From left, Madison Central’s Ken-Jah Bosley, Dominique Hawkins, Quan Taylor celebrate after the KHSAA Sweet 16 championship high school basketball game won by Madison Central 65-64 over Ballard at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky., Sunday, March 10, 2013. (AP Photo/James Crisp)
By LARRY VAUGHT
The only way the Cinderella week for Dominique Hawkins could have been any better would have been if he had hit the shot to win the state championship. Instead, Madison Central teammate Ken-Jah Bosley’s 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds left capped an incredible comeback that gave Hawkins and the Indians a 65-64 victory over Ballard in the state title game Sunday at Rupp Arena.
But make no mistake about it. This week belonged to Hawkins, who must be the toast of Richmond today.
Not only did he help Madison Central come from behind to beat Holmes, Hopkinsville and Ballard — which had a 16-point lead midway of the third quarter — but he gave Kentucky coach John Calipari no choice but to pay attention to him. Obviously, once Calipari watched him, he liked what he saw because he kept coming back to Rupp Arena with staff members to see the 6-1 guard.
Hawkins finished the tourney with 108 points in four games — the 12th best total in state tournament history. But statistics don’t accurately measure his worth because the more the pressure intensifies, the better he plays. When Madison Central had to have a play, he made it.
He can score in transition as he did when he went coast-to-coast Sunday to cut Ballard’s lead to 64-62 and set up Bosley’s game-winning shot after a Ballard turnover. He can get to the foul line — as he did time after time in the state. He can hit a 3-point shot. He will rebound — he had a double-double in the semifinals against Hopkinsville. He’ll play defense.
And not once was he overwhelmed by the big stage. It didn’t matter if it was crowd of over 20,000 at the state semifinals or just having Calipari sitting courtside to monitor his every move.
“He is the most unbelievable kid I have ever had the opportunity to coach. He is the most humble, best teammate,” said Madison Central coach Allen Feldhaus. “That is just the type of kid that he is. It doesn’t surprise me it didn’t bother him when Calipari came. The first game he didn’t even know he was there. We don’t tell him. I knew, but we didn’t tell him. It would not have mattered if I had told him or not because he would have reacted the same way.”
Feldhaus said the rare emotion Hawkins showed after a dunk in the comeback win over Holmes in the second round Friday was unusual.
“That’s the first time I have really seen him show emotion like that. If he gets a dunk, he’s usually trying to find his man real quick to pick our pressure back up on defense. He’s just a special human being,” Feldhaus said.
His play at the state earned him a scholarship offer from South Carolina coach Frank Martin to go with the ones he already had from Morehead, Western Kentucky, Valparaiso and Tennessee Tech. More offers should be coming, too. Calipari has already signed six players and still is in the running for three more players — Julius Randle, Andrew Wiggins and Aaron Gordon. He also doesn’t know how many of his current underclassmen will be back next year yet.
But the toughness and will to win that Hawkins showed is what has been missing on Calipari’s team most of the season.
Feldhaus said that attitude and talent is “unusual” in today’s players and was something he tried to stress to recruiters all season.
“We were frustrated there early when not many people were looking at him. We thought he could play at a higher level. When they would call, that is the one thing I would mention,” Feldhaus said. “I have seen him for five years and think he is a special player, but the thing that sticks out in my mind as a coach is what a great person he is. He is a better person than he is player. As a coach of 27 years and seeing how kids have changed over that time, he is unique.
“He is just a workhorse. Just a winner. You don’t have to say much to him. If I say Dominique we are not getting much done, I don’t have to raise my voice to him. He takes it personally and will put you on my shoulders and do whatever I need to do. If I need to rebound, I’ll get double figure rebounds, too. If I need to make that steal, guard that person, need to score. He will do whatever he needs to do to win a basketball game. That’s why you have to love him.”
Feldhaus knows Kentucky fans would love Hawkins “because of his work ethic alone.” However, the coach thinks there’s more than a work ethic UK fans could love, too.
