Mark Pope calls it a 'real gift' to coach Travis Perry and Trent Noah, raves about Collin Chandler

How about those freshmen, huh? Expectations were low for the first-year kids compared to the rest of the roster — understandable considering you have seven super seniors and two more high-major transfers with Big 12 experience. You don’t really need three rookies making an immediate impact when there is so much veteran talent lining the roster elsewhere.

So what does it say about this Kentucky team that Collin Chandler can steal the how at the Blue-White Preseason Event, then join Trent Noah and Travis Perry to combine for 23 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in the Wildcats’ first exhibition game vs. Kentucky Wesleyan?

Mark Pope can tell you exactly what it says.

“They are a really important part of our team,” he told reporters after the 71-point win. “We are really blessed that we can have three freshmen that could play every minute of the game. … Those three freshmen are going to have a big impact on us this year and next year and it makes you feel good to have those three guys here and know that they are going to continue with this program.”

Trent Noah sat the entire first half then came in the second and knocked down four straight threes to finish with 12 points on 4-5 shooting with two assists, one rebound and one steal in nine minutes. You could hear Harlan County screaming all the way from the 606 inside Rupp Arena when the freshman decided to go nuclear in his debut.

“Trent is not shy. It’s really great to have him on the floor. Our guys love him,” Pope said. “Everybody on the bench was losing their mind. Kerr (Kriisa) — I thought Kerr was going to, I don’t know. I thought he was going to start ripping his clothes off. He was so excited.”

And then there is Travis Perry, who was thrown into a tough situation with Kriisa out due to injury. Rather than staying shot-ready as an off-ball threat, the Lyon County native slid over to man the backup point guard role, finishing with five points on 2-6 shooting and 1-4 from three. Though his shot wasn’t falling at the rate he’d like, he added five rebounds, three assists and a steal with zero turnovers in 15 minutes off the bench.

That transition really stood out to his head coach.

“I think Travis Perry has been really extraordinary,” Pope said. “It’s hard to be a point guard for me. Like, it’s really hard to be a point guard for me. I don’t know if that’s exactly his natural position, but he has come in here and if you think about it, his first time in the gym as a team we – what are we at? 32 (assists) and 5 (turnovers). That’s with TP playing, TP is playing 15 minutes at the point guard spot. That’s really impressive. Right? And so, I’m super proud of both those guys.”

And don’t forget about Chandler, who added six points, four assists and three rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench. He wasn’t the best player on the floor, but he continued to look the part after a ridiculous debut in the Blue-White scrimmage.

“Collin Chandler was excellent tonight,” Pope added. “He took a really step forward and he’s going to be a special player.”

Back to that in-state duo, though, a pair of kids who represent two sides of the Commonwealth. Pope swore on day one he’d continue to bring in the best talent Kentucky has to offer and Noah and Perry certainly proved they belong in their Rupp Arena debuts — beyond what we already saw out of them in the KHSAA Sweet 16, of course.

In Pope’s eyes, coaching both players to open his time at Kentucky is a gift.

“It was really fun. I mean, I’m telling you, having this in-state talent wearing this jersey is really important to what we’re doing,” he said during his postgame radio show. “We’re really blessed to have Eastern Kentucky represented. Brilliant. Can we give it up for Harlan County? Come on man, what? Our guy went off. And then we have the West side of the state, Travis Perry is incredible, man. Think about it, he played 15 minutes in his first-ever game wearing a Kentucky jersey in Rupp Arena, I threw him into this point guard position because Kerr is out right now. He has just responded brilliantly. He’s unfazed, making great decisions.

“Both of those kids have been terrific. I’m telling you, it’s a real gift to be able to coach guys like that.”

It’s a real gift to watch them both as fans, too — and all three freshmen, for that matter.