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  • VAUGHT: Swanigan talks recruiting

    Both Caleb Swanigan and Homestead (Ind.) coach Chris Johnson agreed on one thing — Swanigan didn’t play nearly the way he normally does in Friday’s 49-36 to Chicago Currie in the Bluegrass Showcase at Paul Dunbar High School.

    Kentucky coach John Calipari and Auburn coach Bruce Pearl were both sitting courtside with staff members to watch the 6-8 Swanigan play along with assistant coaches from Oregon, Louisville and Iowa. However, Swanigan struggled against a zone defense that usually had three defenders around him and went 3-for-11 from the field while scoring 14 points (8-for-13 at the foul line). He did pull off 12 rebounds and block a shot, but he also had eight turnovers trying to do too much against the Currie defense.

    “Everything we are known for is ball movement and tonight we had a lot of individual play. That’s disappointing,” said Johnson. “Caleb was double- and triple-teamed and did not do a good job getting rid of the ball. That’s what makes him good.”

    Johnson said he wasn’t sure if all the coaches watching Swanigan impacted him or maybe just wanting to do too much to prove himself with so many other top players playing in the three-day event.

    “But he didn’t need to do some of the things he did. He’s one of the top players in the country,” Johnson said. “He’s seen triple teams a lot. Last year he waited for the game to come to him. Tonight it was more like he would get it and wanted his (points).”

    Johnson told him that coaches like Calipari and Pearl would have been “more impressed” if he had 20 assists and 10 points than a double-double with rebounds and points.

    “Maybe he just wanted to look to good in this big-time event and stand out. But he has to be able to get rid of the ball and re-post,” Johnson said.

    Swanigan did not disagree.

    “I know I have to let the game come to me better,” he said. “I just wasn’t moving the ball. The second half I had to make a move and was trying to force it in there. You can’t do that against a team like this.”

    Swanigan is ranked among the nation’s top 10 players in the 2015 recruiting class and played for USA Basketball. He said big-time coaches watching him play is nothing new.

    “They don’t put pressure on me,” he said. “The second half I did a lot of selfish things on my part and was trying to do too much. Not letting the game come to me is what hurt me out there.

    “Very unusual. Usualy I am very good with the basketball and don’t make a lot of mistakes.”

    He knows what he did the second half would not work at Kentucky.

    “What I did the second half would not work at Kentucky. Coach Cal would chew me out. They play as a team and play together and they play hard. I felt like I played hard, but I just didn’t play through the team,” Swanigan said.

    Swanigan has yet to trim his recruiting list or set his official visits. He indicated his team would likely watch Kentucky practice Saturday and that he remains close with UK assistant Barry Rohrssen, who was recruiting him at Pittsburgh before he joined Calipari’s staff.

    “I feel like I have a good relationship with Cal and Slice (Rohrssen),” Swanigan said. “He has recruited me hard since he was at Pitt. I like him. He is very easy going guy and down to earth.”

    He also again denied that Michigan State was a clear front-runner as some have speculated.

    “My visit went well. I went to an exhibition game,” Swanigan, who still plans no college decision until the spring barring a major change of hear, said. “They are one of biggest schools and were recruiting me the earliest. Before Duke and Arizona came along, they were recruiting me. But I don’t have a leader.”

    He’s not seen much of Auburn playing under Pearl, but says Auburn has been on him “hard” for months.

    “Came to my house. I have not been down there yet but they tell me they really want me and I just have to look into them. I have not seen them play. I have to watch and see how I like what they do,” Swanigan said.

    He said his visit to Duke “was good” and after backing off him a bit in recruitment, Duke has also been recruiting him regularly.

    He said he likes the way UK is playing and that Calipari told him the “only want to keep guys happy this year” was to platoon but that he won’t be doing that again. He also said not knowing who is on the roster will not impact his college choice for any team.

    “No, it doesn’t make it hard. He (Calipari) had a load of guys this year and he is making it work and everyone playing together. Lot of guys may go, some may come back. Guys coming back helps you with experience and that has helped this year compared to last year even though they won with freshmen,” Swanigan.

    He compared the platoon system to what USA Basketball does.

    “It is kind of like how USA Basketball play their players, so I am familiar with it. Just play your hardest for five minutes,” Swanigan said. “Coach Cal said this is the last year he wanted to do. He said it was the only way he could make guys happy this year. He doesn’t plan on doing it again unless he has to.

    “You always want to go somewhere that you will have players and can rely on and trust your teammates so they can’t triple and double team you. But the biggest thing is just being able to get there. If someone is coming back or not coming back, you just want to play.”
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