The Additional Benefits Almonor and Garrison Are Giving Kentucky

by:Nick Roush•about 13 hours•

RoushKSR

Jan 18, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Brandon Garrison (10) celebrates after making a three point basket during the first half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The frontcourt reserves are flourishing in their roles off the bench. The development of Brandon Garrison and Ansley Almonor hit at exactly the right time.

One cannot overstate the significance of players accepting specific roles to function within the team. That has not always been the case over the last 15 years at Kentucky.

It was clear that Almonor accepted his role from the jump as a four who could stretch the floor and knock down a couple of threes. Mark Pope promised the Fairleigh-Dickinson transfer that those threes would be the difference in winning and losing. The prophecy became true in the Mississippi State victory.

“Coach (Pope) has been telling everybody that I was gonna be able to come here and win us a couple of games,” Almonor said after the road win. “He didn’t know when it was gonna happen but I was gonna be able to do that.”

Garrison’s role is a bit more difficult to define. It has more nuance than “the backup center” because of what the starting center does. The offense runs through Amari Williams at the top of the key. Pope cannot completely change the way his offense operates when Williams gets into foul trouble, which brings me to the hook.

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Garrison and Almonor are Consistent Three-Point Threats

Ansley Almonor and Brandon Garrison each hit a three-pointer in the New Year’s Eve win over Brown. Almonor has made at least one three in five of the six games since and Garrison has a trey-ball in four of those games. They’ve each scored in double figures twice during the six-game stretch at the start of the New Year.

Kentucky can’t operate its offense through Brandon Garrison from the top of the key if the defense doesn’t have to guard him. He’s knocked down enough shots from that spot to force his defender to leave the lane, creating space for his Kentucky teammates to cut.

Almonor always had a good-looking shot. Now he’s becoming more reliable in small doses when Andrew Carr‘s back has become unreliable.

The two players combined for 21 points on 3-7 shooting from three-point land. The game against Alabama isn’t close unless the frontcourt reserves are doing their part. Kentucky doesn’t need either player to be the best Cat on the court, but these two are doing a little more than many expected against SEC foes.

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