December 23, 2025 • 36 mins
Tom talks to Larry Vaught on Kentucky volleyball and basketball. Kent Spencer from WHAS-TV has Wildcat basketball insights
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This podcast of the Leech Report is presented by Boone's
Butcher Shop in Barnestown at one hundred Old Bloomfield Pike,
family owned and operated since nineteen forty six, with fresh
meat cut on site daily Boons Butcher Shop. It is
game day with the Kentucky men's basketball team. Wild Cats
are playing Bellerman and it is a one o'clock start,
(00:21):
and it always seems like an extra lively crowd for
the times when they have these afternoon Christmas week games.
A lot of people already have company in town bring
them to the game. So it's some folks that maybe
haven't been to Reparina before or in a while, and
(00:45):
always a really fun environment. And it's a game where
Kentucky is a massive favorite today against Bellarman. So we
will talk a little Kentucky basketball, probably a little Kentucky
volleyball with Larry Vaught in the leadoff slot. Ken Spencer
will join us in the second half of the show,
and we've got some comments from Jaden Quaintance out of
(01:07):
the media session yesterday talking about his debut last Saturday,
smashing debut against Saint John's down in Atlanta. But let
us start with the Wildcat News of the day. It's
the service of Giuseppes of Lexington. Bellman is five and
six and has played three Power Conference opponents. They lost
(01:29):
it notre Day eighty six, seventy nine, they lost at
Kansas State ninety eight seventy one, and they lost at
Georgia one to four to fifty nine. They shoot it
really well fifty seven percent effective field goal percentage that's
forty first in the nation, and even the best teams
(01:50):
they play, those Power Conference opponents that they've faced, they
made shots against everybody. They're the number one free throw
shooting team in the nation at eighty one percent. Now,
on the downside, they ranked number three thirty four or
worse in kenpom dot com in defensive field goal percentage,
in defensive efficiency, in offensive rebound percentage, and three point
(02:15):
defensive percentage, So they have some issues primarily on the
defensive side and in rebounding. At Kentucky will try to
certainly exploit today. Jack Karasinsky, who started out at William
and Mary, in his second year at Bellerman. He's probably
the best player at twenty one points per game, shooting
thirty seven percent on threes and averaging about two threes
(02:40):
per game, so it's gonna be an interesting challenge. I mentioned,
we'll have the acquaintance comments. A little later, JQ faced
up against a guy similar to himself an edge of
four on Saturday, big guy who lives from maybe fifteen
feet in at the most. This is a challenge where
(03:01):
Karzinsky will play out on the perimeter a lot you're
gonna have, and he has a really quick release, according
to Coach Pope, so you're gonna have to, if you're JQ,
be out on him quickly. I'm gonna have to perhaps
move a little bit more because Karosensky gets to the line.
So it's gonna be a tough matchup for Karasinsky too
if he tries to work inside it all against JQ.
(03:24):
But it's just a different kind of defensive challenge. So
it'll be interesting to see how Acquaintance handles that today.
Last night on the radio show, listener asked Mark Pope
about some talk going around that Kentucky might look for
some insurance at Point Guard by trying to pick somebody
up out of the transfer portal. Pope said, I'm not
(03:46):
sure we're shopping a lot right now. He said he
believes they'll have low for the whole season, and he's
confident also in Denzel Aberdeen and Jasper Johnson to fill
in when needed. You heard, perhaps if you were listening
to the broadcast on Saturday, Goose Giveven's talking about his
issue with a shoulder injury during his nineteen seventy eight
(04:09):
senior season and it popped out on him the day
before the National Championship game. He's told that story here
on the show before, and he went out and played
pretty well the next night. Now, every injury is different
and been a lot of advancements in treatment as well,
But it's just the point being for that Goose was
(04:30):
making is that those kind of shoulder injuries can be
persistent issues. And he said, you can be very painful,
could even go numb for a short period of time,
but it does come back and if you can play
with some pain. And it looks like Jalen certainly doing
that and has been willing to do that. That Goose
was saying, you know, certainly he was able to manage
his and hopeful that Jalen will be able to as well.
(04:52):
Otega Oway named co Player of the Week in the
SEC for his performance last week for the Wildcats. In
the one game Kentucky played, he had twenty points, five boards,
three steals. He scored twenty or more in two of
the last three games, so maybe playing off low has
been effective for j Lo or for Otega in terms
(05:17):
of getting his game back. Maybe who knows, he could
just be finally feeling fully healthy as well. Women's basketball
up to number eleven in the Ape Pole. They'll start
conference play on New Year's Night down at LSU and
coach Kenny Brooks and company with just the one loss
thus far, so they are rolling along. Tiany Key did
(05:37):
not play in the game on Friday night because of
an injury, but don't know exactly what it is from
what Coach Brooks said, but the feeling is from people
who cover the team stories I've read that it doesn't
feel like it'll be a long term thing. That Tiani
probably would be expected to return for conference play against
(05:58):
LSU on January first. Hopefully that will be the case.
Links to the stories that we talk about you can
find those on the bud Light Leach Report page at
Tom Leachky dot com. Our opening segment a while Cat
News always presented by Giuseppes of Lexington, and I think
it's safely safe to say it's too late to get
gift cards mailed to you from Giuseppes if you need them,
(06:18):
but you can get them off their website Giuseppes Lexington
dot com or if you're close by here in central Kentucky,
you can stop by the restaurant and pick them up
later today. And if it's somebody that's hard to buy for,
you need a last minute item, you've forgotten something, or
need a little something extra, a Giuseppes gift card could
be the ticket, so check that out at Giuseppes Lexington
(06:39):
dot com. We will get to a break come back
with Larry Vott. It is the Leech Report and it's
presented each day by Bobcat Enterprises. Larry Vott joining us
at this most wonderful time of the year from your
sports edge dot com and Vought's views. Merry Christmas, Larry Vot.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
You Tom, I didn't know you had such a good
singing voice.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Yeah that was Andy Williams. Oh okay, well yeah you
don't want to hear my singing voice Coach Pope the
week before or not last night, but the week before
said we would sing a Christmas carol and the next show.
I'm glad he forgot that. I'm glad for the listeners.
You forgot that. At least from my standpoint, I've never
heard his singing voice. We'll get to basketball, admitute, but
(07:27):
let's put a bow on an amazing volleyball season. It
was certainly disappointed how it ended. I mean, you've you've
watched them pretty much match in and match out. To me,
it's just somebody who's watched as a as a fan
and gotten caught up in their season. It looked like
that maybe they maybe they got a little shook after
they lost that lead in the first set. Maybe that
(07:49):
was part of it. Maybe it was also just a
team that was really hot. I was thinking back to,
you know, in eighty and ninety seven in the NCAA tournament,
Arizona got really hot with a couple of great guards
Bibby and Simon, and they took down three straight number
one seeds, and Texas A and M looked like they
were just ten feet tall and bulletproof. To use an
(08:09):
old Mike Pratt line.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Yeah they sure did, Tom. I mean, consider in the
last two weeks they beat Louisville, Nebraska, Pitt and Kentucky.
I mean, they certainly didn't back into the title. That's
as tough a road as anybody could have had to
have tried to won a national championship, and they just
played phenomenal. I can't ever remember a team getting swept
like Kentucky did and having more kills than what the
(08:35):
team that won the match did, but that's how it
turned out. But Kentucky just had too many attack eras,
too many service eras. But a lot of that was
just a credit to the Texas A and M defense.
