John Calipari commends Adou Thiero and Daimion Collins for staying ready to contribute

At times, sports sometimes become a ‘next man up’ scenario. Whether you’re a big part of the rotation or not, players always have to be prepared to be thrown into action. With Kentucky playing wounded in Oxford this week, sophomore Daimion Collins and freshman Adou Thiero were put in that position and they gave the Wildcats some valuable minutes,

Calipari applauded their personal performances following UK’s 75-66 victory over Ole Miss. He appreciated their preparation even though their playing time has been inconsistent over the course of the season, especially as of late.

“How about Daimion (Collins) today? I mean Daimion and Adou (Thiero) have not played in three games and they go in and play well. They’ve got the hardest job, them and Ugonna (Onyenso),” Calipari said. “The other guys are playing and know to get themselves ready. How about you’ve got to get yourself ready and you’re not sure if you’re gonna play or not?”

Thiero ended up playing the bigger role because of injuries to Cason Wallace and Sahvir Wheeler. He scored two points and finished with an assist, a rebound, and a block in six minutes. A lot of that time came as the lead guard in Kentucky’s lineup.

As for Collins, he played just two minutes in the first half but made an instant impact. Collins finished a massive and-one dunk on his first play in transition. He then earned a trip to the free throw line on his next possession after an offensive rebound. They were a pair of high-energy plays when the team needed some life and provided some quick points when their offense was somewhat stagnant.

Kentucky’s depth is often time their biggest strength. When they really needed it in a road SEC game, that shined again with solid outings from the underclassmen in Collins and Thiero. Now, as Kentucky moves forward, Calipari can feel like he can count on them as they await their next opportunity,