Is Terrence Jones really back?

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LEXINGTON, KY - "Terrence Jones is back. Not much to it."

That's how Anthony Davis summed up the performance that his front court mate had in Kentucky's 79-64 win over South Carolina on Saturday afternoon, and he had a very valid point. Jones had been a different player for the past month, starting at halftime of UK's 73-72 win over North Carolina back on December 3rd. Since that game, Jones had only managed to score in double figures once, averaging 5.0 ppg and 3.0 rpg while shooting 32.3% (10-31) from the floor.

It didn't help matter that Jones was dealing with a dislocated finger on his shooting hand, an injury painful enough for him to miss two games.

Jones snapped out of that funk in impressive fashion Saturday, finishing with 20 points in 32 minutes on 8-9 shooting from the floor. He would have finished the game a perfect 8-8 if he hadn't jacked up a three late in the second half.
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POSTERIZED: Terrence Jones delivers a Big Blue poster

North Carolina and Kentucky played in NCAA basketball's version of "The Game of the Century", and unlike their football counterparts, the two teams didn't disappoint. John Henson had a chance to win the game, but his baseline jumper was blocked by Anthony Davis, and the Tar Heels decided not to foul with six seconds left.

Terrence Jones finished with 14 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks. But what won;t show up in the box score was the huge poster-dunk that he shoved down Tyler Zeller's throat.

Bobby Knight would love this dunk. Note the shot-fake



It was a big win for the Wildcats, who are now 38-0 under John Calipari at Rupp Arena, and it was a huge dunk for Jones.


But was it as good as these?

Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Georgetown, 12/1
Anthony Marshall, UNLV vs. UNC, 11/26
Michael Kidd-Glichrist, Kentucky vs. Portland, 11/26/11 (DotY Candidate)
Markel Brown, Oklahoma State vs. Virginia Tech, 11/25/11
Rodney Williams, Minnesota vs. DePaul, 11/24/11
Thomas Robinson, Kansas vs. Duke, 11/23
Stan Okoye, VMI vs. Ohio State, 11/23
Kyisean Reed, Utah State vs. Southern Utah, 11/19
Ra'Shad James, Iona vs. Western Michigan, 11/18
Alandise Harris, Houston vs. Arkansas, 11/18
Sam Thompson, Ohio State vs. Jackson State, 11/18
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Wichita State, 11/18
Eric Griffin, Campbell vs. North Carolina A&T, 11/18 (DotY Candidate)
Olek Czyz, Nevada vs. Pacific, 11/17
Chris Watson, Pikeville vs. Mountain State, 11/16
Ray Willis, North Carolina Central vs. Wagner, 11/16
Mike James, Lamar vs. Ohio, 11/15 (DotY Candidate)
Quincy Acy, Baylor vs. San Diego State, 11/15
Deniz Kilicli, West Virginia vs. Kent State, 11/15
Chris Evans, Kent State vs. West Virginia, 11/15
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Oakland, 11/14
Isaiah Brown, East Tennessee State vs. Virginia Tech, 11/12
Michael Lyons, Air Force vs. Army, 11/11
Dezmine Wells, Xavier vs. Morgan State, 11/11
Jeremy Lamb, UConn vs. Columbia, 11/11 (DotY Candidate)
Andre Drummond, UConn vs. CW Post, 11/4
Moe Harkless, St. John's vs. CW Post, 10/26




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Talent isn't the issue with Terrence Jones

Terrence Jones scored 52 points in Kentucky's Blue and White scrimmage on Wednesday night.

He did it going up against Anthony Davis, the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2011 and a guy that could end up being not only the SEC Player of the Year and an all-american, but the No. 1 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft as well.

Let's forget, for a second, that this was nothing more than a glorified pick-up game. Let's ignore the fact that Jones was going up against a physically over-matched Davis in a game that featured little-to-no defense; Jones' team scored 126 points. Jones still managed to put up 52 points on 24-31 shooting from the floor to go along with 16 boards and six assists. Regardless of the level of competition or the defensive intensity you are going up against, those are incredible numbers; numbers that make his coach look smart for saying he's the best player in the country.

But you shouldn't be surprised to see Jones put up those kind of numbers, not after some of the games he had last season. Remember the 27 points and 17 boards he had against Notre Dame? Or the 16 points, 17 boards and four blocks he had against Washington? Or the 24 and 10 he put on Georgia's front line? Or the 35 points he hung on Auburn?

Talent wasn't the issue for Jones as a freshman, and it certainly won't be the issue as a sophomore, not after he apparently spent the summer doing nothing but lifting weights and running sprints.

The issue with Jones was his attitude. We all remember the hullaballoo that was created when John Calipari was caught on camera calling Terrence Jones selfish in a very non-Disney movie way. That happened because, frankly, Jones was playing selfishly. And he didn't respond well to the challenges from Calipari, either. He moped and he pouted and he lolligagged his way through the last month of the season, a shell of the player he was during the first couple of months of the season.

In case you have forgotten, Jones was one of, if not the favorite to win the National Player of the Year award in mid-December last season. But he wasn't even one of Kentucky's first two options offensively during their run to the Final Four.

If Jones cannot find a way to give consistent effort all-year long and doesn't buy into the system that Calipari is running, than he will never live up to his talent level at Kentucky.
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Terrence Jones returns, lockout affected the decision

Perhaps the most surprising ending to the are-they-in-or-are-they-out drama of the NBA's Draft Deadline came from Kentucky.

With all of the smoke now cleared, Terrence Jones is returning to school while Brandon Knight and DeAndre Liggins are both heading to the NBA. Who predicted that in March?

As recently as a month ago, Jones seemed to be the most likely candidate to head to the league. He struggled late in the season and his on court body language seemed to indicate that John Calipari's coaching techinique's were weighing on him. Combine that with the prospect of going somewhere in the late-lottery to mid-first round, and I'm sure I am not the only one that assumed Jones was gone.


