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Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 12-25-2019, 08:43 PM:

Maybe too much was expected from Kentucky sophomore forward EJ Montgomery when he was picked as a preseason second team all-Southeastern Conference selection after averaging just 3.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 15.1 minutes per game last season.

The feeling was that UK didn’t need the 6-9 Montgomery to be a consistent scorer/rebounder last year because the Cats had P.J. Washington and Nate Sestina. With both gone this year, the Cats needed more from Montgomery but are not getting it.

He combined for 41 points and 17 rebounds in wins over UAB and Fairleigh Dickinson. He was a combined 19 for 29 from the field and had more blocked shots — 3 – than turnovers — 1.

But where has he been the last three games, including the losses to Utah and Ohio State in the last two games. He has 12 points on 6-for-14 shooting, 18 rebounds and just one blocked shot in 77 minutes.

He needed 17 minutes to get his first shot against Ohio State and two of his four shots came late in the game. Kentucky just can’t win with that happening.

So what’s going on with Montgomery that he can’t get more shots and get involved in UK’s offense?

“Well one of the things is you can offensive rebound and go get shots, so now you don’t have to worry about someone passing you the ball. Just say I’m going to rebound offensively,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said after the Ohio State loss.

“The second thing is fight in the post where we can throw it to you. Now it becomes so it’s obvious that you got to get it. Last game he begged me (for the ball), like get me it in the block.

“Today we tried to run a couple things to him, couple of things to Nick (Richards), but it didn’t materialize because that guy worked harder than they did. You got to work harder than that guy to get open than he is working to keep you to not catch it. And it’s all what we’re going through. This is normal, it’s just, you know, you would rather learn from close wins.”

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Posted by PaulCat (Member # 513) on 12-26-2019, 07:48 AM:

I don't think people should expect too much from freshman and sophomores, but that's the nature of the beast at Kentucky.

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 12-26-2019, 12:04 PM:

I didn't click through to the article, but this was a glaring error:

quote:
The feeling was that UK didn’t need the 6-9 Montgomery to be a consistent scorer/rebounder last year because the Cats had P.J. Washington and Nate Sestina. With both gone this year, the Cats needed more from Montgomery but are not getting it.

We had Travis last year. Sestina was not on the team. Sorta makes everything else not worth reading.

[ 12-26-2019, 12:04 PM: Message edited by: Tiptree ]

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 12-26-2019, 01:26 PM:

It surprises me how many of those types of errors are in sports articles.

Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 12-26-2019, 02:51 PM:

The sports reporters must be getting OLD and FORGETFUL like me. [Big Grin]

Posted by Old Norm (Member # 1482) on 12-26-2019, 04:45 PM:

I noticed that also. Didn't bother to read the rest. Besides that, EJ is 6'10".

[ 12-26-2019, 04:48 PM: Message edited by: Old Norm ]