It had been more than a few years since I had seen a Kentucky/Indiana All-Star Game in person. I was lucky enough to have a good seat for Game #2 in Indianapolis for the 2013 edition this past Saturday. Though wearing one of my 2012 National Championship T-shirts, aside from the typical sullen stares that are common whenever I am out and about with my gear on in Indiana's capital city, folks were friendly, polite, and fun to talk to, even with a tad of smack resulting from the epic beat down our Kentucky boys took in Game #1 at Freedom Hall.
Cool tidbit was sitting behind ex-Butler coach Todd Lickliter (originally from Corbin, replaced Thad Matta, was replaced by Brad Stevens, hired by Iowa, had some health issues that have been solved, and now happily coaching local NAIA Marian). We really enjoyed talking to him and he showed mad respect for Kentucky tradition and our enthusiasm for good basketball.
Sitting about 15 rows from the floor, across the court from the Indiana bench, free throw stripe in our direct line, I arrived during the second half of the girl's game in time to see Makayla Epps show why she will be walking in her Daddy's proverbial sneakers once she gets to UK. Though down by 15 or so, Epps showed the same warrior traits that her legendary Father was known for while leading the dominant 1996 UK Championship team to Wildcat Heaven. She topped Kentucky with 23 points on 6-10 from the field, 2-3 from three, 9-12 from the line, and 4 assists, tying Indiana's Bridget Perry for game high scoring honors.
This young lady is built strong, is very mobile, and is an aggressive, yet controlled, bulldog when attacking the rim, finishing, or finding her open mates. While it could be seen as too little too late, Epps made a game out of what could have been a blowout. Fans of UK Hoops will very much enjoy her tenacity and competitive spirit.
The difference in the game might have been Indiana's containment of Ashton Feldhaus, daughter of Kentucky Boy's coach, Allen Feldhaus, Jr. After going off from deep in the Kentucky girls' win at Freedom Hall, Feldhaus was held scoreless, leaving Kentucky's offense struggling on the whole.
While waiting for the boy's game to start, I chatted up a nice guy sitting in front of me who happened to be the strength and conditioning coach at Marian (never got his name though). As the Kentucky players were being introduced, my initial impressions were the striking lack of muscle and overall conditioning one could see, especially the, ahem, "bigs". This was my first live viewing of Derek Willis and there is no question that the young man NEEDS to eat like an NFL O-linemen who has been assigned to devour the entire Cracker Barrel menu three times a day.
As the Indiana players were introduced (to a ridiculously LAME version of an NBA light show thang, complete with a VERY poor man's attempt at aping the Pistons' John Mason), it was equally apparent that the hoosier kids were NOT lacking in powerfully athletic bodies. I nudged Marian's S&C coach and asked him, somewhat rhetorically, if it was just as obvious to him. He sorta chuckled and simply said, "ummm, yeah, easily".
Now, don't be mistaken, Kentucky's guards were just as fit as anyone, but from Notre Dame commit Demetrius Jackson, who was built like a freaking mack truck for a PG, to Indiana's Darius Latham, who looked like a Defensive End, perhaps because he actually WAS a DE for Indianapolis North Central while playing in the paint for the local basketball juggernaut, Indiana's kids were bigger, stronger, and full to the brim with elite athletic gifts.
The cool thing about the game was that it became very clear very fast that the Kentucky kids were playing to win, not to make the score look better than Game 1. Despite the truth about Willis and Hawkins being tired from a lot of extra work with their Cats teammates leading up to the game in Freedom Hall, it was easy to see a "get after it" mentality that could not have possibly been apparent in the first game. Leading that charge, starting in minute #1 was Domonique Hawkins.
He had VERY high energy, trying to get his teammates involved early, setting them up with good shots that they mostly missed, identifying that quickly and, thus getting his open shots in transition early and often, and turned on an extra gear on D that really kept them in the game. He was getting in passing lanes, hitting the boards, scrambling all over the court, picking pockets from behind the play, and hitting sweet jumpers from anywhere he wanted, be they fadeaway ten footers, open OR contested threes, and scintillating drives to the rack through a tough interior hoosier D.
I had heard a LOT about Hawkins from my Pops, one of the finest analysts of high school players that I ever have or will know (the man has made Kentucky's Sweet Sixteen every year, but one over the past 40 years or so), and long before he was on UK's radar as a recruit. Seeing Domonique in person won me over and then some. As much as I like Jarred Polson's hustle and toughness, and despite this being an All-Star game, I left with NO doubt that Hawkins will play meaningful minutes for the Cats this year and that, unfortunately, my man Polson will be relegated to mop up minutes. I hate to write that, but I see it as obvious truth.
The thing I really like about Hawkins is that he is a gamer, has that will to win and maturity that is rare for a Freshman, regardless of pedigree. He WANTS to play defense, is a fearless shooter from all over the court, AND shows a smooth stroke with a calm demeanor. You want a leader coming off the bench? I'm here to tell ya, Mr. Hawkins has that in spades. He seemed to relish taking over the game when needed, having that perfectly balanced approach that you want out of your point guard because he never forgets to look for his teammates while doing all of that.
In the end, the Indiana kids simply had too much size, strength, overall team talent, and options for the rest of the Kentucky kids to compete with, but Hawk kept them there to the last minute, ready to potentially squeak out a win. I was just so happy, on Father's Day Eve, to be with my Pops, seeing this great player (and, incidentally, seeing some super open court ball-handling and toughness out of Mr. Willis BTW, who got precious little help inside against Indiana's beastly front line) in the person of Domonique Hawkins convince me that he could play at a very high level and dominate while doing it.
Some have suggested (and I would have agreed, based on my initial ignorance) that Hawk would be as low on the depth chart for UK as ninth to eleventh. He's MUCH better than that, which is saying a LOT when we are talking about the most talented team since the 1996 Wildcats. Believe it. The Hawk is ready to soar for the Big Blue Nation. Get your popcorn ready, y'all.
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