“I think he can play, though. It’s not just his work ethic. He is pretty athletic. You notice him getting rebounds going up over top of post players to do that,” Feldhaus said. “I don’t know where he will end up, but somebody is going to get a steal. I promise somebody will get a steal and he will be a pleasure for whoever gets him to coach for four years. I promise you that.”
48 Responses to Humble Dominique Hawkins a battler who gave Calipari no choice but to pay attention
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True Blue Kentucky Basketball Blood…. I like his strength…it will help at the next level.
he’ll be a dimond in the rough
I agree Eddie. Believe an offer will be coming
Thing that you missed Larry was that this yooung ‘un can do something that was a somewhat missing stat this past season.
He was, at one point, 17 for 20 (85%) from the free throw line. That stat alone should get him an offer !!!
Sign him up, can’t hurt to have a tough minded and talented guard…can it!
Hawkins is exactly what we need at UK. He is a Kentucky boy who dreams of playing AT KENTUKCY. If he and Willis are nurtured and allowed to have a bit of playing time they both can develop into players who will mature and be very useful as juniors and seniors. I keep thinking of the Bryan Station young man and the young man from Clark County who were under the radar and were not recruited by UK and went on to lead Butler and Louisville to success. We need that type of kid. However, if neither of these kids are destined to be more than minor role players who sit on the bench for four years while super freshmen are always recruited over them, they would be better off going somewhere where they can play.
Hawkins needs to go to Butler where he can get playing time and really improve as a player. If he comes to UK, he will sit on the bench while Cal forgets he has him and forgets he is a capable player. Cal only coaches up those he considers to be “great” NBA prospects. He made that statement about Josh Harrellson after he learned Kanter would not be playing. Cal stated they had never worked one-on-one with Josh and had no idea he could be such a good player. No kid needs that kind of treatment and that is probably what has happened with Hood. I bet Cal’s staff has never worked one-on-one with Hood like they did with Harrow, Goodwin, and the others earlier this year.
Hawkins needs to go where he is needed and truly wanted for what he has to offer, not just to fill a seat.
The thing that kept Hood on the bench for so long is his lack of defense coupled with the fact that Wiltjer is a more capable outside shot .
It’s not his fault, just as lack of defense is not Kyle’s fault. They are simply two, slow footed, white kids trying to play in a tough, tough conference. The thing that sets Wiltjer apart is his perimeter shooting, when he’s hitting them.
So the “Kentucky Boy” sits !
Yours is a ridiculous argument.
Your argument was made about Josh Harrellson until the coaching staff worked with him one-on-one. How is Hood to slow when over the last 6 games he is one of the leading rebounders per minutes played, may be the leading rebounder per minutes played.
I haven’t seen Wilter burning the nets off lately and not too many rebounds, either. Yes, Wiltjer is the better shooter, but Hood gives more effort and heart, but seldom gets to show it. You don’t get anything from Wiltjer if he is not scoring. Besides, how can you have Hood sitting on the bench most of the year, Noel gets hurt, and Cal says Hood has to turn it up. Turn up what! You’re not good enough to play or have my attention, and then all of the sudden you are expected to go out and perform like you have actually been playing all year! Doesn’t hardly work that way.
The best decision Chris Lofton ever made was to stay away from UK. I think the same thing can happen for Hawkins. He needs to go where he can actually contribute and be wanted for what he can offer; not be wanted because he can be a good practice player and not complain for PT. Just be a good UK Fan and sit quietly until the time comes that you might be needed.
OldFan..you are being way to hard on UK coaching. Whose side are you on anyway? Sounds like you have an ax to grind with Cal. I predict that Hawkins will be a “wildcat.” He will play too if he’s good enough.
I agree. The one and done system dictates that we will have fresh new outstanding talent every year. Harrellson would not have played if Kanter had been eligible. Hood and Polson are playing this year because they have to. Calipari has no bench. Next year there will be 5 or 6 new studs who will take the majority of playing time. Hood and Polson will be forgotten men unless next year’s freshmen bomb like this year’s youngsters.
