Best of Justin Edwards, Reed Sheppard on display in Kentucky Play-By-Play Classic

The Kentucky Play-By-Play Classic was a big opportunity for both Justin Edwards and Reed Sheppard at this stage of their respective senior seasons. For the former, it was his first opportunity playing in front of a sea of blue near his future home of Lexington, just down the road in Louisville at Freedom Hall. The most passionate fanbase in college basketball filling the venue’s lower bowl to see him take on the latter, who leads a title contender in the state in North Laurel, a team loaded with shooting talent.

Sheppard knows Big Blue Nation well and the pressure that comes with being in the Kentucky basketball family. It’s all he’s ever known. Every gym he plays in around the state is packed with fans anxiously waiting to see him put on a show, a nightly routine for him at this point. This time, though, he’d be taking on a clear top-three player in the senior class and a team ranked in the top five nationally in Imhotep Charter.

Two quality programs each led by a blue-chip talent, both taking their talents to Lexington next summer. And Kentucky head coach John Calipari was in attendance alongside lead assistant Orlando Antigua to soak the head-to-head matchup in.

“Really enjoyed watching (Reed Sheppard) and (Justin Edwards) last night,” Calipari wrote on social media following the event. “Both played well and both have really improved since I last saw them. And, most importantly, they are great teammates!! Can’t wait to coach them both next year.”

Calipari’s words weren’t coachspeak, blindly praising his future signees regardless of their on-court efforts. Both players were good — very good, in fact — earning game MVP honors for each of their respective teams. Edwards finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds in Imhotep’s 59-54 victory over North Laurel, while Sheppard added 14 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds in the loss.

The numbers are what they are and tell part of the story, both having well-rounded performances and impacting the game in different ways. Maybe the more impressive part, though, is the simple fact that they both answered all questions asked of them going into the matchup.

Let’s start with Edwards, inarguably the most versatile two-way wing in the class at this point. His defensive abilities have always been what separates him from the rest of the class, using his length and instincts to force turnovers and set up scoring opportunities in transition the other direction. He’s also got real 1-4 switchability as a defender, quick enough to guard guards and long enough to shut down forwards. It’s a breath of fresh air watching him work on that end of the floor, going out of his way to defend the other team’s best player and take pride in stops.

How would that work against a crafty player like Sheppard, a willing passer and knockdown shooter? Despite playing different positions, Edwards took it upon himself to defend his future teammate as often as possible, aggressively face-guarding the North Laurel standout and using his length to make him uncomfortable with the ball in his hands. No straight-line drives to the basket or clean looks from the perimeter, he was going to have to earn every bucket. That was the case for Sheppard, especially early.

Offensively, Edwards has always been a capable ball handler comfortable getting to his spots, working to become a true three-level scorer. The one-dribble mid-range pull-up has quickly become a go-to, also using a quick first step on drives to set up soft floater opportunities off the glass, finishing with touch. He’s also not shy about using his athleticism to throw down the occasional poster dunk when the chance presents itself.

To this point, though, he’s been an inconsistent shooter from deep, with efficiency wavering from event to event. The mechanics are solid as a smooth lefty, but he’s not been immune to cold streaks. Could that level out as a senior? How would he perform in this setting, going against a North Laurel team that threw the kitchen sink at Imhotep defensively, running man, a 2-3 zone and even a box-and-one throughout?

Edwards started the game knocking down three quick-trigger 3-pointers, oozing confidence on every attempt. He later hit a smooth two-dribble pull-up jumper from the left elbow and finished two tough buckets inside through contact — another area of his game that needs to improve before college. Efficient scoring? Check. Embracing physicality rather than relying solely on a finesse game? Check.

And that’s not even accounting for the great decisions he made as a playmaker and initiator, making the right reads and finding his teammates on crisp passes.

He dedicated the first half to scoring, leading the way with an easy 13 points before the break. Then in the second half, it was about passing and defense — though he did yell “get me the f***ing ball” and proceeded to score on a tough finish inside when North Laurel was looming late. He wasn’t afraid to go for the kill when the situation called for it.

“(I like) everything (about his game), you know?” Sheppard said of his future teammate.” He’s a great shooter, great rebounder and defender. He’s an all-around great player and he’s gonna be super fun to play with.”

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That brings us to the North Laurel star, who flipped the script a bit on how Edwards impacted the game. The latter made a quick dent in the scoring column early, then took a step back in the second half as his teammates got rolling. Meanwhile, the former got off to a slow start and struggled a bit early before exploding late to keep the Jaguars right in the thick of things.

Part of that was a result of Imhotep’s defense early, led by Edwards out on the perimeter. Sheppard was bothered by the length and athleticism early, struggling to get to his spots and get shots off. He was forced to rely on his passing abilities, often cutting through the lane and kicking out to the corner for 3-point attempts for his teammates. That’s where the 6-foot-3 guard’s continued bad habit of leaving his feet on passes was magnified, resulting in unnecessary turnovers, something that will have to get fixed at the next level.

Sheppard’s lack of comfort was clear early, but he quickly settled in and adjusted, letting his shot-making abilities shine through. The in-state standout did what he does best, hitting both open and contested jumpers — some with a high level of difficulty — forcing the defense to react and feel a bit of pressure itself. That opened things up for him as a facilitator, as well, paving way for some beautiful assist opportunities to keep things close right up until the end.

“He makes his team better, as we can see,” Edwards said of Sheppard. “How many assists did he have, 11? He just makes his team better.”

It should also be noted that Sheppard was disruptive defensively, active with his hands to poke balls loose and secure stops. North Laurel was certainly more team-focused on that end of the floor, but in on-ball situations, the four-star guard fought against strong competition.

Would Sheppard be able to step up against a five-star talent in Edwards, who is very clearly in the conversation for No. 1 in the class? He left all doubts behind on the big stage.

“It was awesome. It was an unbelievable experience,” Sheppard said after the matchup. “He’s got a great team and it was a great atmosphere. You know, it was super fun being out there playing against them for the first time. I think I’m gonna like playing with him a lot more than playing against him.”

“It was good. I would rather play with him than against him, but it was good,” Edwards added. “Really a great experience. That was my first time playing against him, so that’s good.”

It helped having John Calipari and Orlando Antigua in attendance for support, both courtside checking out their future players in action.

“That was awesome. Those are our future coaches, so that’s an unbelievable experience to have them out watching us play,” Sheppard said. “That’s something that I’ll always appreciate from them. It was just an awesome experience I’m super grateful to be a part of.”

“It’s just good playing in front of my head coach next year,” Edwards added. “That’s always a good experience.”

And what about taking the floor in front of Big Blue Nation? Both players stuck around after the game to sign autographs and take pictures with fans, a preview of what’s to come in a few short months when they arrive in Lexington.

“It was really good, I’ve just got to get used to it [laughs],” Edwards said. “It’s gonna be packed next year (at Rupp Arena).”

“I mean, they’re the best fans in the nation. No matter what, they’re gonna come out and watch me play,” Sheppard added. “They’re the best fans in the nation because wherever I go, they go, so it’s awesome.”