Hawkins "free to play"

By: LARRY VAUGHT

LEXINGTON — When sophomore Dominique Hawkins found out Thursday night that he would be making his first start at the University of Kentucky against Boston Friday, he was both excited and nervous.

“It’s an amazing feeling. I was so nervous. I’m blessed to be able to start for the No. 1 team in the nation, and it was just a crazy feeling. I felt like I was dreaming,” said Hawkins after he had seven points on 3-for-4 shooting from the field, one assist, one rebound and one steal in 16 minutes. “It was crazy. I was just focusing on not messing up at the beginning of the game.

“I slept good last night. After walk-through (Friday) we were supposed to take a nap and I really couldn’t sleep through it, thinking about it. At the beginning of the game, when it got going, all the nerves went away.”

Hawkins played just five minutes the second half as coach John Calipari broke up his platoon system to help pull away from Boston, which tailed just 40-35 at halftime.

“He was okay,” Calipari said. “We just weren't as dominating. I wanted him to really smother the ball. Again, he hadn't been playing in the games and I think it affects those guys, he and Derek (Willis), it's hard. Derek walked in and you can tell, looked a little lost. And it's not his fault. And that is why I wanted us to play well so they could get into a flow and they can go show who they are because they're both very good players.”

Hawkins got to start because Alex Poythress came down sick at Thursday’s practice and was not at Friday’s game.

“To be honest, I really don’t know how ill he is. But I know he was sick after practice before, he was throwing up. But we don’t know what he has,” Hawkins, who had played just three minutes in one game this season, said.

However, Hawkins did a Poythress-like impression when he took a lob pass from Devin Booker in the second half way above the rim and threw down a dunk.

“First thing is catch it, no matter how high it is, I’ve just gotta go catch it and get it in some way,” Hawkins said of the lob. “I don’t even know how high I went up for it. I’ll have to watch the video after this is over. I really can’t wait.”

Hawkins said he about 50 text messages waiting for him immediately after the game about his dunk. His teammates also had a few messages for him

“They were like, ‘Why don’t I do that all the time.’ But I’ve never had a play for me made like that before, to do it all the time. But hopefully, another game I’ll be able to do the same thing,” Hawkins said.

Sophomore guard Aaron Harrison said players were excited for Hawkins, but not surprised.

“We knew how high he could get up. You guys (in the media) probably don’t know because he doesn’t, like, show off or anything like that, but, he think it’s showing off I guess. But we’re just happy for him. We knew he could do things like that,” Harrison said.

Hawkins said the play where he came along the baseline in the zone was “drawn up” Thursday night.

“We used the play last year . We haven’t used the play this year. So we actually used it for the first time today. I think Trey Lyles, he got, like, three dunks off of it,” Hawkins said.

Hawkins appreciated having a chance to show off his dunking ability that some teammates consider the best on the game.

“Not a lot of people know that I can actually dunk, and I believe I’m the best dunker on the team still,” Hawkins laughed and said.

Hawkins said he had been playing well in practice, making shots both from 3-point range and when he went inside just as he did against Boston.

“I’m more comfortable. My teammates basically build my confidence,” he said. “They tell me to shoot the ball and once your teammates tell you to shoot it, you definitely want to shoot it. And when it goes in, it gives you a lot more confidence. In practice I’ve been shooting really well.

“I just felt like I was, free to play. Like, once I get the ball in transition, I’ve always been good enough not to turn it over, just make a play, ‘cause basically, in high school, I did that all the time.”

Hawkins’ best work, though, continues to come on the defensive end.

“I just want to pressure the person that’s handling the ball. Coach Cal always tells me that one of my strong abilities is pressuring the ball. And I’m so good at it that it frustrates the ballhandler a little bit. When that happens I feel like I’m helping the team out,” Hawkins said.

Once he even made Boston’s Cedric Hankerson fall to his knees dribbling the ball trying to keep the ball from him.

“When you get someone to do that, it really frustrates them. And I can tell he didn’t really want to handle the ball, so I just kept attacking him until he passed the ball,” Hawkins said. “I haven’t had that happen yet (in college). He fell down a couple of times, but he’s a really good player. He was knocking down a lot of 3’s, so I had to put pressure on him.”