Knight's exit was expected, but with his well-noted academic acumen, it would have been less of a surprise if he had been the only one to stay. As far as Liggins is concerned, he's a known quantity. His role on Kentucky won't change next season -- he'll still be their lockdown perimeter defender and designated three point threat -- which means that there is not much room for improvement in his draft stock. Throw in the fact that Liggins is already 23 years old and that he may be able to sneak into the first round, and it makes sense that he opted to leave this season.*

(*An interesting argument to come out of these developments is whether or not Liggins would have been a more valuable piece for Kentucky to get back. Jones has the potential to be an all-american, yes, but the Wildcats will already have quite a bit of front court talent with Anthony Davis and Kyle Wiltjer coming in. Liggins played a specific and valuable role for UK last year. Can Michael Gilchrist fill the role of defensive stopper? Will Doron Lamb and Darius Miller be able to provide the same perimeter shooting threat?)

Jones is far from the first potential lottery pick to make the surprising decision to return to school -- Perry Jones, Jared Sullinger, and UNC's front line all did the same.

But Jones was the first of that group to publicly acknowledge that the looming NBA lockout played a role in his decision. From The Oregonian:

Jones' mother said perhaps the strongest influence that kept her son in school was the possibility of an NBA lockout. The NBA collective bargaining agreement expires June 30.

"At least you know school is a for-sure thing," Linda Mashia-Jones said.

Regardless of the reason, Jones' return means that Kentucky will be ever better than expected next season.

Kentucky will have at least four lottery picks on their roster next season, yet they may not even be the preseason No. 1.

I just sent in my credential request for the Tar Heels' trip to Rupp Arena.
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Deadline Decisions: Who were the winners?

Yesterday was the (ridiculously early) end to the testing the waters period for players with college eligibility remaining. Here is the full list of players that have decided to keep their names in or pull their names out of draft contention.

Who were this year's deadline winners?

Kentucky: Kentucky lost two of their three early entrants, but would you have expected Terrence Jones to be the lone returnee? Brandon Knight announced last week, while on Sunday night DeAndre Liggins made his decision official as well. Jones, however, will return, meaning that John Calipari will likely be bringing Kyle Wiltjer, a top 25 recruit, off the bench next season. Jones will provide Kentucky with a legitimate front court scoring threat to go along with Michael Gilchrist's perimeter versatility and Anthony Davis' length and athleticism.


Pitt: The Panthers got a whole lot better when Ashton Gibbs made the decision to return to school. Not only was he Pitt's leading scorer a year ago, but he is a potential all-american next season. Gibbs is the only player on the Panthers with the ability to create a shot in a half court setting. And with Brad Wanamaker graduating, Gibbs will have more of a chance to show NBA people that he can create with the dribble.

Xavier: The Musketeers caught a break when Tu Holloway, who could very well end up being the bet point guard in the country next season, opted to return to Xavier for his senior season, making Xavier one of the early favorites to win the Atlantic 10. Holloway was up there with Jimmer Fredette and Kemba Walker as one of the most valuable players in the country last year, and much of the same should be expected next season.

New Head Coaches:

• Jim Larrananga caught a huge break with Reggie Johnson's decision to pull his name out of the NBA Draft. The new Hurricanes head coach is walking into a good situation at Miami. Everyone in the Miami rotation a year ago is returning, including the talented back court of Durand Scott and Malcolm Grant while Garrius Adams and DeQuan Jones provide versatility on the wings. Johnson's return means that Larrananga will now have one of the best big men in the ACC at his disposal as well. The 'Canes won't be winning the ACC, but don't be shocked if they are in the mix for the third spot, behind UNC and Duke.
  

• Missouri has a chance to be one of the best teams in the Big 12 next season as both Laurence Bowers and Kim English opted to return to school for their senior seasons. That means that Frank Haith, in his first season in Columbia, will have a fully stocked cupboard at his disposal. Marcus Denmon, Phil Pressey, Ricardo Ratliffe, and Michael Dixon are all back as well. With Kansas and Texas losing a ton of talent, Missouri has a chance to compete for the conference title.
  

Hollis Thompson: Thompson has the tools and the skill set to potentially be a first round pick one day. But after spending two seasons playing out of position and in the role of glue guy, Thompson wasn't much more than a Big East afterthought his first two seasons at Georgetown. With Austin Freeman and Chris Wright graduating, and an influx of front court talent, Thompson will be a featured player for the Hoyas next season.

West Virginia: The Mountaineers lost a lot this past season. Casey Mitchell, John Flowers, and Joe Mazzulla graduated. Danny Jennings is no longer with the team. The entire 2010 freshmen class seemingly evaporated. Dalton Pepper, Deniz Kilicli, and Truck Bryant are all back, but without Kevin Jones in the fold, the Mountaineers would have had a long season. It will be interesting to see how Jones develops; he had a bit of a disappointing season as a junior.

Texas A&M: The Aggies are going to be a team to keep an eye on next season in the Big 12. With Khris Middleton opting not to put his name in the draft and David Loubeau withdrawing from consideration on Sunday, Mark Turgeon's team once again has the make up of one that can compete at the top of their league.

Austin Peay: The Governors finished third in the Sun Belt a season a go, behind Murray State and Morehead State. With both MSU's losing a number of key players, Austin Peay jumped up to preseason favorite to win the league with TyShawn Edmundson's decision to return for his senior season. Edmundson averaged 17.3 ppg a season ago.

Olu Ashaolu and Brandon Wood: Ashaolu opted to return to school, but he will transfer from Louisiana Tech for his senior season. Since he has already graduated, he will be eligible to play immediately, which means that the winner will be who ever is able to land him as a transfer. The same can be said for Wood, who withdrew from the draft and instead opted to transfer to Michigan State. The former Valpo guard will be eligible to play immediately after graduating. He averaged 15.1 ppg last season.

Northwestern: John Shurna pulled his name out of the NBA Draft, which means that the Wildcats will have their most talented scorer for his senior season. Will this once again spark the preseason debate of whether or not the Wildcats can make their first NCAA Tournament?

Other Notable returnees: Orlando Johnson (UCSB), Greg Mangano (Yale), Cameron Moore (UAB), Tony Taylor (George Washington)
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Looking at whether Kentucky's three early entrants should stay or go

We finally know the fate of the four Kentucky Wildcats that were pondering declaring for the NBA Draft.

Doron Lamb announced yesterday that he will be returning to college, which is probably the correct decision for him. Lamb may one day be a first round pick, but he certainly isn't this year, even with the weakened draft class.

