|
DRIVING FORCES Point to point
By Steven Scrivner STAFF WRITER Question: Who are Doug Gottlieb, LaDrell Whitehead and Juan Sanchez?  Answer: point guards considered better than UK's Wayne Turner by Lindy's College Basketball magazine. Adding stupidity to insult, Lindy's not only ranked several "unheardofs" in front in Turner, they went as far as to say Turner is not one of the 20 best point guards in the country. The deer-caught-in-headlights look on Turner's face when notified about it made the need for words unnecessary. But he offered some anyway. "I've never been anybody's top guard. I just concentrate on being the best player I can be," Turner said before conceding, "I'd make myself an All-American." Duke point man Steve Wojciechowski would likely second that motion. Turner repeatedly abused "Wojo" off the dribble during last year's miraculous come-from-behind win over the Blue Devils, tallying nine of his 16 points in the final eight minutes of the game. Fellow UK guard Saul Smith, who, while living with Turner over the summer, went head-to-head with him daily, discounts Lindy's rankings. "I wouldn't want any other point guard in the country." Smith said the two would visit Memorial Coliseum during any free time they had and sometimes frequented the gym as late as 11 p.m. The result is free-flowing praise of one another. "If anyone on the team has improved, it's Saul," Turner said. "I'm playing against a totally different person this year." "No one can stop him," Smith counters. "His tenacious mentality is one of the best in college basketball. He's gonna come at you with all he's got." If both prove to be true, the backcourt problems that many figure will plague UK in the early going could be turn out to be a blessing in disguise. With last year's leading scorer Jeff Sheppard gone, and no proven scorer left at the two-guard position, Turner's job of guiding the offense was thought to be increasingly difficult this season. Knowing in advance the lack of depth at two-guard, Smith spent the offseason in the weight room and on the court. His goals, he said, were "to add strength and develop a more consistent jump shot." Coaches and teammates say he's done just that. His father/coach, Tubby Smith, mentions his name -- along with senior everything-man Heshimu Evans, sophomore Ryan Hogan and freshmen Desmond Allison and Tayshaun Prince -- as the possible solution to the problem of replacing Sheppard. "Saul's been around and he knows what needs to be done," Tubby Smith said. "He's gotten stronger, and that gives him more confidence. And it gives me confidence to play him more." Having Turner's experience and talent running the show should also be a confidence booster. Coach Smith likens Turner's energy to the Energizer Bunny. "He's never had a bad practice," the coach said. "He hates being taken out of the lineup and standing on the sideline. "He just keeps going, and going and going." Turner's leadership is the reason his teammates look up to him so much, Tubby said, and that is what makes him such a key ingredient to this year's mix. Coach concedes that Turner's workload, though, will be heavier than last season. "Wayne will have to step up and carry some of the scoring load," he said, before offering his take on what it will take for that to happen. "He's worked hard on his outside shooting to become a complete player." Oddly enough, Turner shot a respectable 37 percent from three-point land (equaling Jeff Sheppard and Scott Padgett) but shot a low 48 percent from the field while converting an only 62 percent of his free throws, including 14 of 25 in the NCAA Tournament. Smith, meanwhile, nailed just 12 of 42 (28 percent) attempts beyond the arc and shot 36 percent from the field. He, too, will need to improve at the charity strike, shooting a paltry 60 percent last season. If both have indeed improved as they say, the backcourt should be as lethal as the frontcourt, providing the Cats a shot to repeat in St. Pete. [ KENTUCKY KERNEL ] Comments or questions about KyKernel.com: andreas@gson.com ©1998 Kernel Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved -- Contact Information |