What they were making you have to try to do
to score points. And they just played phenomenal and Kentucky
didn't play its best, which is as a shame because
of the season they did have. But still, when you
(08:58):
win the undefeated in SEC play, then you go and
win the SEC tournament and you win thirty matches. I mean,
just a brilliant year for Creig Skinner and his team,
and I did it in such a fun way. I
think that's why they kind of captured the fancy of
the fans so much this year. They just were so
much fun to watch. They just played with a joy
(09:19):
and exuberance that sometimes is missing in college athletics. Right now,
I think that's why fans embraced this team so well,
and even Craig. I think Craig didn't cry at the
postgame press conference, but he probably got its closest I've
ever seeing him, because he just really really loved this team,
and I think anybody that watched him play felt the
same way.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
Yeah, I think that all makes perfect sense. They seem
to be just a really special group. I was listing
on Sunday morning at Larry's on the Sunday Morning sports
talk show here in Lexington with Anthony White, Jack Pilgrim,
and Bo Robinson, and you guys were talking with Asia
Thigpen's dad and really funn really he was great, and
(10:02):
he was talking about he was a little surprised that
she wanted to come to Kentucky, but she was convinced
she could win a national championship. And so there were
the pictures. I took note of one of her where
she was in tears and thinking about what her dad
had said. But she's in a position to make another
run at it. They're only scheduled to lose Eva Hudson.
Do you think they can keep the rest of the
(10:23):
group together.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
I think they will certainly keep all the key pieces together.
I certainly can't see Brooklyn Delay or Bally Teso or
Cassie O'Brien leaving. I don't see Lizzie Carr, Asia thick
Pin leaving. I wouldn't see Motley Bretzowitz or Trinity Ward leaving.
There's a couple of other players who didn't get to
play as much this year that in today's world you
(10:47):
discovered us or I might want to go somewhere where
they can't get a chance to play more. And I
would understand that because he's also got five signees coming in,
including a couple that I think are really really good,
and you never know what the transfer portal may bring
into Kentucky too. There may be a couple of dynamic
players out there that say, Hey, let me come here
and be your next Eva Hudson or try to be
(11:08):
your next Eva Hudson. But I think the big majority
of this group will be back because I just think
they like playing for Craig, they like playing Kentucky, and
they especially like playing with each other.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
Certainly looks that like that's the case, and seemed like
they would have you know some strong leaders that you
would want. Is there somebody that didn't play as big
a role this season or play much at all, that
was on the team that you think is ready to
make a move next year.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
I would think that person could be Hannah Benjamin. She
came in two years ago and then right before they
went on an exhibition trip to Japan, got hurt. Get
to play the whole season this year, she didn't get
to play a lot because she was playing behind two
players named Delay in Hudson. They just didn't come out there.
(11:57):
Just wasn't anybody you just don't go in and play there.
But I think when she first got to kentuckt with
Craig Skinner tell me how she could be one of
the best players he's ever recruited, she got hurt. So
I think we have not seen from her now that
would be one I would wonder, Okay's but she's stayed
here for two years now that she has maybe your
change to play with the Evil Gown, which she consider
(12:18):
transferring or not. And I really don't know her that
well that it hadn't been around her that much, but
from just somebody that could fill in that you haven't
thought much about just kind of remember that name and
if she's still on the roster going in the next season,
I think that might be somebody we really like. When
we get a change to watch your play, We're.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Teler Larry vatt here on the Leech Report. It's coming
to here from the Clark's Pumping Shop studio. Return, refresh
and refuel at Clark's. We'll be right back and continue
the conversation Ken Spencer in the second half of the
show on the Leech Report Radio Network. What if I
passed the top of the hour as we were chatting
with Larry vaughtsa an item at your sports edge dot
(12:55):
com about a potential walk on QB from up in
northern Kentucky. You were writing about.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Larry Yeah Cash from Covenant Catholic. Kind of interesting story.
It's almost like the will Sign story. Thinks he deserves
the change to play Division one at high level, doesn't
have the opportunity, so he's going to walk on to Kentucky.
Played quarterback at Covenan Catholics. Kind of because this happens
(13:20):
at a lot of places. He's probably the best athlete
on the team that they need a quarterback. That's where
they're putting. His coach, Eddie Edison thinks he can be
a dynamite receiver. His trainer, Jordan Nevills, the former Highlands
and UK player, thinks he'll be a terrific safety. So
we'll see what happens with him. But again, it's kind
of interesting to see how Will and his staff are
(13:43):
reaching out to some Kentucky athletes and giving him a
chance to come to UK as walk On's and I
think Cash I've got the change to watching place several
times during his career. He's a really tough athletic type kid,
so I'm really kind of trigue. But what might lie
in for him at Kentucky.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
I've always thought that that's a good idea to find
if you if you can find them, some guys like
that that could play multiple positions, that come out of
winning programs, that know how to win. Charles Walker one
of the best stories from Saint X and developed into
a key wide receiver as a walk On that those
(14:25):
kinds of players are great additions to your program and
frequently you can find a way to use them, even
if it's special teams.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
That's exactly right, and I think he'll be one of
those type of players. And in today's college football world,
where I never know exactly how many scholarships there are
and are, maybe what we used to think of as
a Walkoll is not exactly a walk on anymore. I
don't even know. It's hard for me to seigure out
what's going on up, but I just know he's the
kind of guy if I had a team, I like
to have you on my team.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
Yeah, it's gonna be hard to say, uh for for
covering a team in college sport, it's now you know
who's it's. I think if I understand it correctly, it
will be a little bit like baseball has always been,
where you could be on a partial scholarship, so you
could have Yeah, you know, so I don't know if
you have technically any walk ons, but you may only
(15:14):
get a you know, a small percentage of aid, but
you've getting some.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
That's exactly right. And I think all the cash cares about.
From talking to his coach and his trainer both, he
just wants an opportunity. So I think they are going
to give him that, and I'm really I think they'll
be glad that they did. I think, like as you said,
He's just one of those type of players you want
on your team, kind of like what a bally Breds
of which came in it was for the Kentucky volleyball team.
(15:41):
Just a good team person, good chemistry. What a row
you want to give, He'll take it.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
About a minute left here, quick thought on what you
saw out of Atlanta on Saturday with the Kentucky basketball
really the last two games, well.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
I'll just say this, Tom, for all those who thought
the roster construction was great and in the summer and
then thought it was pretty crappy and early November and December,
and now they're backed on the bandwagon, I think it's
amazing when you have a healthy roster how things can
look different than when they don't. And I think Kentucky
had some games where it didn't play great, there's no
(16:15):
doubt about that. But a healthy roster, this team's a
whole different. If you put Jalen Low and Jayden Clayton's
out there and they can keep Jayla Low healthy, then
you're seeing what this team everybody thought it was going
to be. And it was really fun to watch that
second half and to watch I was also like seeing
Cam Williams get out on the fast breaking Jayla Lowe
(16:38):
finding him drain those threes. I mean that second one.
I think he shot from mid court, and I hope
that's all. We're gonna see a lot more from him.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Yeah, I think he could have a lot of upside
as they move into conference play doing that kind of stuff. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
And if he can do that, then that changes the
dynamic of this team a lot too.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Indeed it does. Larry Vott, thank you so much much.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
All right, Tom, sorry for the issues this morning.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
Oh, no problem. Yeah, we had a call audible with
Larry's phone today. We are halfway home on the Leach Report.
We'll be right back. It's the Lake's Report, presented by
Bob Kat Enterprises. This is our final live show before Christmas.
Tomorrow and Christmas Day. It will be best of shows
and tomorrow's we will do what has become a Christmas
(17:27):
Eve tradition, replay an interview that I did with Joby
Hall about the only game Kentucky ever played on Christmas Eve.