Lamb was alone in deciding to return to school, however. On Wednesday morning, Brandon Knight, Terrence Jones, and DeAndre Liggins all entered their names into the NBA Draft. None of them signed with an agent, however, which leaves open the opportunity to withdraw from the draft prior to the May 8th deadline.

The question, however, is whether it is worth it for them to come back.


For Brandon Knight, the answer is simple -- no. Emphatically no. Knight had a terrific freshman season, averaging more than 17 ppg and over 4 apg. He only got better down the stretch of the season, and even knocked down a couple of game-winners in the NCAA Tournament. Knight is a lock to go in the top ten and may even be able to sneak into the top five, as he is neck-and-neck with Kemba Walker as the second best point guard prospect in this draft.

Its tough to turn down being a single digit pick in the NBA Draft, and that choice gets even tougher when there is a chance of playing out of position by returning to school. Kentucky brings in another star point guard in the class of 2011 -- Marquis Teague, the younger brother of former Wake Forest star Jeff -- who many expect to take over the point guard reins. That would push Knight off the ball, as he is a better shooter and scorer than Teague, should he decide to return.

Liggins is an interesting case. He only averaged 8.6 ppg and 4.0 rpg this season, but his scoring and rebounding numbers are not what got NBA scouts interested in his ability. At 6'6" with terrific length and quickness, Liggins has the makings of being a lockdown defender in the NBA. He has the size and the wingspan to defender the two and the lateral quickness to defend a point guard if he has to. Throw in the fact that he knocked down threes at a near-40% clip this season, and in a weak draft there is a chance that Liggins can be scooped up late in the first round by a team looking to fill a hole.

Liggins is not going to add much to his stock if he decides to return. While he showed an improved ability to create off the dribble this year, no one is going to draft him for his offensive ability -- and that's assuming that he would have an opportunity next season to showcase that ability should he improve. This year is probably Liggins best shot at getting drafted high, but is that a risk he's willing to take knowing he'd play an important role on a title-contending team?

Jones, believe it or not, probably has the most to gain by returning to school. After a sensational start to the season, Jones really tailed off late in the year. He seemed to lose his confidence a bit and the amount of heat that he would take for John Calipari looked like it started to wear on him. That hurt his draft stock, as there is a chance that he could fall out of the lottery.

The other issue with Jones is that his weaknesses are no secret. He's left-handed with absolutely no right hand and he has a tendency to over-dribble -- there is a reason that Coach Cal would get on him about being selfish and a ball-hog. With a year of improvement, Jones has the skill set and the tools to be a top five-to-ten pick, even in next year's loaded draft.

Kentucky is going to be the preseason No. 2 team -- behind North Carolina -- if all three stay in the draft.

Anyone that pulls their name out will be icing on the proverbial cake.
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POSTERIZED: Terrence Jones does it again

God I love the internet. The Kentucky/South Carolina game just ended, and we already have footage of Terrence Jones' one-handed posterization dunk



Selfish or not, TJones can dunk


But was it as good as one of these?:

POSTERIZED - Justin Tubbs, East Tennessee State
POSTERIZED - John Williams, UNC-Ashville
POSTERIZED - Kevin Smith, Richmond
POSTERIZED - Mitchell Watt, Buffalo
POSTERIZED - Chandler Parsons, Florida
POSTERIZED - Kenny Gabriel, Auburn
POSTERIZED - Paris Horne, St. John's
POSTERIZED - Travis Leslie, Georgia
POSTERIZED - Laurence Bowers, Missouri
POSTERIZED - Drew Gordon, New Mexico
POSTERIZED - Tony Mitchell, Alabama
POSTERIZED - Jeffery Taylor, Vanderbilt
POSTERIZED - LaMarcus Reed, UT-Arlington
POSTERIZED - Marcus Morris, Kansas
POSTERIZED - Jared Cunningham, Oregon State
POSTERIZED - Langston Morris-Walker
POSTERIZED - Chris Wright and Juwan Staten, Dayton
POSTERIZED - D.J Stephens, Memphis
POSTERIZED - Derrick Williams, Arizona
POSTERIZED - Reeves Nelson, UCLA
POSTERIZED - Kendall Marshall and John Henson, UNC
POSTERIZED - Terrence Jones, Kentucky
POSTERIZED - Rodney Williams, Minnesota
POSTERIZED - Joe Jackson, Memphis
POSTERIZED - Shay Shine, High Point
POSTERIZED - Harrison Barnes, North Carolina
POSTERIZED - Kent Bazemore, Old Dominion
POSTERIZED - CJ Fair, Syracuse
POSTERIZED - LeBryan Nash
POSTERIZED - Rodney Williams, Minnesota
POSTERIZED - Travis Leslie, Georgia
POSTERIZED - Terrence Jones, Kentucky
POSTERIZED - Marcus Jordan, Central Florida
POSTERIZED - Lorenzo Brown, NC State
POSTERIZED - Tai Wesley, Utah State
POSTERIZED - Trent Lockett, Arizona State, and Derrick Williams, Arizona
POSTERIZED - Brandon Paul, Illinois
POSTERIZED - Jordan Hamilton, Texas


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Maybe John Calipari should bench Terrence Jones more often

Whether it was because Terrence Jones has been sick this week (like John Calipari said after the game) or it was due to the slow starts that Jones has been getting off to lately (many believe the illness was a convenient excuse for Calipari to use a motivational technique), Jones came off of the bench on Tuesday night when the 15th ranked Wildcats hosted Auburn.

Whatever the reason, it worked.

Boy, did it work.


Jones, who watch fellow freshman Doron Lamb start over him, broke the freshman scoring record that Lamb had set just three weeks ago as he went for 35 points and eight boards in a dominating, 78-54 win for the Wildcats. Ironically, Lamb set that scoring record when he came off the bench to go 11-12 from the floor in scoring 32 points against Winthrop.

As impressive as Jones' night was, Coach Cal wasn't exactly thrilled with how the 6'9" forward scored his points:

"But to be honest with you, I'm sitting on the bench saying, 'We're not winning with him shooting 3s.' He may shoot one, two or three, but that's not why we win. We’ll win because he'll rebound and score around the goals, he'll score on drives, stick backs."

Jones was 4-5 from three on the night. That might work against Auburn -- and to be fair, Jones also got to the line 13 times on Tuesday -- but against Georgia on Saturday, when Kentucky lost to the Bulldogs, Jones was 2-5 from three and only attempted four free throws despite going for 24 points and 10 boards.

