La Familia is kicking ass and taking names in The Basketball Tournament. After a few early, unsuccessful TBT attempts, some wondered if this group of former Kentucky Wildcats could reignite the sparks from their playing days in Lexington. Three games into this event La Familia has left no doubt. These dudes are for real.
Playing against Herd That, the top-seeded team in the region who reached the semifinals a year ago, La Familia ran the Marshall alumni team off the court. The former Wildcats took an early lead, then put their foot on the gas with a 17-2 run in the third quarter to put the game out of reach. La Familia led by as many as 30 points in the Elam Ending before reaching the target score on a James Young three-pointer for a 95-66 victory.
Eric Bledsoe was once again the best player on the floor. The 12-year NBA veteran made Jon Elmore look silly. Bledsoe sliced and diced his way to 24 points, all while holding Herd That’s best shooter to 0-of-8 from the floor. Nate Sestina and each Harrison twin chipped in 11 points apiece as La Familia knocked down 14-of-28 three-pointers in the TBT Lexington Regional Final.
La Familia advances to the TBT quarterfinals where they will play the winner of Team DRC vs. The Ville (7 pm EST tonight on FS1). That’s right, we could have Kentucky playing Louisville in basketball at Freedom Hall next week. What a time to be alive.
Karem Kanter is so much fun to watch
Forgive me for a moment, but I’d like to share an Old Man Take™. Modern basketball has turned power forwards into stretch fours and it’s sad for the sport of basketball. I grew up watching undersized Erik Daniels and Chuck Hayes cook bigger defenders by using excellent footwork and leverage to gain an advantage in the paint. The art of post play has been lost, but not for everyone.
Karem Kanter never played at UK, but boy, I love watching him go to work in the paint. The combination of head fakes, shoulder shimmies, and hook shots is scratching a nostalgic basketball itch. More importantly, he’s providing consistency in the paint. Last night he tallied 20 points (12 of which were from the free throw line) and eight rebounds. La Familia was lights out from downtown, but if those shots quit falling, Kanter is going to be there to keep the boat afloat.
Kentucky Stars in the Rupp Arena Stands for TBT
La Familia did not sell out the lower level of Rupp Arena, but it did draw some big names to the home of Kentucky basketball. Former NBA All-Star Rajon Rondo sat behind the bench. Another homegrown five-star prospect, Jasper Johnson, was in the stands for the event. Kentucky head coach Mark Pope finally got off the road recruiting to enjoy the TBT and spent some time on the FS1 broadcast while rocking a custom La Familia jersey. Vince Marrow, Darius Miller, and Marcus Lee were also spotted at the home of Kentucky basketball.
Introducing Three New Kentucky Wildcats
This summer of basketball isn’t just for old Kentucky Wildcats. On Tuesday three new players were formally introduced to the media. KSR was at the Craft Center to speak with Lamont Butler, Collin Chandler, and Brandon Garrison. We learned how the latter chose Kentucky after visiting Arkansas and how Chandler is getting back into the basketball groove following his mission trip. You can learn a lot more by listening to everything they have to say on the KSR YouTube Channel.
But wait — THERE’S MORE!
If those types of interviews don’t float your boat, the Ky Wildcats TV crew has a different way of letting you get to know the Kentucky Wildcats. Aaron Harrison took the mic to interview Travis Perry. One clutch shooter interviewing a homegrown sharpshooter? Sign me up.
Kentucky Alumni Night at The Pitch
This Saturday it’s UK Night at Lynn Family Stadium. The Greater Louisville UK Alumni Club is inviting all Kentucky Wildcats to the pitch to watch Louisville City FC host Monterey Bay FC. The match kicks off at 8 pm EST, but gates open an hour earlier and Kentucky soccer coach Johan Cedergren will be at the Corner Bar to kick it with Big Blue Nation. You can see all of the perks for Kentucky fans and find ticket information here.
Bob Baffert can Race Horses in Kentucky Again
How about that Friday news dump? On Friday at 5 pm Churchill Downs Inc. announced they’re letting Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert back onto the premises after a three-year suspension. Baffert accepted responsibility in a statement where he also noted that he paid a steep price for Medina Spirit’s failed drug test.
A tube of ointment caused a big stink in the sport of horse racing. I’m the last person who would ever take up for Baffert. The guy isn’t my cup of tea, and it’s mostly because I loathe the West Coast racing circuit where he dominates. Feelings aside, horse racing needs its brightest star. It was time to move on. Thankfully, this story can be put in the past, until Baffert inevitably wins another Kentucky Derby. Then he will take the greatest victory lap the sports world has ever seen and it will be hilarious.
Winter Olympics Returning to Salt Lake City
A few days before the eyes of the world are on Parids for the 2024 Summer Olympics, Salt Lake City was awarded the 2034 Winter Olympics. The event was in Utah back in 2002 and up until today, I did not know there was controversy surrounding their selection. Nevertheless, this means we will see a World Cup (2026), Summer (2028), and Winter Olympics (2034) all within a decade on US soil. Not too shabby.