And it was a last second win up at Illinois
in December twenty fourth, nineteen eighty three, and there were
some unusual circumstances around the game and If you don't
recall those, you can google it, or you can tune
(17:48):
in for the show tomorrow. Got a couple of things
here to play for you. These were races that were
held at the first one at Saratoga's Harness Track and
the second one at the Woodbine Mohawk Standardbred Track in Canada.
So you had a match up between Sanna in one
sulky and the Grinch in the other sulky. And here's
(18:09):
how it played out at Saratoga.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
And the Grin's trying to hang in there, the lead
is a length and half, Santa's closing in, still with
work to do, but Sanna beginning to make some progress,
and the Grin's trying to steal this one. And the
Grinch in the battle versus good versus evil, and it
is evil to prevail, and the Grinch taunting Senna as
he drives home a four length winner.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
I'm thinking something had to be up there. Either Santa
was too busy making toys to really get to Saratoga
and he had a sub or it was a reindeer
instead of a race horse. But when Sanna and the
Grinch squared off at Woodbine Mohawk in Canada. It turned
out a little differently, and as they turned for the stretch,
they're side by side. Now it's joy versus jealousy. Santa
(18:56):
up on the outside. We need some holiday cheer from
the crowd here. We can't let the Crench growd this
on the inside, Santa.
Speaker 4 (19:04):
Coming up on the outside. They are neck and neck,
and Santa is gonna get up in time. Christmas Spirit
wins it again at Santa prevailing over the Crinch.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
I love the call from the announcer up at Wood
by Mohawks, so up in Canada, at least Santa got
the job done. I think that was probably the real
Santa that was driving in that race. We saw the
real version of the Wildcats last Saturday in Atlanta. Smark
Pope had all of the players on his roster available
to him for the first time, and that's because Jaden
(19:38):
Quaintan's made his debut. I think there was a thought
that maybe they'd bring him back in a game like
this one today, as opposed to going up against a
ranked opponent like Saint John's. But Quaintance was lobbying to
be back as early as he could get back, and
especially to come back and make his return in a
(19:58):
quote unquote big game on this big stage down in Atlanta.
He talked about that with the local media yesterday.
Speaker 5 (20:05):
Sure, I mean, I've just always been a competitor. I
felt like I have the ability to help us win
at a high level. I feel like I can make
an impact on big games, and I felt like change
out it would be the perfect way to kind of
introduce myself.
Speaker 6 (20:16):
Was there, kind of like getting your getting your legs
underneath you, Like, what were those kind of early early
runs up and down the floor like for you.
Speaker 5 (20:22):
Well, honestly, I felt in pretty good shape, Like I
never really was tired, you know, just kind of getting
back into a game mindset. Like I was a little
excited at points, like I filed a three point shooter.
I don't usually do that, just just kind of over
excited at points. But I felt like I kind of
reined it in and he was able to play solid
and help us get it done. I feel like I
could have been a little bit more aggressive offensively, just
(20:44):
going to the rim, like I faded away a little
bit more than I usually do. Just being like a
little bit more aggressive and being more like an attacking mindset.
I could do better with that, but otherwise I felt
really pretty solid.
Speaker 6 (20:54):
What did you learn about yourself and your teammates in
that time watching these games and not being able to
make an impact on the floor, but kind of being
a coach kind of mentor from the sideline.
Speaker 5 (21:06):
I feel like everybody has that hunger and win. I
feel like I feel like just getting a sense of
cohesion connection as a team.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
I felt like that's what I.
Speaker 5 (21:13):
Learned about the most, learning about my teammates, not being
able to be with them on the court, being with
them off the court build relationships in a different way
when you don't really have that same bond on the court,
build the connection that way. So I felt like that's
probably what I learned the most.
Speaker 6 (21:25):
You j low kind of the full product finally for
the first time, did you kind of laugh at you know,
some of the media members, some of the fans that
are kind of being dramatic and overreacting myself and included
to those early losses, knowing like, hey, just you know,
the full product is coming. Just be just kind of
be patient with us.
Speaker 5 (21:43):
Well, I've always I'm not a huge media person, Like
I don't even run my social media like that, Like
my dad, I was running most of the time, so
I never really overreacted to that. I just kind of
tried to control what I can control.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
That was Jaden Quaint's yesterday really interesting young man Mark
Popos talked about that JQ is an outstanding chess player,
and he talked about their chess games, that they had,
chess matches that they had in Pope's office and always
seems to have. Smiley talked in that interview yesterday about
(22:17):
how he prefers to lead by example more so than vocally,
so that's why his contribution would be most impactful when
he gets out on the court in term from a
leadership standpoint. We certainly saw that, and I think he
sortainly gave his team a lift. So again, it's gonna
be a different challenge today up against Karazinski of Bellerman
(22:39):
because of the way the Knights utilize him and playing
him away from the basket, and he can make threes,
and so it's gonna be a different kind of defensive
challenge when JQ is in the game today. Coach Pope
was talking on the radio show last night and how
he hopes pretty quickly with how it's looking for to
(23:00):
be able to get him to the point where there's
not a minute's restriction. There will still be today, but
maybe by conference play they'll have a week and a
half to well, they won't have a whole week and
a half to practice because the guys will get to
go home for Christmas, but they'll get some extended practice
run before conference play starts a week from Saturday down
at Alabama, and he'll, one would think by then would
(23:22):
be if not completely removed from the minutes restriction, it
would be greater than it is going to be probably today.
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Well Sleech Report and we're presented each day by Bobcat Enterprises.
(24:50):
And when we come back, Ken Spencer joins the program
a quarter before the top of the hour as we
welcome Ken Spencer into the program. Merry Christmas, mister Spender.
Speaker 7 (25:01):
Very Christmas to you.
Speaker 8 (25:02):
Mister Lee.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
Got all the Christmas thing taken care.
Speaker 7 (25:05):
Of finally yesterday, finally finally wrapped it up yesterday.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
So the proud dad a picture with your kids. It
was just like a Christmas pageant or something.
Speaker 7 (25:18):
No, it was The Nutcracker. Oh, they my girls. My
oldest is fifteen, she's a she's a sophomore. And then
my thirteen year old is in eighth grade. And the
thirteen year old is heavy into competitive dance in her
dance studio. And so they were putting on a presentation
(25:40):
of The Nutcracker at a local theater here and they
had four shows over last weekend, and so, and my
oldest helped out as a party parent in the show.
So she's not even a dancer, but yet she was
in She was heavily involved in the in the first act,
(26:01):
helping out, and my thirteen year old was pretty much
in the in the whole thing. So it was it
was awesome to watch them and for the thirteen year
old just to just to watch her do what she
loves to do. And I think the fifteen year old
had a lot of fun too.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
I guess they learned those dance skills from you.
Speaker 7 (26:22):
Yeah, hey, you know what, don't don't don't, don't sleep
on it. Your man's got a little a few moves.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
Well, that gives us a perfect segue into Kentucky basketball
and the win over Saint John's because Jalen Lowe had
a few moves on Saturday. He is quite the impressive
guy with the ball in his hands. Can Williams yesterday
talked about that with the media. Bet you never played
with anybody as fast with the ball as as Jayalen.
(26:53):
That's it. And and being fast with the balls a
little different than just being sprinter speed fast.
Speaker 7 (26:58):
Right, yeah, And you know, I think just the offense
just moves so much better when when when he's in there.
You saw it against Indiana and then obviously in this
game as well in the second half when he was
able to come in. I mean, think about the two
threes that Williams hit. You know, yeah, he was fast
(27:18):
with the ball, but the passes that he delivered almost
were perfectly placed in the shooter's pocket to where you know,
there wasn't you know, Williams just had to get into
a rhythm shot to make the two threes that he made.