Kentucky hosts LSU on Saturday.

I wonder if those 35 points will be enough to get Jones back into the starting lineup then.

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Conference Play Primer: The SEC

Favorite: Kentucky Wildcats

Its hard to believe it, but the Wildcats may actually be a better team this season than they were last year, and last year they were a No. 1 seed, reached the Elite 8, and sent five players to the first round of the NBA Draft. While some will say it is a result of Brandon Knight, Doron Lamb, and particularly Terrence Jones living up to the hype they had coming in, the real reason that Kentucky is morphing into a legitimate contender for a No. 1 seed again this March is the play of Josh Harrellson and DeAndre Liggins. Harrellson is turning into this year's Brian Zoubek, an unheralded senior center that develops into a monster on the glass and around the rim defensively. He's already averaging 9.4 rpg (4.0 offensively and a 17.0 OR%) and 1.6 bpg, and the past three games he's scored in double figures. Liggins has become a stopper defensively, capable of guarding multiple positions on the floor. Calipari's rotation really only goes about seven deep at most, but those six or seven guys know there roles and understand where their shots are supposed to come from, which is why they are playing as well as anyone in the country right now.


Player of the Year: Brandon Knight, Kentucky

If its not Brandon Knight, its probably Terrence Jones. But seeing as I've already waxed poetic about Kentucky, let's talk about Trey Thompkins here. Thompkins is flying a bit under the radar right now considering he is averaging 17.4 ppg and 7.1 rpg. Why? Because they aren't exactly the numbers we expected this season. That, in large part, is due to the ankle injury Thompkins suffered before the season even started. He missed the first three games of the season, then labored through the Old Spice Classic, scoring just 13 points against both Notre Dame (in double overtime) and Temple. Since that trip to Orlando, however, Thompkins has played well against Georgia's best competition. He had 20 points and 9 boards in a two point win over UAB. He had 21 points and 6 boards (and a very strong second half) in a 73-72 win at Georgia Tech. More recently, on New Year's Eve, Thompkins had his best game of the season with 26 points and 7 boards. Next up? Kentucky. On Saturday. I think this young man is ready for league play.

All-Conference Team:

• G: Erving Walker, Florida: 13.9 ppg, 3.1 apg, 45.1% 3PT
  
• G: John Jenkins, Vanderbilt: 17.8 ppg, 37.5% 3PT
  
• F: Tobias Harris, Tennessee: 15.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg
  
• F: Terrence Jones, Kentucky: 17.1 ppg, 9.1 rpg
  
• C: Trey Thompkins, Georgia: 17.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg

Biggest Surprise: Tennessee Volunteers

This is what we call hitting both ends of the spectrum. The Vols started out the season so well, picking up wins against Villanova and Pitt and climbing all the way up to No. 7 in the polls. Then something happened. Depending on where you look or who you ask, the Vols stopped playing defense the way then can, they stopped getting the ball inside, they stopped attacking the basket, and/or Scotty Hopson stopped being a leader. Whatever the case, Tennessee has been terrible lately, losing four of their last six (to Oakland, Charlotte, USC, and Charleston) while barely hanging on to beat Belmont and UT-Martin. With the SEC season looming and Bruce Pear's suspension coming up, we may not have hit bottom yet. I can't remember the last time I saw a swing this drastic happen this quickly.


Biggest Disappointment: The SEC West

Its a joke. It really is. Alabama (Alabama?!?) is the highest rated team in Kenpom's projections. They are 8-6. The team that was supposed to be the favorite, Mississippi State, is losing players left and right and just sold any ounce of good will they had left nationally when rick Stansbury decided to allow Renardo Sidney back on the team. Ole Miss had that happen over the summer, when Murphy Holloway and Eniel Polynice both packed their bags. Overall, the division's record is 52-32. As of this moment, Kenpom is predicting the SEC West to go 6-30 against the SEC East this season. Just for fun, here's a list of some of the team's that a member of SEC West has lost to this season:

UNC-Asheville, Samford, Campbell, Jacksonville, Presbyterian, St. Peter's, Nicholl's State, Coastal Carolina, North Texas, Florida Atlantic, East Tennessee State, Rice, Wichita State, Hawaii, Colorado State, UAB, Iowa, Miami FL, UVa, Rutgers, South Florida

That is nothing short of atrocious.

Teams to keep an eye on:

• Florida: The Gators were my pick to win the conference in the preseason. And while I'm not quite ready to jump back onto that bandwagon, I think this team is a bit better than they are being given credit for right now. Sure, the loss to Jacksonville is ugly and Kenny Boynton and Alex Tyus have disappointed. But Erving Walker looks like he may finally be on the verge of grasping what it means to be a point guard and what a good shot is. Chandler Parsons, Vernon Macklin, and Scottie Wilbekin are all above average SEC players. Coming off of impressive wins at Xavier and over Rhode Island at home, the Gators may have flipped the switch.
• Vanderbilt: I like Vanderbilt. They have bigger, more physical, and more athletic than they were last season. Jeff Taylor and John Jenkins are both special talents. The problem with the Commodores is that they don't have a creator. Taylor is still an athlete more than a basketball player, Jenkins relies too heavily on his jump shot being created for him, and their big guys aren't really much more than big, strong, athletes. How good Brad Tinsley is this season will be the deciding factor on whether Vandy is a tournament team, or a team that is a threat to make a run.
  

Teams to write off:

• South Carolina: I have really like what I have seen from Bruce Ellington. He has a chance to be a special player. The rest of this group? Ehh. Not so much.
• Everyone else: Seriously.
  

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Kentucky proved to the country that they are the real deal

I don't want to say that Kentucky proved themselves this afternoon, because I've had a feeling that this Kentucky team was flying under the radar a little bit.

But at the very least the Wildcats reinforced the notion that they are, in fact, a team capable of making the Final Four this season.

On Saturday afternoon, Kentucky went into Louisville's brand new KFC Yum! Center (can't forget the exclamation point!) and whooped the Cardinals. They won 78-63 in a game that was never really close in the second half.

As you might expect, Brandon Knight and Terrence Jones were impressive. Knight had 25 points on 7-13 shooting while also adding four assists. He's not quite there as a point guard yet -- he did have five turnovers -- but you can see him progressing and growing as a player.


