John Calipari pleased with Keion Brooks, Davion Mintz in exhibition win

Many of us tuned in to see how Kentucky’s new guys — transfers and freshmen alike — looked in the first exhibition game. Little did we know the veterans would steal the show. Keion Brooks and Davion Mintz accounted for almost a third of Kentucky’s points in the 95-72 win over Kentucky Wesleyan. Brooks started, but Mintz came off the bench; both drew praise from John Calipari afterward.

“Davion helped himself today”

“I think Davion fought,” Calipari said. “I loved what I saw from Davion today.”

Mintz had 12 points and a game-high-tying six assists. He was 5-10 from the floor, 1-5 from behind the arc; Calipari knows those latter numbers will change. Even if they don’t, Mintz’s defensive play, specifically that block in the first half, proves he’s fighting hard enough to keep on the floor.

“In a normal game, he’s going to make more than 1-5 [from three],” Calipari said. “Davion helped himself today because of how he guarded…You can stay on the court if you defend that way. If you’re breaking down defensively and you’re 1-5, ‘Well, let me stay in.’ What? This ain’t communism my man. You’ve got to come out.”

“[Keion is] way better, way more skilled.”

Brooks finished with 18 points (7-12 FG), 8 rebounds, 1 turnover, and 1 steal in 21 minutes, finishing third on the team in efficiency at +25. He hit four of six three-pointers, showing off range we only saw in glimpses in his first two seasons in Lexington.

“He played good. He’s way better, way more skilled,” Calipari said of Brooks. “He’s improved all of that stuff. My thing and I keep coming back to him, ‘Your skillset is really elevated.'”

Even so, Calipari wants Brooks to be more assertive handling the ball.

“Gotta fight, rebound more. A couple he rebounded and he was tired and he looked to pass it instead of, you rebound it, you go with it. You’re the point guard. And he did it later and he made a pass and I think he got Davion a layup. We’re even faster if those guys can bust it up the court and then make easy plays but he’s gotten better.”

With a loaded roster and several questions at the three and four spots, you could tell Calipari was pleased to see his veterans step up.

“Who took advantage of their minutes? Name one? Davion. He didn’t start. He could have pouted; he didn’t start.”