)“He’s tough,” (Orlando Magic center Dwight) Howard said. “He’s like a tree stump. You just have to shoot over him.”John Wall named Kentucky Sportsman of the Year (Herald-Leader)…Wall was both basketball star and cultural phenomenon. In his one year in Kentucky, he launched a dance craze, became a lyrical staple in rap songs and earned first-team All-America honors by leading a 35-3 UK team.Tim Masthay neutralizes NFL’s most dangerous return man (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)“Tim played a huge role,” receiver Greg Jennings said. “I don’t know if he understands it. It will probably be overlooked, but for him to kick the ball the way he did and to keep it out of the hands of the most feared guy on the football field, it was a huge job by him.”
2011 NBA Lottery (ESPN.com)ESPN.com has Kentucky’s Terrence Jones and Enes Kanter projected as top-five picks in its first 2011 NBA Lottery projections.News from UKathletics.comMen’s basketball: Brandon Knight named SEC Freshman of the WeekUK Hoops: Samarie Walker too good to pass upFootball: Commonwealth attendance ranks in nation’s top 25 yet againMen’s tennis: Roberts’ tiebreak win No. 12 UK in win over No. 46 IndianaVideo of the weekTerrence Jones had a number of thunderous dunks against South Carolina on Saturday, but this ambidextrous crossover and throw down on Sam Muldrow was one to remember.