Jones wasn't effective as a scorer -- he had 12 points, the majority of which came late in the second half -- but he played a terrific all-around game. He had eight boards and three blocks, but I was most impressed by his six assists. Louisville paid a lot of attention to him, which meant that Josh Harrellson was far too open on far too many occasions. The Wildcat's senior center had 23 points and 14 boards, six of which came on the offensive end, and also knocked down a three.

Harrellson wasn't he only Wildcat role player that played well, either. DeAndre Liggins showed the nation what people bring up his name when they are talking about the best on-ball defenders in the country, as he completely took Louisville point guard Peyton Siva out of the game. Darius Miller played as well as I have seen him play since he has been in a Kentucky uniform as well.

This Kentucky team may not have the five first round picks that last year's squad did, but I think this may end up being the better basketball team.

They defend, they can shoot, and they have two stars surrounded by some quality role players. Harrellson is not the offensive threat that Enes Kanter would be, but its hard to imagine the Turk being better on the glass or a better positional defender than the man known as 'Jorts'.

Most importantly, however, is that in addition to all of the above, Kentucky is as talented as any team in the country out side of Duke, Kansas, and maybe Ohio State.

Louisville may not be as good as their ranking indicates -- especially without Raheem Buckles and with Elisha Justice and Mike Marra slowed by injury -- but this was an impressive performance from the Wildcats nonetheless.
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POSTERIZED: Terrence Jones is a beast

Coming into the season, Harrison Barnes was far and away the most hyped freshman in the country. He was the first freshman to be named a preseason AP all-american. He was named CBSSports.com preseason player of the year. Draft Express had him slotted as the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.

Fast forward to the first week of December, and Kyrie Irving of Duke was the guy getting all the hype. It was understandable. He dominated Michigan State to the tune of 31 points. He scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half, including two huge, game-changing threes on back-to-back possessions, in a win over Butler. He was averaging 17.1 ppg and 5.4 apg before he was injured. Combine that with Barnes' struggles, and it was no wonder that he was starting to get a lot of attention.

Well, what about Terrence Jones?

When will his name start to get thrown into the conversation of the best freshman -- and possibly the best player -- in the country?

Coming into Wednesday's tilt with Notre Dame, Jones was averaging a cool 19.0 ppg, 9.6 rpg, and 2.3 bpg while already notching four double-doubles. And his performance against the Irish was hands down his best game to date.

Jones finished with 27 points, 17 boards, 3 assists, and 2 blocks. He dominated the Irish, scoring with his back to the basket, driving to the rim, and spotting up for threes. It was this dunk, however, that really sparked the 'Cats. At the time, Kentucky was down 38-27, Ben Hansbrough of Notre Dame was going off, and the Wildcats looked from. After this dunk, UK went on a 22-2 run that spanned the two halves, giving Kentucky firm control of the game:



The more I watch Jones play, the more I believe he is going to be a great player in the NBA. He's a 6'9" combo forward with the strength and athleticism to spend time at both positions. He can score with his back to the basket, but he has the handle and the jumper to play on the perimeter. He can pass the ball and he can lead the break. Perhaps more importantly, he's aggressive. He seems to have a bit of a mean streak in him.

Comparisons for Jones are all over the place. I've see Lamar Odom and Chris Bosh and Marvin Williams. Personally, I think the best comparison is probably Carmelo Anthony, although I'm not sure he has the same ceiling as Anthony. Maybe somewhere between a Michael Beasley and a Danny Granger.

Regardless of how you think of Jones as a potential pro, the bottom line is that he's been as productive as any freshman in the country. He should be recognized as such.

Was this as good as the rest of the dunks for 2010-2011?

POSTERIZED - Rodney Williams, Minnesota
POSTERIZED - Joe Jackson, Memphis
POSTERIZED - Shay Shine, High Point
POSTERIZED - Harrison Barnes, North Carolina
POSTERIZED - Kent Bazemore, Old Dominion
POSTERIZED - CJ Fair, Syracuse
POSTERIZED - LeBryan Nash
POSTERIZED - Rodney Williams, Minnesota
POSTERIZED - Travis Leslie, Georgia
POSTERIZED - Terrence Jones, Kentucky
POSTERIZED - Marcus Jordan, Central Florida
POSTERIZED - Lorenzo Brown, NC State
POSTERIZED - Tai Wesley, Utah State
POSTERIZED - Trent Lockett, Arizona State, and Derrick Williams, Arizona
POSTERIZED - Brandon Paul, Illinois
POSTERIZED - Jordan Hamilton, Texas

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POSTERIZED: Terrence Jones dishes out Pre-Thanksgiving Stuffing

The Maui Invitational championship was a doozy. UConn and Kemba routed the Kentucky Wildcats for a 17 point win that literally nobody expected.What people did expect is that Kentucky's Terrence Jones would have a big night, and he did. Despite being plagued with foul trouble, Jones went off for 24 points, including this emphatic slam over two UConn defenders.



To be honest, the entire first two minutes of this game were post-worthy.

Jones started it off with the jam, then Kemba Walker answered with an alley-oop pass to Charles Okwandu, the man on the wrong side of Jone';s poster. But TJ answered back with a quick three, but UConn did the same. If anybody can find a clip of the first 3 minutes of the game, it would be most appreciated, because it was pretty fantastic.

Was this as good as the other posters of 2010-2011?

POSTERIZED - Marcus Jordan, Central Florida
POSTERIZED - Lorenzo Brown, NC State
POSTERIZED - Tai Wesley, Utah State
POSTERIZED - Trent Lockett, Arizona State, and Derrick Williams, Arizona
POSTERIZED - Brandon Paul, Illinois
POSTERIZED - Jordan Hamilton, Texas



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Coach Cal speaks on Terrence Jones

John Calipari has stones. There's no arguing that.

He went on the radio in Portland, Oregon, to discuss the recruitment of Terrence Jones. You remember Jones, right? He's the 6'9" uber-recruit that committed to Washington back in late April, but almost immediately regretted his decision. After a three-week saga that left more than a few people sick of hearing about this young man, Jones finally signed a financial aid agreement with Kentucky just hours before the early signing period ended.

Safe to say, Coach Cal is not the most popular person in the Pacific Northwest these days.

