KSR's takeaways from Kentucky's 104-92 win over Team Africa

Three matchups, three big wins for the Wildcats here in Toronto, as Kentucky managed to pull off a 104-92 victory over Team Africa (BAL Select) to close out group play. Fatigued from a day of swimming at Drake’s house — nevermind the two games they played on back-to-back days to open the event — it would’ve been easy to let off the gas a bit with a spot in the GLOBL JAM gold medal game locked up. Instead, though, the Wildcats dug in and toughed out the double-digit win leading up to the finale on Sunday.

What went right for Kentucky in the win over BAL Select? Who were the key standouts that helped the Wildcats lead by as many as 20 before closing out the 12-point victory?

KSR has the takeaways from inside the Mattamy Athletic Centre.

A hard-fought finish

“I told the staff today that I’ll be stunned if we have energy, fight because of what we did yesterday,” John Calipari said after the win. “When kids go swimming — they were in the pool an hour and a half. So I was like, sheesh.”

A 3-pointer for BAL Select cut the lead to just six at 87-81 with 5:21 to go, the closest it had been since early in the second quarter. The Wildcats responded, though, with a 15-2 run in the next four minutes to push it back to 19 at 102-83 with 1:20 to go. Team Africa closed things out with a 9-2 run to make the final score respectable at 104-92, but Kentucky was well in control following the stretch that saw Antonio Reeves and DJ Wagner trade baskets for 11 consecutive points.

From a talent perspective, BAL Select was clearly the worse of the four-team setup here in Toronto — hence why they didn’t win a game. Kentucky had every excuse to coast, and they could’ve because this game meant nothing for the overall standings or the team’s chances to leave Canada with a gold medal. Calipari said it best: “It was just a game. If they beat us by 100, we’re still in the gold medal game and they’re in the bronze game. They came out and played.”

Antonio Reeves goes nuclear

It’s a hell of a lot easier to win games like this when you have a sniper like No. 12 on your side. My goodness, what a day and week it’s been for Antonio Reeves, who finished with a team-high 27 points on 9-14 shooting and 8-11 from three while adding four rebounds, one assist and one steal in 30:26 off the bench. He had 18 in the first half alone, a man on a mission from the opening tip.

There’s just something about his production this week in Toronto and how easy everything is coming for him. He’s always open, and even when he’s not, he finds the tiniest of windows to make himself open. And when he launches, it’s effortless and mindless, shots hardly touching nylon as they fall through the hoop.

I mean, the dude is shooting 60 percent from the field (27-45) and 58.3 percent from three (14-24) through three games. 24 vs. Team Germany, 23 vs. Team Canada and 27 vs. Team Africa, 24.7 points per contest overall.

We’ve come to expect hot shooting performances from Reeves, but that doesn’t make what he’s doing any less impressive or important. He’s the ultimate safety net for a historically young Kentucky team that will undoubtedly hit rough patches. That’s invaluable.

Time for Reed Sheppard at point guard?

Not in Toronto — he’s been running point all week. Big-picture, the point guard. How long until those conversations begin? Most thought they’d come in a few years, maybe next if things went well his freshman season. But is this year too soon?

Reed Sheppard was the best all-around player on the floor against Team Canada, then again vs. Team Africa. He finished tied for second on the team with 18 points on 6-10 shooting and 2-5 from three while adding a team-high eight assists, two rebounds, two blocks and just one turnover in 28:14.

Calipari said he played Sheppard extended minutes today at the one to see how DJ Wagner and Rob Dillingham looked away from the ball. What he saw was a lead guard who impacted the game on both ends as a scorer, passer and defender while also taking care of the basketball. There was an edge to him, looking to take over himself as the initiator, creating for both himself and his teammates.

Take this sequence for example. Kentucky’s 20-point lead was cut down to 10 with 4:14 to go in the third. Sheppard enters the game and the Wildcats immediately go on an 11-4 run just before the end of the quarter, five of those points coming from the former North Laurel standout. And he was out there again down the stretch when the team pushed its lead back up to 19 with 1:20 to go — Sheppard actually assisted on Reeves’ three there.

The conversation is coming. ‘How soon?’ is the only question. Could it be this year at some point? It’s sure going to be hard to keep him off the floor.

Look at those 3-point numbers

Kentucky took 27 3-pointers in the team’s win over Team Germany to open the event. “This may be a team to take that many,” Calipari said afterward. “It could be where you bury people because you make 12.”

The Wildcats followed it up by taking 30 in game two vs. Team Canada with 11 makes, then launching another 35 vs. Team Africa with 14 makes. Calipari said “this team should be a really good 3-point shooting team,” but I’m not sure anyone could have predicted the quantity and quality of shots Kentucky is getting this week. Ball movement has been terrific, racking up 51 assists on 66 made buckets through two games, then another 26 on 39 today.

This is an unselfish group, one comfortable and willing to make the extra pass if it means a better shot is available. No assist-hunting disguised as sharing, but rather guys just wanting to make plays, win games and have fun. It’s refreshing and the product is thoroughly enjoyable.

DJ Wagner is your alpha

The five-star freshman has had his fair share of ups and downs this week in terms of production, but his mentality and approach to the game has never changed. His numbers looked good Saturday, going for 18 points on 8-18 shooting while adding seven rebounds and five assists with zero turnovers in 31:33.

Look, DJ Wagner is going to have his struggles, specifically against length and physicality — and there’s plenty of both in the SEC. But where he’s going to make up for it is his competitive fire and ability to bounce back, the short-term memory he plays with. He’ll get his shot blocked and fall to the ground, recover the ball and go right back up with it for a floater or and-one finish. He’ll get the ball ripped from him at midcourt, then go back the other way and pin a shot on the backboard. Dude just gets after it and plays with a spirit that is simply contagious.

And that’s why he’ll be successful in Lexington. Those players make it under John Calipari — his dad one of many examples.