On one hand I hope that kids like Hawkins go to UK. If he were actually playing and being developed I think that players like him and the Willis kid could add maturity and experience when they are juniors and seniors. But if Calipari continues his system as he so far has, these kids will be sitting on the end of the bench and will graduate with the knowledge that they were on the roster, but wondering what they could have been if they had gone to a school like Western Kentucky.
I disagree with Oldfan. This old fan notes Paulson has played lots of backup guard for Calipari, so would Hawkins.
Only because Harrow backs away from contact and at times spends too much time dribbling the ball instead of making the pass. Polson didn’t play much at all last year because he was not needed and Teague was a much better player than Harrow.
Old Fan: I agree. Polson played little before this year. Had Calipari recruited a freshman point guard instead of relying on Harrow, Polson would have played very little. With the Harrison twins next year, you can say goodbye to Polson.
IMO had Polson gone to Pikeville, Campbellsville or Transy he could have been a starter or at least played much. This year has been very good for him. Because of the weakness of the guard position, Calipari was forced to play Polson and Polson showed that he had talent, grit, and desire. He has endured himself to UK fans and will surely profit from it the rest of his life.
Many of us would love to see Kentucky boys being a big part of the UK program. We can’t have it both ways. The one and done system is going to keep us at the top of the basketball world, and in that system there is little room for a kid from small town Kentucky.
I don’t agree with that.
If UK don’t offer this kid a scholarship they are nuts. If he goes to South Carolina he will be a thorn in our side. UK must not let that happen. There are some in this state we need to sign sometimes.
It would be nice, but Cal didn’t take Hickey who ended up at LSU. Cal stated it was best for him to go where he could play and that place was not UK. I agree with that, but I bet he wishes he had him now. He is better than any guard UK can put on the floor now.
I don’t know about that. I like our guards. They are growing up at the right time.
We’ll see.
There’s a former Mr.Kentucky basketballer at LSU who would have made a huge difference at UK this season had he been there.Problem Cal has right now is numbers,if some of the current players don’t go for the fraft or trandfer,Cal does’nt have a scholarship to offer.I hope Hawkisns can wit this thing out,and UK can get him,that is ,if Cal is willing to take him.
I think old fan needs to go to Butler.. This guy is a player that will be an asset like Darius Miller was.. Come on Cal talk to him..
I agree he would be an asset, and I would really like to see UK offer him if he would actually get a chance at playing time. Sitting on the bench doesn’t make you a better player. All I am saying is if it comes down to actually getting to play or being recruited over every year, go where you can play. I’ll say it again, Chris Lofton’s best choice was going to Tennessee and the Hawkins kid has to look at all options and then decide for himself where he thinks he can be the most successful.
After seeing this kid play I think he can be a lock down defender. Something we needed all year. Sign him up.
Re: lock down defender.
But would he play. Take a look at those recruits already signed and those that Calipari is after. Where would Hawkins fit in with those players? By 2014 a new cast will arrive that will also be the number one recruiting class. Where would Hawkins fit into that class.
In Calipari’s system, a steady crop of the best of the best will be delivered. Their goal is the NBA, so Calipari has to give them the majority of playing time. Otherwise future super stars will begin looking at other schools. Each year players like Hawkins will be recruited over and his playing time will be minimum, UNLESS the great freshmen bomb. That is the downside of the one and done program. It is hard to give good, but not great kids playing time.
There are two approaches and both can bring success. Butler recruits players that Calipari would not consider. They develop these players to the point that they are very good COLLEGE PLAYERS and they have a very good team, a team good enough to go to two recent NCAA tournament finals and good enough to beat Indiana this year. Calipari recruits future PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS and depends on their raw talent to win. So far, excluding this year, he has won.
Under the Butler system Hawkins could develop into a star. Under Calipari’s system he will probably be a role player at best. But he will probably have a better chance of being on the roster of a national champion at Kentucky.