Regardless, Cal went on the radio in Portland. Sports Radio Interviews was posted the transcript of this chat:

Well we thought that he was coming with us and when he said 'Washington' we were like 'what just happened?' That was the first thing. Then he called about an hour later and said 'Cal, I made a mistake. I don't know what I was doing. That is when the thing went like 'You what?' So we talked to him and said that we are going to do whatever you want. I am holding your scholarship. At one point I said, 'Look, if you want to go to Washington then go to Washington, and if you want to come with us, come with us. Just make a decision so that we can all move on.' But I felt bad for him to be honest with you. Because he is 6'9" everybody thinks that this guy is a grown man. They have emotions and they still, the peer pressure wanting to please everybody.

He also addressed the critics saying he shouldn't have recruited a player that was committed to another school:

I agree, but when the young man calls you and says that I made a mistake, 'Coach, I want to reconsider this' it changed everything. If he had committed to Washington and that was the end of it then we wouldn't have done anything. But this was a unique situation now. I have never been in anything like this where within an hour… I didn't see the press conference but I had people tell me that at the time they looked at it and said, 'Wow' and then after he went with his parents. But I didn't see it all. I mean I didn't watch it, but it was unique. I don't mind that Washington fans are upset and upset with me. That is part of what we do here but the reality is that I think, Lorenzo knows and their staff knows this was not our doing. I mean it was this young man and at the end of the day it is about him. It is about him reaching his dreams. It is about him making a decision that was best for him not for fans and teammates. It is about what is best for Terrence Jones and being selfish in that. I think at the end of the day that is what he tried to do.

Calipari is correct. This really is not about anyone else except for Terrence Jones. He needed to make a decision that would make him happy, and after taking the time to count his Ricky Roe money weigh his options, Jones decided to play at Kentucky.

Washington fans are allowed to be mad at Jones for drawing out this process. At the end, he seemed much less like a torn teenager and more like a teeny-bopper trying to up his twitter followers. But Washington fans shouldn't take it out on Jones from deciding to go to a different school.

Its like breaking up with a girlfriend. She can decide to flirt with someone else while you two are dating, and if she decides to leave you for this other guy, you can either be bitter and upset about getting dumped, or you can realize that there are quite a few other fish in the sea. Washington still has a team that will be in the top 15 next season. They still should be the early favorite to win the Pac-10. While adding a talent like Jones is never a bad thing, its time to focus on the fact that a perimeter consisting of Isaiah Thomas, Abdul Gaddy, and Terrence Ross is a scary thing.

As far as Calipari goes, well, its the same as it always is with him. He's certainly not completely innocent here. I think only the most naive college basketball observer would take him at his word. But if Terrence Jones truly did call him and say that he wasn't positive he wanted to be at Washington, what is Cal supposed to do?

What would you do in that situation?

My guess is the exact same thing.

Only an idiot would turn down a chance to date a supermodel just because she has a boyfriend.

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Some links on Terrence Jones

Terrence Jones is not the most popular guy in the Pacific Northwest right now.

You can't really blame them for being upset, either. I mean, Jones did toy with their heart. He did renege on a commitment. And he did it in a way that made him seem like more of an attention whore than a torn teenager.

I written enough words on Jones, but here are a couple of the columns I have come across the last few days. I have a feeling these guys are not anywhere near done.

John Canzano, the Oregonian (he's the guy that wrote this glowing defense of Jones):

I don't believe Jones' change of heart on Wednesday -- dumping his commitment to Washington for a promise to Kentucky -- was rooted in academics, or campus life, or the promise of better competition.

I'm not buying that Jones was motivated solely by the idea of a bigger national stage at Kentucky. Or the idea that the Wildcats are a better fit for his style of play. And I certainly wonder about the people who surround Jones today, including his summer coaches, because they feel a lot like a pack of guys sucked into the jet stream of grandeur they found drafting behind the kid.

We're being told the chapter on Jones recruitment is closed. Nothing more to say. Nothing more to see. Move along, right? Except, Kentucky coach John Calipari is involved.

So I'm not buying this is the end. And neither should you.

Steve Kelley, Seattle Times:

Yo, Terrence! If you make a statement at a news conference, you're supposed to honor it. There's a responsibility that come with calling a news conference. It isn't some whimsical event. It's serious business.

I'm sure your post-conference phone call to Kentucky coach John Calipari didn't help the situation. At the time, I thought that calling Calipari was a touch of class. You turned it into a touch of weakness.

I'm sure Coach Cal slick-talked you into postponing a final choice. I'm sure he preyed on your immaturity.

Look, I'm not saying you shouldn't have chosen Kentucky. I'm saying you shouldn't have called a news conference, soaked up all that glory, then quickly backpedaled from your decision.

And if you change your mind, you don't spend a month hovering in "Twitter world," tweeting and teasing people, wavering between Washington and Kentucky.

You leveraged one school against the other, and obviously you enjoyed the national attention you attracted. You were the last blue-chipper standing and you bathed in the buzz.

Nick Daschel, The Oregonian:

Does Jones wish he could take back April 30, when he announced he would join Jefferson classmate Terrence Ross at Washington? Ross, a blue chip guard who was Oregon's Class 5A Player of the Year in 2008, signed a letter of intent with Washington in April.

Jones flatly said no.

"I feel players decommit all the time. Everybody knew me not signing anything knew I had options," Jones said.

Why pick Washington in the first place?

"A little bit of just not knowing, being close to home. You can't go wrong being that close. It was a spur of the moment thing, not really thinking about it. Picking something just because it was there," Jones said.

Jones described the recruiting process as "fun," and said he did not feel embarrassed about how it played out during the final weeks.

"I didn't let anybody rush me. I did it my way," Jones said. "I didn't care what anybody had to say and how I was doing it my way. Honestly, I only cared about the two coaches I was dealing with, and my family."

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Terrence Jones finally signs with Kentucky, but the story may not be finished

I'll be honest: if I don't hear the name Terrence Jones until September, I'll be happy.

But unfortunately, that may not happen.

You see, this evening Terrence Jones, the 6'9" power forward and consensus top 20 recruit that had previously committed to Washington (joining Enes Kanter as the second player to spurn Washington for Kentucky), signed with Kentucky. As of today, Kentucky has, without a doubt, the best recruiting class in the country, and one that may very well be better than last season's.

