Wall: “We wanted to prove something”
January 30th, 2010 | 
Author: By KEITH TAYLOR
ktaylor@winchestersun.com
LEXINGTON — John Wall didn’t get distracted.
It would have been easy for Wall to feel nervous after talking to President Barack Obama and receiving a visit from Cleveland Cavaliers guard LeBron James in a five-day period. With James looking on from courtside, Wall scored 13 points and fished out nine assists in an 85-72 win over Vanderbilt Saturday at Rupp Arena.
“I saw him a couple of plays in the second half,” Wall said. “I think it’s great that coach Cal knows people like him who will come and watch us play, and it means a lot to us. But like he said before, don’t try to showboat it just because he was there. We just wanted to play basketball.”
Although Wall had 19 points in a 68-62 loss at South Carolina earlier this week, Wall had a hand in his team’s point production Saturday as five players tallied double figures, led by DeMarcus Cousins with 21 points and 10 rebounds.
It was a bounce back Wall was expecting following the team’s first loss of the season.
“We wanted to come out and prove something,” he said. “We wanted to come out and show people we weren’t going to back away and one loss wasn’t going to keep us down. I think we did that and we came out here and got a win against one of the top teams in the SEC.”
The Commodores entered the contest with a 10-game winning streak and had gained a reputation for second-half comebacks, such as the one Vanderbilt orchestrated in an 85-76 win over Tennessee earlier this week in Knoxville. Wall said the Cats didn’t relax despite leading 49-34 at the break.
“We didn’t let them come back,” he said. “In the second half, they started making a run and we got in foul trouble. Coach told us they were a team that wasn’t going to go away and they had been down at the half (against Southeastern Conference opponents). We knew they were a veteran team that wasn’t going to go away easy. They were going to come back and fight hard, but we handled it well and came back to get a tough win.”
Kentucky coach John Calipari wasn’t pleased with Wall’s performance against the Gamecocks, but liked his numbers against the Commodores. Calipari said Wall and sidekick Eric Bledsoe, who added 13 points and three assists off the bench, were productive.
“Eric and John probably played a minute or two more than I wanted them to, but those numbers are starting to look how I want them to look,” Calipari said.
Wall added that he didn’t think he played “that bad” against the Gamecocks.
“I just try to play basketball and help my team win,” he said.
Although the team is progressing, Wall is trying to stay humble in times of prosperity. The Kentucky guard said rebounding “with two hands instead of one hand” and defense is the team’s top two priorities.
“We are playing good,” Wall said. “We bounced back from a tough loss, but there is still a lot of stuff to work on before it gets time for the SEC Tournament. We need to get back in the gym tomorrow and start working again.”
|
|
Posted in UK Basketball
As a fan you can’t ask for much more than that. This is part of what makes John Wall and this team so special. They were disappointed in the loss, but came back with a vengance to show they were not going to stay down.
I really like John Wall’s attitude and demeanor he displayed on the court. Although he hasnt been smiling much lately, that doesnt necessarily mean he is not having fun. I think he is just growing up a bit and he seems to have a bit more on his shoulders in a different way. When you can’t “will” your way to a win FOR your team. You have to get your team involved and “will” them to a win. That is what Downey did. There is a difference, and I believe Wall is learning that. Believe it or not John Wall has to learn things too. And he will. I hope he continues to have fun while he is learning though. It is great to see these guys enjoying themselves at Kentucky and winning too.
This team is so intriguing and entertaining to watch.
[...] John Wall tells Keith Taylor of the Winchester Sun that UK was out to prove something. [...]
They did have fun most of Saturday and that was good to see
Larry, I was getting worried after many of the reports implied he was really upset about everything – basketball, life, etc. You must have listened to the same comments. Did you get the feeling he was totally frustrated with everything? He is truly exciting to watch play; but, what I like best is his constant smile.
Ditto, Sarah.
I had five minutes with John and he didn’t imply that he wasn’t happy with those who were with him at the time. Although there are some saying that he did say he wasn’t happy. I went through my recorder twice and didn’t hear him say he wasn’t happy, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t say that to others who interviewed him after I finished. … I left as soon as the questions were the same as the ones we asked. …
I didn’t hear all of what he said, but I heard more later. Will have more on that tonight. Going to take my grandson to play in the snow now. But don’t panic. I think all is fine
I agree with Larry that all is fine. This is a very young man and, despite how mature he seems, he will act like any other teenager at times. He will pout and be unhappy when criticized, but is mature enough to know that his coach is a smart man and is only trying to help him. He will be willing to learn from it and improve.
Let’s also remember that the source of this “story” is a man who chased our former “coach” through a private, locked building to harass him into an interview that was never going to happen. I believe in the freedom of the press, but sensationalizing a teenager’s comments, in order to create a controversy and agitate the fans, is outside of the realm of good taste. It was over-the-top unnecessary with BCG and it is just as ridiculous in this instance.
LEAVE THE KID ALONE!! LET HIM AND HIS COACH WORK OUT WHATEVER IS GOING ON!! TRY TO PRY “KENTUCKY SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR” AWAY FROM LARRY IN SOME OTHER, MORE SCRUPULOUS MANNER!! SENSATIONALIZING A PLAYER’S PERSONAL ISSUES ISN’T GOING TO DO IT!! YOU’LL GET A SHOT AT THE AWARD WHEN LARRY RETIRES!!
GO BIG BLUE!!!!
Just wanted to know if we needed to show him some love. We certainly all think highly of him – I have since I first met him. Larry, have fun in the snow. It was great in TN on Thursday, fun on Friday, a little irritating on Saturday (but we had basketball), boring on Sunday (we even had church called off), and will be up the wall by tomorrow. I know Charlie will be glad for me to go back to work. Lots of sun makes Tuesday look like a possibility – then more basketball. Now, that’s as good as it gets.
LOL!!! On Some of the other sites, I have seen quotes like”I DON”T KNOW WHY WALL IS SMILING HE HAD 7 TO”S” Or my favorite so far Is “WHY WAS HE SMILING THEY BARELY BEAT A WEAK TEAM”…Now I see the same so called writers ask..”WHY DON”T WALL SMILE MORE”..I can promise you If BIG BLUE wins 6 in a row in the NCAA’s, Wall and all the BIG BLUE NATION will have a smile that will last for one full year or longer….GO BIG BLUE!!!
Nice comments Jim, and Sarah I know he will be glad for you to get back out.
TruBlu, very good points and shows why sometimes the UK guys just cannot win
Good Heavens, he is just a freshman, leave the kid alone. Larry, one reason we like this site is exactly what Jim said…those other ‘guys’ who thing they are reporters say one thing one day and one thing a week later just to rile people up. You are not wishy washy like those guys. You give it to us straight up, no fluff, just the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth. You get your facts and report. No hearsay from you! Thank heavens for an honest reporter.
Bummer, forgot, Go Cats! 20-1
Check out my latest column Linda