They were huge threes and I even think it was
low in the later on in the second half. They
(27:38):
did everything that they wanted to do with the offensive
possession and Colin Chandler was wide open in the winner
and he was able to kick it out to him.
And he placed it perfectly. Now Chandler misses the shot,
but so much of this isn't just getting it to
the open man. It's also getting it to the open
man in a position in which they can get into
their shot easily and rhythm, and that's something that he
(28:02):
can do, and to be quite honest with you, that's
something that has been sorely missed in this offense going forward.
I've always said about this Kentucky team, I think it's
a good shooting team. I just think against high major competition,
they were taking really really bad shots. And so when
you do that, if you're if you're not getting open
(28:23):
and you're not moving the ball, then you look like
a poor shooting team. And I think you've seen, especially
in that second half against Saint John's. They didn't make
a ton of them, but man, the ones that they
took and made were timely at CJ.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Moore from The Athletic on the show last week, and
he made the point that as bad as it was
against Gonzaga, there were a handful of possessions where the
offense worked right, and they were all with Jaylen Lowe
where he got him a good shot. They didn't make it,
but that's that was maybe the the only bright spot
(28:59):
from from that performance. But he is just the guy
that they need certainly to make this work, because it
seems to me that they built a roster that was
going to be different for what Mark Pope had before
going to be addressed the issues that they felt they
had last season with athleticism and be able to being
(29:21):
able to defend. And now we're seeing what Quainton springs
to the table and Diabate back out there. You kind
of see the maybe the vision of what they were
looking for. But if you're playing JQ Diabate a lot,
that's not a lot of threes. It's not going to
be a five out kind of team that Mark's been
used to coaching. So kind of felt like they were
(29:41):
building a lot of the offensive end of the court
around the skill set of Jalen Lowe and when you
don't have him, that's a bit of a problem.
Speaker 7 (29:47):
Yeah, and that would be And honestly, ever since the
one young man decommitted and went elsewhere, the other point
guard that they have wasted a ca right, I thought
that they had to go get another point guard. And
I always felt like, man, if you're only carrying one,
(30:08):
especially after what happened to Lamont Butler last year and
and his shoulder and his issues. Then you know you
were you were skated on on thin ice. And to
be quite honest with you, Tom, you know, like what
we saw in the first half with Jalen Lowe, they're
still skating on thin ice. And and just because you know,
who knows how long that thing is going to be
(30:30):
able to be held together. Maybe it will last the
entire season and everything will be Honckey dory. I have
no idea, but that would be my only criticism of it.
But yes, when he is in the game, you know
you're still going to be able to get a lot
of the shot that that cope and and figure what
to get within the offense. And then you have guys
(30:53):
now that they've bought into the defensive end, you can
see that this is a good defensive team.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
Absolutely, and you I remember thinking the night Kentucky was
losing to Louisville that a lot of the success that
Louisville had getting to the rim. I remember thinking, well,
if they get Quainton's back, that could at least address
that problem. Because it's it's nic but not gonna be
anything easier around the rim anymore.
Speaker 7 (31:22):
Well, this too, like he just he knows, like I
always feel like he knows like how to play the position.
Even if you looked at some of when he was
in the game opposed to some of the other other
big men, and I think they do have some things
that they still they can get way better at and
(31:42):
and things to learn. But watch how he plays the
screen and role game with the you know, defensively, he
doesn't give up anything, like he's he's always right there
and if and if the other guy is also digging,
then you know, it's not it's not like just a
free basket just to get right to the hole. Not
(32:03):
It's not just because he can block shots. It's also
the way that he would come out and show and
in the different things that he did, and in that department,
I thought that just really kind of proved his worth
that there is nothing going to be easy the screen,
the screen and roll game isn't just going to be
a free basket for the other team in wide open shots.
Speaker 8 (32:22):
And so I was so impressed, I'll be honest.
Speaker 7 (32:26):
With you, Like, you know, when he came out of ote,
like I thought, like, hey, the highlights are great, and
then I didn't watch a whole lot of Arizona State,
so I kind of went into when he checked into
the game for the first time, like I had no
like I wanted to go into this thing with the
clean slate. Like I came out of it going I
think Kentucky has the best big man in the country,
(32:47):
and I don't know how close it is. Like That's
how I felt about his performance, especially in that second
half against Saint Jobs.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
Yeah, I was. I felt a little sorry for Edgie
for there was one play in particular. There were several that,
you know, he was struggling with, but one in particular
where after trying to score himself against Quaints he had
kind of given up on that and Rick as well,
And so they're posts they played Edgy for at the
high post. Do they post Hopkins down on the block
on the left side of the lane and edge force
(33:17):
at the high post? And he ends up throwing the
ball out of bounds because he couldn't throw it over Quintins,
And when he tried to lean to his left and
throw it around him, the seven to four wingspan became
the issue, and he you know, his pivot foot was
stuck and so he couldn't get the angle to get
it to Hopkins, and so the ball just went straight
out of bounds.
Speaker 7 (33:36):
How many times? How many times from where you sit
would you see an opposing big man posting up a
Kentucky big man over over your time? Right, Like you
can tell the guys.
Speaker 8 (33:49):
That have guys that are like, I'm not one hundred
percent and this spot against this defender, it looked like
it was a Saturday walk in the park for rings.
When anybody was trying to post him up, it was like,
(34:09):
I don't know what you're gonna do, but you're not scoring.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
Not today, this huh?
Speaker 7 (34:15):
Like he was he was just completely comfortable, and like,
think about that, that's his first game in nine months
and he was and he felt like that in comfortable.
He felt that comfortable and that in charge in the game,
Like that's such a that's such a rarity. And it
wasn't just I don't think it was just adrenaline carrying
(34:37):
through Like I just think that that's the way he looked.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
Nah, I think you're exactly right. Can't appreciate the time
very much. Have great Christmas to you the family.
Speaker 7 (34:47):
Hey, you do the same time appreciated Buddy.
Speaker 1 (34:49):
At w HS eleven kent On X for kent Spencer
Whas TV in Louisville. One more break and then we'll
come back and wrap up this edition of the Leach
Report presented by Bobcat Enterprises. With those four locations around Kentucky,
they have what you need when you have a need
to buy or rent. Have the equipment like excavators and
forklifts and bobcats and whatever. Zero turn Morris for your
(35:12):
home lawn too. At Bobcat Enterprises. It's Day in Wildcat History,
a service of Kentucky road Show sports cards and memorabilia.
They are on Romney Road in Lexington and at roadshowcards
dot Com. Nineteen ninety three, this day Jeff Brasso tip
in at the Buzzer to beat Arizona out in Maui
and set off an amazing celebration there in the Lahina
(35:34):
Civic Center. And then two years later, nineteen ninety five,
on this day was the day Tim Couch committed to
be a Wildcat. And then that afternoon Kentucky beat Louisville
eighty nine to sixty six, with Tony Delk scoring thirty.
That was a pretty good December twenty third. There on
nineteen ninety five. Happy birthday Derek Ramsey, one of the
(35:56):
all time great quarterbacks at UK and one of the
all time great leaders as a Wildcat and in state
government as well, had a great career in the NFL.
Happy birthday ram and Dude Hennessy from my hometown of Paris.
They played football at Kentucky under Bear Bryant and was
a longtime assistant coach for coach Bryant down at Alabama
(36:19):
and war Stewart retained his d line coach. That was
made official yesterday. Glad to see that. And State X
point guard Josh Lindsay class of twenty eight, I believe,
reportedly is making an unvisual visit for the Bellarmine game
today as the Wildcats take some take a look there
at Josh. Merry Christmas everybody, and next live show coming
up on Friday. Have a good Christmas.