Its official. TJ is a Wildcat.
(photo credit: KATU)

Yes, you heard that right. This recruiting class may be better than the one that is about to produce four first rounders.

Brandon Knight (6th on Scout, 6th on Rivals, 4th on ESPN) will be running the point. Doron Lamb (28, 21, 29) will be joining him in the backcourt. Stacey Poole (67, 33, 51) will be running alongside those two on the wing. And Enes Kanter (3, 3, 25), Terrence Jones (8, 13, 9), and Eloy Vargas (a four star JuCo recruit) will be manning the paint.

Throw Jon Hood, Darnell Dodson, Darius Miller, and DeAndre Liggins into the mix, and voila, Kentucky should once again be competing for the Final Four.

Now, I'm not going to comment on the appearance of sleaziness on the part of John Calipari. I'm sure you will see enough of that. (For the record, I don't necessarily believe that Cal did anything wrong. If Jones called Cal after he committed, the onus should be on Jones. That said, I also don't necessarily believe Cal is innocent. But that's another post for another day.) I'm also not going to comment on Jones' change of heart or how long he dragged out his recruitment. Again, there will be plenty of that to read.

What I will point out to you is that Jones didn't sign a national letter of intent. He signed a financial aid agreement. (There's a joke in there somewhere. He gets eight Ricky Roe duffel bags a year? The agreement he signed must have come in one of Tim Floyd's envelopes? Yeah, I got nothing.) And while a financial aid agreement is binding on the part of the school, it is no different than a verbal commitment on the part of the player.

In other words, Jones is guaranteed a scholarship at Kentucky, but he doesn't have to go to school there.

Its the exact same piece of paper that Brandon Knight put his pen too back in April.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Kentucky's two best recruits -- two of the most sought after high school basketball players in the class of 2010 -- are bound to the school by nothing more than their word.

Now, if I was a less cynical person, I would think that these kids are simply making the correct decision in not signing an LOI. I've railed against LOI's before, and I will likely do it again. But since I am cynical, I can't help but think about the other college basketball story that has been making headlines.

Coach Cal to the NBA.

Think about that.

The two most sought after players in Kentucky's incoming class (and yes, Jones and Knight were the two most sought after. Kanter, the third player that was ranked in the top ten, may very well never play a second of college basketball due to amateurism issues.) refused to sign national letters of intent. Why? Are they worried about Calipari possibly bolting for the league and LeBron? Do they know something we don't? Is Big Blue Nation's position on top of the world about to come crumbling down?

Who knows. I certainly don't.

But I wouldn't be surprised if this sets off another round of speculation.

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Terrence Jones to sign today

Today is the last day of the spring signing period, and it appears that it will finally be the last day of the Terrence Jones drama.

Yesterday, the Oregonian reported that Jones "was definitely going to sign" at some point today. Whether he is going to sign a letter of intent or a financial aid agreement, and what school he will be signing with, remains unclear. For what its worth, Pat Strickland, Jones' high school coach, believes he will be signing with Washington, and that he will indeed be signing an LOI.

I never support signing an LOI, but in this case Jones might just want to do that. At this late of a date, being legally bound to a school doesn't really matter -- if Jones is going to attend summer classes, he will be enrolling within the next few weeks -- and if he is truly this torn about the decision, putting a pen to an LOI will finally end all speculation.

We will update this post when the news breaks.


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The latest on Terrence Jones

We just can't get away from this Terrence Jones soap opera.

In case you have forgotten, Jones held a joint press conference with teammate Terrence Ross on Friday during which he orally committed to Washington. Ross signed a letter of intent, but Jones did not. After the presser was over, Jones spoke with John Calipari on the phone -- as far as I know, it is still not known whether Jones called Cal or Cal called Jones -- which led many to speculate that Jones had yet to actually decide on where he wanted to play his collegiate basketball. (Our full write-up from Saturday can be found here.)

Yesterday, Lorenzo Romar held a press conference. He talked a bit about Ross -- "Fired up that we got Terrence Ross," Romar said. "Just ecstatic. Emotionally with Terrence Ross, really excited." -- but as NCAA rules stipulate a coach cannot comment on a recruit until he is officially signed to an LOI, he could not comment on Jones.

He did concede that he would "like to add one more piece" as UW still has one scholarship available. Romar also commented on recruiting a kid once he has committed to another institution, saying "Once they say, 'I’m going to another school,' (we) wish you the best."

Perhaps the more noteworthy quotes came from Terrence Ross, who had an interview with 950 KJR:

[Calipari]'s very persuasive for a coach. He kind of sounds like an agent or somebody like that.
...
He's still trying to recruit him, which is kind of weird to me. I don't know why he would do that to a kid, but he's going to do what he wants to do.

It doesn't take a genius to infer that Jones is still extremely torn about his decision, and based on the tone of the quotes from Ross, one can infer that Coach Cal is still trying to sell Kentucky to Jones.

Coach Cal addressed the issue briefly in a news conference on Monday (quotes from the video below).

"If (a player) made a verbal commitment, I will, that's, for me ... we just, layoff until there's someone ... the kid publicly says now I've decommitted, which has happened before. If they decommit, but I would not, if he's committed to a school, then I would not ..."

Why?

"That's just how I am. I don't think it's what you should do. There's no rule against it. There's no law against it if someone did do it. I just don't do it."



Its really easy to pin the blame on Calipari in this situation, but as I said earlier, we still have no idea who initiated the contact between Cal and Jones. Jones has not signed a letter of intent, and if he is still calling the Kentucky head coach and is still showing interest in heading to Lexington, is Cal going to ignore those calls? Jones is a consensus top 20 recruit, a versatile 6'9" forward that will make an immediate impact wherever he ends up playing his college ball.

Its also difficult to pin the blame on Jones. This is a high school senior that is making the most important decision on his life. If its true that Jones went into that news conference without having made a decision, wouldn't you expect him to make the choice that would please his friends, family, teammate, and the rest of the pro-Washington crowd in attendance for the news conference? And if he did make the choice based on pleasing the people around him, isn't it possible that he would feel as if the decision he made wasn't heartfelt?

Jones is in a tough spot, and the scrutiny he is likely getting from fanbases, coaching staffs, and the media likely doesn't make things any easier.

I think signing an LOI is the dumbest thing a recruit can do, but in Jones' case, he might want to think about doing it.

