No. 2 Kentucky deflects 1-and-done

Kentucky sophomore Terrence Jones decided not to go into the NBA Draft despite a history of Wildcats turning pro after one season. Jones averaged 15.7 points and 8.8 rebounds last season.
Kentucky sophomore Terrence Jones decided not to go into the NBA Draft despite a history of Wildcats turning pro after one season. Jones averaged 15.7 points and 8.8 rebounds last season.

— Third in a series previewing SEC basketball teams

Terrence Jones could have been a first-round NBA Draft pick last summer, but instead the 6-9 forward is back for his sophomore season at Kentucky.

Labor unrest in the NBA, which has resulted in at least one month of the season being canceled, figured heavily in Jones’ decision.

“I just didn’t want to put myself in a situation that wasn’t fixed,” Jones said at SEC media day. “With the guys that are coming back, and the guys coming in, I felt confident that this team could be special and I wanted to be a part of it.”

Jones’ return is a big reason Kentucky is ranked No. 2 in The Associated Press and USA Today polls behind North Carolina. He was named preseason SEC Player of the Year in a media vote, and Wildcats Coach John Calipari said Jones is vastly improved over his freshman season, when Jones averaged 15.7 points and an SEC-best 8.8 rebounds to help Kentucky reach its first Final Four since 1998.

“If there’s a better player in the country, I’ve got to see him, because Terrence is playing really well,” Calipari said. “Not only that, but he’s got a viciousness to him right now, a competitive spirit. He’s not settling like he did a year ago.

“He’s changed his body, he’s changed his skill set, he’s changed his approach toward practicing and conditioning. He’s on a mission.”

Jones was asked how this season’s version of himself would do against last season’s.

“I’d kill myself,” Jones said with a smile. “I just feel like I’ve matured a lot.

“I come to practice with a different mind-set and feel like every drill - if I go harder - will make me better. I think a lot differently. To help myself and the team, I go harder at everything now.”

Jones, who gained 15 pounds in the off season and is now 250, said he’s stronger and able to play a more physical style.

“I feel it helps me score through people a lot easier.” he said.

Jones showed off in Kentucky’s Blue-White intrasquad game Wednesday night, when he had 52 points, 16 rebounds and 6 assists to lead the Blue to team to a 126-104 victory. He did most of his damage playing against 6-10 Anthony Davis and 6-9 Kyle Wiltjer, both members of the Wildcats’ latest No.

1-ranked recruiting class.

“It kind of proved my point that veterans are going to have to really play and bring along our freshmen,” Calipari said.

Jones was among three freshmen to start for Kentucky last season, along with guards Brandon Knight and Doron Lamb. Knight left for the NBA and was a first-round pick by the Detroit Pistons, but Lamb is back along with Jones and senior guard Darius Miller to give Kentucky some experience.

Add in a freshman class that includes point guard Marquis Teague and forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and the Wildcats should have a rotation that goes at least eight players deep after getting by with using six most of last season.

“When you’re playing fewer guys, you can’t have two players start slow or have a bad second half,” Jones said. “Now you actually have guys that bring energy off the bench and give other guys more of a rest when you’re tired or in foul trouble.

“We had to play through a lot of foul trouble last year, andguys had to play more timid than they normally would.”

Kentucky went 10-6 in SEC play last season to finish second in the East behind Florida, but the Wildcats are a heavy media favorite to win the conference, which this season will be a 12-team race instead of six-team divisions. Kentucky is a top five team in virtually every preseason poll.

“They can rate us high all they want,” Calipari said. “There are 40 teams - 50, 60 teams - right now we could not beat. Maybe more.

“Maybe 100 teams, because we’re just not ready to play a basketball team.”

Calipari said he wasn’t pleased the Blue and White teams scored a combined 230 points, while the Blue shot 56 percent from the field and the White team shot 47 percent. He also lamented 38 offensive rebounds in the game.

“That can’t be who we are,” Calipari said. “We can’t just give up lanes to the rim. We have to contest shots, and we have to rebound like crazy.

“You have to demand: If you don’t defend, you’re not playing. It can be done, but we’re not going to be good early in the year.”

Calipari said NBA scouts have told him that Vanderbilt, which returns all five starters from last season’s 23-11 team, looks better in practice than Kentucky.

“Vanderbilt looks like right now they could play good,” Calipari said, quoting his unnamed NBA sources. “And [the scouts] looked at my team and said, ‘You could not.’ ”

Calipari and the Wildcats are used to dealing with high expectations. He said fans expect Kentucky to win every game.

“And win by 25 points,” Calipari said. “If you win by 12, there’s some really serious problems within the program.”

Up next: Alabama

Sports, Pages 29 on 10/30/2011

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