This podcast of the Leech Report is presented by Boone's
Butcher Shop in Barnestown at one hundred Old Bloomfield Pike,
family owned and operated since nineteen forty six, with fresh
meat cut on site daily Boons Butcher Shop. It is
game day with the Kentucky men's basketball team. Wild Cats
are playing Bellerman and it is a one o'clock start,
(00:21):
and it always seems like an extra lively crowd for
the times when they have these afternoon Christmas week games.
A lot of people already have company in town bring
them to the game. So it's some folks that maybe
haven't been to Reparina before or in a while, and
(00:45):
always a really fun environment. And it's a game where
Kentucky is a massive favorite today against Bellarman. So we
will talk a little Kentucky basketball, probably a little Kentucky
volleyball with Larry Vaught in the leadoff slot. Ken Spencer
will join us in the second half of the show,
and we've got some comments from Jaden Quaintance out of
(01:07):
the media session yesterday talking about his debut last Saturday,
smashing debut against Saint John's down in Atlanta. But let
us start with the Wildcat News of the day. It's
the service of Giuseppes of Lexington. Bellman is five and
six and has played three Power Conference opponents. They lost
(01:29):
it notre Day eighty six, seventy nine, they lost at
Kansas State ninety eight seventy one, and they lost at
Georgia one to four to fifty nine. They shoot it
really well fifty seven percent effective field goal percentage that's
forty first in the nation, and even the best teams
(01:50):
they play, those Power Conference opponents that they've faced, they
made shots against everybody. They're the number one free throw
shooting team in the nation at eighty one percent. Now,
on the downside, they ranked number three thirty four or
worse in kenpom dot com in defensive field goal percentage,
in defensive efficiency, in offensive rebound percentage, and three point
(02:15):
defensive percentage, So they have some issues primarily on the
defensive side and in rebounding. At Kentucky will try to
certainly exploit today. Jack Karasinsky, who started out at William
and Mary, in his second year at Bellerman. He's probably
the best player at twenty one points per game, shooting
thirty seven percent on threes and averaging about two threes
(02:40):
per game, so it's gonna be an interesting challenge. I mentioned,
we'll have the acquaintance comments. A little later, JQ faced
up against a guy similar to himself an edge of
four on Saturday, big guy who lives from maybe fifteen
feet in at the most. This is a challenge where
(03:01):
Karzinsky will play out on the perimeter a lot you're
gonna have, and he has a really quick release, according
to Coach Pope, so you're gonna have to, if you're JQ,
be out on him quickly. I'm gonna have to perhaps
move a little bit more because Karosensky gets to the line.
So it's gonna be a tough matchup for Karasinsky too
if he tries to work inside it all against JQ.
(03:24):
But it's just a different kind of defensive challenge. So
it'll be interesting to see how Acquaintance handles that today.
Last night on the radio show, listener asked Mark Pope
about some talk going around that Kentucky might look for
some insurance at Point Guard by trying to pick somebody
up out of the transfer portal. Pope said, I'm not
(03:46):
sure we're shopping a lot right now. He said he
believes they'll have low for the whole season, and he's
confident also in Denzel Aberdeen and Jasper Johnson to fill
in when needed. You heard, perhaps if you were listening
to the broadcast on Saturday, Goose Giveven's talking about his
issue with a shoulder injury during his nineteen seventy eight
(04:09):
senior season and it popped out on him the day
before the National Championship game. He's told that story here
on the show before, and he went out and played
pretty well the next night. Now, every injury is different
and been a lot of advancements in treatment as well,
But it's just the point being for that Goose was
(04:30):
making is that those kind of shoulder injuries can be
persistent issues. And he said, you can be very painful,
could even go numb for a short period of time,
but it does come back and if you can play
with some pain. And it looks like Jalen certainly doing
that and has been willing to do that. That Goose
was saying, you know, certainly he was able to manage
his and hopeful that Jalen will be able to as well.
(04:52):
Otega Oway named co Player of the Week in the
SEC for his performance last week for the Wildcats. In
the one game Kentucky played, he had twenty points, five boards,
three steals. He scored twenty or more in two of
the last three games, so maybe playing off low has
been effective for j Lo or for Otega in terms
(05:17):
of getting his game back. Maybe who knows, he could
just be finally feeling fully healthy as well. Women's basketball
up to number eleven in the Ape Pole. They'll start
conference play on New Year's Night down at LSU and
coach Kenny Brooks and company with just the one loss
thus far, so they are rolling along. Tiany Key did
(05:37):
not play in the game on Friday night because of
an injury, but don't know exactly what it is from
what Coach Brooks said, but the feeling is from people
who cover the team stories I've read that it doesn't
feel like it'll be a long term thing. That Tiani
probably would be expected to return for conference play against
(05:58):
LSU on January first. Hopefully that will be the case.
Links to the stories that we talk about you can
find those on the bud Light Leach Report page at
Tom Leachky dot com. Our opening segment a while Cat
News always presented by Giuseppes of Lexington, and I think
it's safely safe to say it's too late to get
gift cards mailed to you from Giuseppes if you need them,
(06:18):
but you can get them off their website Giuseppes Lexington
dot com or if you're close by here in central Kentucky,
you can stop by the restaurant and pick them up
later today. And if it's somebody that's hard to buy for,
you need a last minute item, you've forgotten something, or
need a little something extra, a Giuseppes gift card could
be the ticket, so check that out at Giuseppes Lexington
(06:39):
dot com. We will get to a break come back
with Larry Vott. It is the Leech Report and it's
presented each day by Bobcat Enterprises. Larry Vott joining us
at this most wonderful time of the year from your
sports edge dot com and Vought's views. Merry Christmas, Larry Vot.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
You Tom, I didn't know you had such a good
singing voice.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Yeah that was Andy Williams. Oh okay, well yeah you
don't want to hear my singing voice Coach Pope the
week before or not last night, but the week before
said we would sing a Christmas carol and the next show.
I'm glad he forgot that. I'm glad for the listeners.
You forgot that. At least from my standpoint, I've never
heard his singing voice. We'll get to basketball, admitute, but
(07:27):
let's put a bow on an amazing volleyball season. It
was certainly disappointed how it ended. I mean, you've you've
watched them pretty much match in and match out. To me,
it's just somebody who's watched as a as a fan
and gotten caught up in their season. It looked like
that maybe they maybe they got a little shook after
they lost that lead in the first set. Maybe that
(07:49):
was part of it. Maybe it was also just a
team that was really hot. I was thinking back to,
you know, in eighty and ninety seven in the NCAA tournament,
Arizona got really hot with a couple of great guards
Bibby and Simon, and they took down three straight number
one seeds, and Texas A and M looked like they
were just ten feet tall and bulletproof. To use an
(08:09):
old Mike Pratt line.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Yeah they sure did, Tom. I mean, consider in the
last two weeks they beat Louisville, Nebraska, Pitt and Kentucky.
I mean, they certainly didn't back into the title. That's
as tough a road as anybody could have had to
have tried to won a national championship, and they just
played phenomenal. I can't ever remember a team getting swept
like Kentucky did and having more kills than what the
(08:35):
team that won the match did, but that's how it
turned out. But Kentucky just had too many attack eras,
too many service eras. But a lot of that was
just a credit to the Texas A and M defense.