At least it will put this thing to rest.

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Terrence Jones picks Washington ... maybe

Friday night, Terrence Jones and Terrence Ross, two highly touted recruits and teammates for Portland's Jefferson High, held a joint press conference in their high school's gymnasium.

As expected, Ross signed his letter of intent to Washington.

Jones committed to Washington, and despite hanging around the gym for a couple hours after the press conference was over, he didn't sign an LOI.

Why?

It may have had something to do with the 15 minute phone call he had with John Calipari immediately after he made the announcement. While there were six hats on the table, representing the final six schools on Jones' list, it was no secret that Jones' decision came down to UW and Kentucky. According to those close to him, this decision and this process hasn't been easy on him.

Terrence Jones boxing out Enes Kanter, another former UW commit who is now headed to Kentucky.
(photo credit: Seattle Times)

But believe me, Jones made the right decision.

And I'm not talking about his commitment.

Either school would be a good landing spot for the versatile 6'9" forward, who has drawn comparisons to Lamar Odom. At Washington, he would be joining a team that returns a talented back court of Isaiah Thomas and Abdul Gaddy, filling a role left open by Quincy Pondexter, and playing with a high school teammate at a school that would be the early favorite in the Pac-10 and close enough to home to allow family and friends to come see him play. Not a bad landing spot.

But Kentucky is Kentucky. If Jones were to renege on U-Dub and head to the Bluegrass State, he would join arguably the best recruiting class in the country, he would play for a coach known for his ability -- at least recently -- to churn out first rounders, and he would have a chance to compete for an SEC title. And in case you didn't know this, Big Blue Nation treats their players like gods. Again, not a bad landing spot.

Wherever Jones decides to play, the future is bright for this young man. Seeing as I don't have a dog in this fight, my only hope is that Jones chooses the school that will make him the happiest. You should feel that way too.

Anyway, the decision I was talking about is his refusal to sign a letter of intent.

If you read this blog, then I am sure you already know what an LOI is. If you don't know, read these. Essentially, an LOI is a binding, voluntary agreement -- a contract, really -- that a recruit signs that officially ends his recruitment and ties him to the school he signed the LOI with. Its intent was to prevent college coaches from continuing to recruit a player that had already made his decision on where he wanted to go to school.

But in today's collegiate game, the LOI has become nothing more than an assurance for the coach that a player won't -- and can't -- back out of a commitment. The problem most have is that an LOI associates a player with a program, with the school. Not with the coach.

You see, the NCAA believes that a recruit, no matter how talented, should be picking where he is going to play basketball based on how good UNC's business program is, or if UConn has a strong dental program, or what classes are taught by Kentucky's english department. Its an effort to keep up the farce that the best student-athletes are actually "student"-athletes.

In all actuality, recruits are picking schools based on how the basketball program is run. What conference does the school play in? Does the school have a chance to make the NCAA Tournament, and how far can they go? Can the coaching staff get a player ready for the NBA?

Players picks schools based on the head coach and his coaching staff. Players that sign LOI's then become committed to that school. But the coaches that earn those signatures are not committed to the player. They can leave for a better job or be fired, and that player is still stuck with this commitment.

If a player is going to sign anything, he needs to take notes from Brandon Knight. Knight, the No. 1 ranked recruit in the country, committed to Kentucky in mid-April. But he didn't sign an LOI.

He signed a financial aid agreement.

What that means is Kentucky has committed to giving him a full ride next season, but there is nothing that ties Knight to UK. So if John Calipari decides to take the Nets job this summer, or if another scandal comes to light over the next few months, or if Knight simly decides he no longer wants to go to Kentucky, he can go to college elsewhere.

No hassles. No waivers. No paper pushing. No NCAA involvement.

He's like any other college kid who has a financial aid agreement.

Anyway, back to the point.

The reason I say that it was a good decision by Jones not to sign an LOI to Washington is because it is pretty obvious that he is still torn on where he wants to play. Right now, he still has room to flip flop. If he takes a few days and realizes that Washington is where he wants to be, is the outcome of this going to be any different?

If he decides that Washington isn't the place for him, he can still go to Kentucky and play for Coach Cal. Sure, Lorenzo Romar will be upset, as will the Husky fan base.

But at least Jones will be happy with his decision.

And isn't that what really matters here?

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CJ Leslie is headed to NC State, only Terrence Jones is left

CJ Leslie, a 6'8" forward and a top 20 recruit, and finally decided on where he will go to school.

And it was a bit of a surprise.

The Raleigh, NC, native will be staying at home and playing for Sidney Lowe and NC State. Leslie committed to NC State back in 2007, but reopened his commitment as he began to garner more interest. He picked the Wolfpack over UConn and Kentucky.

CJ Leslie is now a member of the Wolfpack.
(photo credit: News Observer)

"It's a great school, they have a great coach, and I think we can do some things next season," Leslie told Jeff Borzello of March Madness All Season shortly after his commitment. "I think I can make a major impact next season. Coach [Sidney Lowe] was excited when I told him."

All of a sudden, NC State looks like they may be a factor in the ACC. They return Tracy Smith, their leading scorer and rebounder last season, as well as Javier Gonzalez and Scott Wood. Leslie joins what already was a good recruiting class, as Lowe has already signed Ryan Harrow, a 6'0" point guard and top 25 recruit from Georgia, and Lorenzo Brown, a 6'4" four star recruit (top 50 according to most outlets) from Hargrave Military Academy.

While there are a few red flags -- it will be interesting to see how NC State handles having three point guards that will deserve minutes, and it is always risky to rely on freshman for major minutes -- this Wolfpack team has the talent to compete for a spot in the NCAA tournament.

With Leslie's commitment, there is now just one five star recruit left uncommitted. Terrence Jones, a 6'8" power forward and a top 15 recruit, is still undecided. He visited Kansas earlier this week, but some believe he may follow high school teammate Terrence Ross, himself a top 50 recruit, to Washington, where he committed on Sunday night.

According to Rivals, there are just five of the top 100 recruits left for the taking -- Jones (#13), Luke Cothran (#33), Shaquille Thomas (#77), Julian Washburn (#95), and Neiko Hunter (#96).

Below are mixtapes of CJ Leslie (top) and Terrence Jones (bottom):





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