What they were making you have to try to do
to score points. And they just played phenomenal and Kentucky
didn't play its best, which is as a shame because
of the season they did have. But still, when you
(08:58):
win the undefeated in SEC play, then you go and
win the SEC tournament and you win thirty matches. I mean,
just a brilliant year for Creig Skinner and his team,
and I did it in such a fun way. I
think that's why they kind of captured the fancy of
the fans so much this year. They just were so
much fun to watch. They just played with a joy
(09:19):
and exuberance that sometimes is missing in college athletics. Right now,
I think that's why fans embraced this team so well,
and even Craig. I think Craig didn't cry at the
postgame press conference, but he probably got its closest I've
ever seeing him, because he just really really loved this team,
and I think anybody that watched him play felt the
same way.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
Yeah, I think that all makes perfect sense. They seem
to be just a really special group. I was listing
on Sunday morning at Larry's on the Sunday Morning sports
talk show here in Lexington with Anthony White, Jack Pilgrim,
and Bo Robinson, and you guys were talking with Asia
Thigpen's dad and really funn really he was great, and
(10:02):
he was talking about he was a little surprised that
she wanted to come to Kentucky, but she was convinced
she could win a national championship. And so there were
the pictures. I took note of one of her where
she was in tears and thinking about what her dad
had said. But she's in a position to make another
run at it. They're only scheduled to lose Eva Hudson.
Do you think they can keep the rest of the
(10:23):
group together.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
I think they will certainly keep all the key pieces together.
I certainly can't see Brooklyn Delay or Bally Teso or
Cassie O'Brien leaving. I don't see Lizzie Carr, Asia thick
Pin leaving. I wouldn't see Motley Bretzowitz or Trinity Ward leaving.
There's a couple of other players who didn't get to
play as much this year that in today's world you
(10:47):
discovered us or I might want to go somewhere where
they can't get a chance to play more. And I
would understand that because he's also got five signees coming in,
including a couple that I think are really really good,
and you never know what the transfer portal may bring
into Kentucky too. There may be a couple of dynamic
players out there that say, Hey, let me come here
and be your next Eva Hudson or try to be
(11:08):
your next Eva Hudson. But I think the big majority
of this group will be back because I just think
they like playing for Craig, they like playing Kentucky, and
they especially like playing with each other.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
Certainly looks that like that's the case, and seemed like
they would have you know some strong leaders that you
would want. Is there somebody that didn't play as big
a role this season or play much at all, that
was on the team that you think is ready to
make a move next year.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
I would think that person could be Hannah Benjamin. She
came in two years ago and then right before they
went on an exhibition trip to Japan, got hurt. Get
to play the whole season this year, she didn't get
to play a lot because she was playing behind two
players named Delay in Hudson. They just didn't come out there.
(11:57):
Just wasn't anybody you just don't go in and play there.
But I think when she first got to kentuckt with
Craig Skinner tell me how she could be one of
the best players he's ever recruited, she got hurt. So
I think we have not seen from her now that
would be one I would wonder, Okay's but she's stayed
here for two years now that she has maybe your
change to play with the Evil Gown, which she consider
(12:18):
transferring or not. And I really don't know her that
well that it hadn't been around her that much, but
from just somebody that could fill in that you haven't
thought much about just kind of remember that name and
if she's still on the roster going in the next season,
I think that might be somebody we really like. When
we get a change to watch your play, We're.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Teler Larry vatt here on the Leech Report. It's coming
to here from the Clark's Pumping Shop studio. Return, refresh
and refuel at Clark's. We'll be right back and continue
the conversation Ken Spencer in the second half of the
show on the Leech Report Radio Network. What if I
passed the top of the hour as we were chatting
with Larry vaughtsa an item at your sports edge dot
(12:55):
com about a potential walk on QB from up in
northern Kentucky. You were writing about.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Larry Yeah Cash from Covenant Catholic. Kind of interesting story.
It's almost like the will Sign story. Thinks he deserves
the change to play Division one at high level, doesn't
have the opportunity, so he's going to walk on to Kentucky.
Played quarterback at Covenan Catholics. Kind of because this happens
(13:20):
at a lot of places. He's probably the best athlete
on the team that they need a quarterback. That's where
they're putting. His coach, Eddie Edison thinks he can be
a dynamite receiver. His trainer, Jordan Nevills, the former Highlands
and UK player, thinks he'll be a terrific safety. So
we'll see what happens with him. But again, it's kind
of interesting to see how Will and his staff are
(13:43):
reaching out to some Kentucky athletes and giving him a
chance to come to UK as walk On's and I
think Cash I've got the change to watching place several
times during his career. He's a really tough athletic type kid,
so I'm really kind of trigue. But what might lie
in for him at Kentucky.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
I've always thought that that's a good idea to find
if you if you can find them, some guys like
that that could play multiple positions, that come out of
winning programs, that know how to win. Charles Walker one
of the best stories from Saint X and developed into
a key wide receiver as a walk On that those
(14:25):
kinds of players are great additions to your program and
frequently you can find a way to use them, even
if it's special teams.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
That's exactly right, and I think he'll be one of
those type of players. And in today's college football world,
where I never know exactly how many scholarships there are
and are, maybe what we used to think of as
a Walkoll is not exactly a walk on anymore. I
don't even know. It's hard for me to seigure out
what's going on up, but I just know he's the
kind of guy if I had a team, I like
to have you on my team.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
Yeah, it's gonna be hard to say, uh for for
covering a team in college sport, it's now you know
who's it's. I think if I understand it correctly, it
will be a little bit like baseball has always been,
where you could be on a partial scholarship, so you
could have Yeah, you know, so I don't know if
you have technically any walk ons, but you may only
(15:14):
get a you know, a small percentage of aid, but
you've getting some.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
That's exactly right. And I think all the cash cares about.
From talking to his coach and his trainer both, he
just wants an opportunity. So I think they are going
to give him that, and I'm really I think they'll
be glad that they did. I think, like as you said,
He's just one of those type of players you want
on your team, kind of like what a bally Breds
of which came in it was for the Kentucky volleyball team.
(15:41):
Just a good team person, good chemistry. What a row
you want to give, He'll take it.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
About a minute left here, quick thought on what you
saw out of Atlanta on Saturday with the Kentucky basketball
really the last two games, well.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
I'll just say this, Tom, for all those who thought
the roster construction was great and in the summer and
then thought it was pretty crappy and early November and December,
and now they're backed on the bandwagon, I think it's
amazing when you have a healthy roster how things can
look different than when they don't. And I think Kentucky
had some games where it didn't play great, there's no
(16:15):
doubt about that. But a healthy roster, this team's a
whole different. If you put Jalen Low and Jayden Clayton's
out there and they can keep Jayla Low healthy, then
you're seeing what this team everybody thought it was going
to be. And it was really fun to watch that
second half and to watch I was also like seeing
Cam Williams get out on the fast breaking Jayla Lowe
(16:38):
finding him drain those threes. I mean that second one.
I think he shot from mid court, and I hope
that's all. We're gonna see a lot more from him.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Yeah, I think he could have a lot of upside
as they move into conference play doing that kind of stuff. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
And if he can do that, then that changes the
dynamic of this team a lot too.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Indeed it does. Larry Vott, thank you so much much.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
All right, Tom, sorry for the issues this morning.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
Oh, no problem. Yeah, we had a call audible with
Larry's phone today. We are halfway home on the Leach Report.
We'll be right back. It's the Lake's Report, presented by
Bob Kat Enterprises. This is our final live show before Christmas.
Tomorrow and Christmas Day. It will be best of shows
and tomorrow's we will do what has become a Christmas
(17:27):
Eve tradition, replay an interview that I did with Joby
Hall about the only game Kentucky ever played on Christmas Eve.
And it was a last second win up at Illinois
in December twenty fourth, nineteen eighty three, and there were
some unusual circumstances around the game and If you don't
recall those, you can google it, or you can tune
(17:48):
in for the show tomorrow. Got a couple of things
here to play for you. These were races that were
held at the first one at Saratoga's Harness Track and
the second one at the Woodbine Mohawk Standardbred Track in Canada.
So you had a match up between Sanna in one
sulky and the Grinch in the other sulky. And here's
(18:09):
how it played out at Saratoga.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
And the Grin's trying to hang in there, the lead
is a length and half, Santa's closing in, still with
work to do, but Sanna beginning to make some progress,
and the Grin's trying to steal this one. And the
Grinch in the battle versus good versus evil, and it
is evil to prevail, and the Grinch taunting Senna as
he drives home a four length winner.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
I'm thinking something had to be up there. Either Santa
was too busy making toys to really get to Saratoga
and he had a sub or it was a reindeer
instead of a race horse. But when Sanna and the
Grinch squared off at Woodbine Mohawk in Canada. It turned
out a little differently, and as they turned for the stretch,
they're side by side. Now it's joy versus jealousy. Santa
(18:56):
up on the outside. We need some holiday cheer from
the crowd here. We can't let the Crench growd this
on the inside, Santa.
Speaker 4 (19:04):
Coming up on the outside. They are neck and neck,
and Santa is gonna get up in time. Christmas Spirit
wins it again at Santa prevailing over the Crinch.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
I love the call from the announcer up at Wood
by Mohawks, so up in Canada, at least Santa got
the job done. I think that was probably the real
Santa that was driving in that race. We saw the
real version of the Wildcats last Saturday in Atlanta. Smark
Pope had all of the players on his roster available
to him for the first time, and that's because Jaden
(19:38):
Quaintan's made his debut. I think there was a thought
that maybe they'd bring him back in a game like
this one today, as opposed to going up against a
ranked opponent like Saint John's. But Quaintance was lobbying to
be back as early as he could get back, and
especially to come back and make his return in a
(19:58):
quote unquote big game on this big stage down in Atlanta.
He talked about that with the local media yesterday.
Speaker 5 (20:05):
Sure, I mean, I've just always been a competitor. I
felt like I have the ability to help us win
at a high level. I feel like I can make
an impact on big games, and I felt like change
out it would be the perfect way to kind of
introduce myself.
Speaker 6 (20:16):
Was there, kind of like getting your getting your legs
underneath you, Like, what were those kind of early early
runs up and down the floor like for you.
Speaker 5 (20:22):
Well, honestly, I felt in pretty good shape, Like I
never really was tired, you know, just kind of getting
back into a game mindset. Like I was a little
excited at points, like I filed a three point shooter.
I don't usually do that, just just kind of over
excited at points. But I felt like I kind of
reined it in and he was able to play solid
and help us get it done. I feel like I
could have been a little bit more aggressive offensively, just
(20:44):
going to the rim, like I faded away a little
bit more than I usually do. Just being like a
little bit more aggressive and being more like an attacking mindset.
I could do better with that, but otherwise I felt
really pretty solid.
Speaker 6 (20:54):
What did you learn about yourself and your teammates in
that time watching these games and not being able to
make an impact on the floor, but kind of being
a coach kind of mentor from the sideline.
Speaker 5 (21:06):
I feel like everybody has that hunger and win. I
feel like I feel like just getting a sense of
cohesion connection as a team.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
I felt like that's what I.
Speaker 5 (21:13):
Learned about the most, learning about my teammates, not being
able to be with them on the court, being with
them off the court build relationships in a different way
when you don't really have that same bond on the court,
build the connection that way. So I felt like that's
probably what I learned the most.
Speaker 6 (21:25):
You j low kind of the full product finally for
the first time, did you kind of laugh at you know,
some of the media members, some of the fans that
are kind of being dramatic and overreacting myself and included
to those early losses, knowing like, hey, just you know,
the full product is coming. Just be just kind of
be patient with us.
Speaker 5 (21:43):
Well, I've always I'm not a huge media person, Like
I don't even run my social media like that, Like
my dad, I was running most of the time, so
I never really overreacted to that. I just kind of
tried to control what I can control.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
That was Jaden Quaint's yesterday really interesting young man Mark
Popos talked about that JQ is an outstanding chess player,
and he talked about their chess games, that they had,
chess matches that they had in Pope's office and always
seems to have. Smiley talked in that interview yesterday about
(22:17):
how he prefers to lead by example more so than vocally,
so that's why his contribution would be most impactful when
he gets out on the court in term from a
leadership standpoint. We certainly saw that, and I think he
sortainly gave his team a lift. So again, it's gonna
be a different challenge today up against Karazinski of Bellerman
(22:39):
because of the way the Knights utilize him and playing
him away from the basket, and he can make threes,
and so it's gonna be a different kind of defensive
challenge when JQ is in the game today. Coach Pope
was talking on the radio show last night and how
he hopes pretty quickly with how it's looking for to
(23:00):
be able to get him to the point where there's
not a minute's restriction. There will still be today, but
maybe by conference play they'll have a week and a
half to well, they won't have a whole week and
a half to practice because the guys will get to
go home for Christmas, but they'll get some extended practice
run before conference play starts a week from Saturday down
at Alabama, and he'll, one would think by then would
(23:22):
be if not completely removed from the minutes restriction, it
would be greater than it is going to be probably today.
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Well Sleech Report and we're presented each day by Bobcat Enterprises.
(24:50):
And when we come back, Ken Spencer joins the program
a quarter before the top of the hour as we
welcome Ken Spencer into the program. Merry Christmas, mister Spender.
Speaker 7 (25:01):
Very Christmas to you.
Speaker 8 (25:02):
Mister Lee.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
Got all the Christmas thing taken care.
Speaker 7 (25:05):
Of finally yesterday, finally finally wrapped it up yesterday.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
So the proud dad a picture with your kids. It
was just like a Christmas pageant or something.
Speaker 7 (25:18):
No, it was The Nutcracker. Oh, they my girls. My
oldest is fifteen, she's a she's a sophomore. And then
my thirteen year old is in eighth grade. And the
thirteen year old is heavy into competitive dance in her
dance studio. And so they were putting on a presentation
(25:40):
of The Nutcracker at a local theater here and they
had four shows over last weekend, and so, and my
oldest helped out as a party parent in the show.
So she's not even a dancer, but yet she was
in She was heavily involved in the in the first act,
(26:01):
helping out, and my thirteen year old was pretty much
in the in the whole thing. So it was it
was awesome to watch them and for the thirteen year
old just to just to watch her do what she
loves to do. And I think the fifteen year old
had a lot of fun too.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
I guess they learned those dance skills from you.
Speaker 7 (26:22):
Yeah, hey, you know what, don't don't don't, don't sleep
on it. Your man's got a little a few moves.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
Well, that gives us a perfect segue into Kentucky basketball
and the win over Saint John's because Jalen Lowe had
a few moves on Saturday. He is quite the impressive
guy with the ball in his hands. Can Williams yesterday
talked about that with the media. Bet you never played
with anybody as fast with the ball as as Jayalen.
(26:53):
That's it. And and being fast with the balls a
little different than just being sprinter speed fast.
Speaker 7 (26:58):
Right, yeah, And you know, I think just the offense
just moves so much better when when when he's in there.
You saw it against Indiana and then obviously in this
game as well in the second half when he was
able to come in. I mean, think about the two
threes that Williams hit. You know, yeah, he was fast
(27:18):
with the ball, but the passes that he delivered almost
were perfectly placed in the shooter's pocket to where you know,
there wasn't you know, Williams just had to get into
a rhythm shot to make the two threes that he made.
They were huge threes and I even think it was
low in the later on in the second half. They
(27:38):
did everything that they wanted to do with the offensive
possession and Colin Chandler was wide open in the winner
and he was able to kick it out to him.
And he placed it perfectly. Now Chandler misses the shot,
but so much of this isn't just getting it to
the open man. It's also getting it to the open
man in a position in which they can get into
their shot easily and rhythm, and that's something that he
(28:02):
can do, and to be quite honest with you, that's
something that has been sorely missed in this offense going forward.
I've always said about this Kentucky team, I think it's
a good shooting team. I just think against high major competition,
they were taking really really bad shots. And so when
you do that, if you're if you're not getting open
(28:23):
and you're not moving the ball, then you look like
a poor shooting team. And I think you've seen, especially
in that second half against Saint John's. They didn't make
a ton of them, but man, the ones that they
took and made were timely at CJ.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Moore from The Athletic on the show last week, and
he made the point that as bad as it was
against Gonzaga, there were a handful of possessions where the
offense worked right, and they were all with Jaylen Lowe
where he got him a good shot. They didn't make it,
but that's that was maybe the the only bright spot
(28:59):
from from that performance. But he is just the guy
that they need certainly to make this work, because it
seems to me that they built a roster that was
going to be different for what Mark Pope had before
going to be addressed the issues that they felt they
had last season with athleticism and be able to being
(29:21):
able to defend. And now we're seeing what Quainton springs
to the table and Diabate back out there. You kind
of see the maybe the vision of what they were
looking for. But if you're playing JQ Diabate a lot,
that's not a lot of threes. It's not going to
be a five out kind of team that Mark's been
used to coaching. So kind of felt like they were
(29:41):
building a lot of the offensive end of the court
around the skill set of Jalen Lowe and when you
don't have him, that's a bit of a problem.
Speaker 7 (29:47):
Yeah, and that would be And honestly, ever since the
one young man decommitted and went elsewhere, the other point
guard that they have wasted a ca right, I thought
that they had to go get another point guard. And
I always felt like, man, if you're only carrying one,
(30:08):
especially after what happened to Lamont Butler last year and
and his shoulder and his issues. Then you know you
were you were skated on on thin ice. And to
be quite honest with you, Tom, you know, like what
we saw in the first half with Jalen Lowe, they're
still skating on thin ice. And and just because you know,
who knows how long that thing is going to be
(30:30):
able to be held together. Maybe it will last the
entire season and everything will be Honckey dory. I have
no idea, but that would be my only criticism of it.
But yes, when he is in the game, you know
you're still going to be able to get a lot
of the shot that that cope and and figure what
to get within the offense. And then you have guys
(30:53):
now that they've bought into the defensive end, you can
see that this is a good defensive team.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
Absolutely, and you I remember thinking the night Kentucky was
losing to Louisville that a lot of the success that
Louisville had getting to the rim. I remember thinking, well,
if they get Quainton's back, that could at least address
that problem. Because it's it's nic but not gonna be
anything easier around the rim anymore.
Speaker 7 (31:22):
Well, this too, like he just he knows, like I
always feel like he knows like how to play the position.
Even if you looked at some of when he was
in the game opposed to some of the other other
big men, and I think they do have some things
that they still they can get way better at and
(31:42):
and things to learn. But watch how he plays the
screen and role game with the you know, defensively, he
doesn't give up anything, like he's he's always right there
and if and if the other guy is also digging,
then you know, it's not it's not like just a
free basket just to get right to the hole. Not
(32:03):
It's not just because he can block shots. It's also
the way that he would come out and show and
in the different things that he did, and in that department,
I thought that just really kind of proved his worth
that there is nothing going to be easy the screen,
the screen and roll game isn't just going to be
a free basket for the other team in wide open shots.
Speaker 8 (32:22):
And so I was so impressed, I'll be honest.
Speaker 7 (32:26):
With you, Like, you know, when he came out of ote,
like I thought, like, hey, the highlights are great, and
then I didn't watch a whole lot of Arizona State,
so I kind of went into when he checked into
the game for the first time, like I had no
like I wanted to go into this thing with the
clean slate. Like I came out of it going I
think Kentucky has the best big man in the country,
(32:47):
and I don't know how close it is. Like That's
how I felt about his performance, especially in that second
half against Saint Jobs.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
Yeah, I was. I felt a little sorry for Edgie
for there was one play in particular. There were several that,
you know, he was struggling with, but one in particular
where after trying to score himself against Quaints he had
kind of given up on that and Rick as well,
And so they're posts they played Edgy for at the
high post. Do they post Hopkins down on the block
on the left side of the lane and edge force
(33:17):
at the high post? And he ends up throwing the
ball out of bounds because he couldn't throw it over Quintins,
And when he tried to lean to his left and
throw it around him, the seven to four wingspan became
the issue, and he you know, his pivot foot was
stuck and so he couldn't get the angle to get
it to Hopkins, and so the ball just went straight
out of bounds.
Speaker 7 (33:36):
How many times? How many times from where you sit
would you see an opposing big man posting up a
Kentucky big man over over your time? Right, Like you
can tell the guys.
Speaker 8 (33:49):
That have guys that are like, I'm not one hundred
percent and this spot against this defender, it looked like
it was a Saturday walk in the park for rings.
When anybody was trying to post him up, it was like,
(34:09):
I don't know what you're gonna do, but you're not scoring.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
Not today, this huh?
Speaker 7 (34:15):
Like he was he was just completely comfortable, and like,
think about that, that's his first game in nine months
and he was and he felt like that in comfortable.
He felt that comfortable and that in charge in the game,
Like that's such a that's such a rarity. And it
wasn't just I don't think it was just adrenaline carrying
(34:37):
through Like I just think that that's the way he looked.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
Nah, I think you're exactly right. Can't appreciate the time
very much. Have great Christmas to you the family.
Speaker 7 (34:47):
Hey, you do the same time appreciated Buddy.
Speaker 1 (34:49):
At w HS eleven kent On X for kent Spencer
Whas TV in Louisville. One more break and then we'll
come back and wrap up this edition of the Leach
Report presented by Bobcat Enterprises. With those four locations around Kentucky,
they have what you need when you have a need
to buy or rent. Have the equipment like excavators and
forklifts and bobcats and whatever. Zero turn Morris for your
(35:12):
home lawn too. At Bobcat Enterprises. It's Day in Wildcat History,
a service of Kentucky road Show sports cards and memorabilia.
They are on Romney Road in Lexington and at roadshowcards
dot Com. Nineteen ninety three, this day Jeff Brasso tip
in at the Buzzer to beat Arizona out in Maui
and set off an amazing celebration there in the Lahina
(35:34):
Civic Center. And then two years later, nineteen ninety five,
on this day was the day Tim Couch committed to
be a Wildcat. And then that afternoon Kentucky beat Louisville
eighty nine to sixty six, with Tony Delk scoring thirty.
That was a pretty good December twenty third. There on
nineteen ninety five. Happy birthday Derek Ramsey, one of the
(35:56):
all time great quarterbacks at UK and one of the
all time great leaders as a Wildcat and in state
government as well, had a great career in the NFL.
Happy birthday ram and Dude Hennessy from my hometown of Paris.
They played football at Kentucky under Bear Bryant and was
a longtime assistant coach for coach Bryant down at Alabama
(36:19):
and war Stewart retained his d line coach. That was
made official yesterday. Glad to see that. And State X
point guard Josh Lindsay class of twenty eight, I believe,
reportedly is making an unvisual visit for the Bellarmine game
today as the Wildcats take some take a look there
at Josh. Merry Christmas everybody, and next live show coming
up on Friday. Have a good Christmas.
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