Joe, you assume Cal is going to sign a No. 1 recruiting class every year. He may not do that every year. We have been fortunate the past several years, He may well want some kids like Hawkins at UK. I think you can have it both ways as long as Cal plans his recruiting numbers and needs for that particular year. I don’t think all of this current crop of stars are necessarily gone yet and some may well be back. That kind of throws everything out of order don’t it? There is always room for home grown talent. Just has to be.
I really hope Calipari realizes this is the kind of kid you need to add with all those 5* studs?!!
I agree Old fan needs to go to Butler or any place else!!..just go away!!
I see a lot of Anthony Epps in Hawkins…..may have to wait his turn,but it will come
over time. A lot of you younger guys don’t remember how it used to be,back in the day, when recruits always had to wait for their turn/chance,with the Cats.
Yes, Epps is a great example. I also remember how each year Pitino brought in the next great point guard that was going to put Epps on the bench. Never happened because Epps always outworked them and outsmarted them, too.
Oldfan, you have defeated your own arguement. “Never happened because Epps always outworked them and outsmarted them, too.”
If Hawkins has the work ethic and the heart, he will earn his playing time.
He didn’t defeat his argument in the least. TrueBlueJohn has apparently forgot who the coach of Anthony Epps was.
Why couldn’t that be a Hawkins?
Cal should offer him preferred walk on status now! Then give Him a scholly if one is available. That is how we got Polson.
Some posters,I just don’t understand…how in the world can you criticize or second guess Cal after suffering through 10 years of TLT recruiting, and then,ughh BCG. Hickey might have helped,but he might just as easily have been unhappy playing behind Teague and transferred.
Personally I don’t think he’s in the same category as Hawkins,as far as a fit,skill level,or upside.
To the guy thats happy with our present guard play,I can only say… dayum,what am I missing !
Hey Bobby..did you miss the game Sat? Our guards didn’t look to bad to me. We will see how the tourney goes. All three in double figures Sat. against the best in the SEC. Goodwin had 4 steals and 16 points, Mays had 2 steals and 13 points, and was the star of the game, Harrow had 13 points, four rebounds, two assists, with just one turnover. Not bad in my book.
Facts just don’t mean as much in America, as they use to LP….BUT, YOU NAILED IT WITH THIS REPLY…I’m mean it was The Gators !
Larry T..You are kind. What a game.
Your all missing ONE THING…what if it is Hawkins life long Dream to wear the Blue & White, with KENTUCKY across your chest ? We must be open to that resolve. For that Dream (and I would), you take the chance of sitting on the bench at Game Time…But, you also know, your are STILL an important part of THE TEAM, how far you excel is up to you. You want to be The Best, You Play with THE BEST. If UK is Hawkins Dream, then I want Him here at BIG BLUE NATION.
Good Post – I agree. Let him live the dream if he can.
Should Polson & Hood have gone somewhere else?
What are their prospects after basketball?
Any chance that they will have a problem finding good employment?
Let’s see, playing time at Butler or playing for U.K?
-It is a no-brainer for me – I choose the Cats!
Amen right there!
I’ve been reading these comments, and I have to add something. There is a running feud going on about the KY kids on the team not getting to play. Do any of you who are saying these things attend practice? Do you see the work ethic of these kids? Are these kids in the gym late practicing, giving all their time to BB, or are they doing something for themselves, and that’s not bad, and that something is using UK for a great education? Seems I read where both Polson and Hood are on track to graduate this spring, in three years. So they got the chance to attend UK for free, essentially, get the tutoring side as well, and they have used that to their advantage, and will graduate in three years. They may decide to attend grad classes next year and still play, or maybe they go ahead and enter the work force with their degrees… we don’t know.
I applaud both the young men for their contributions to the team, as well as their using their situation to their benefit and getting their educations.
I also stand by what I’ve been saying the last two years, and I think this year has born out my thoughts…. ALSO, make no mistakes… I’m no coach and don’t think I can do better than Coach Cal, he gets paid to make the decisions, I’m just offering an armchair analysis of what I see.
I have said that with the rotation being short, usually 7 players deep, the team is only one serious injury from being severely limited. I think we have seen that with Noel.
I have said that with the reliance on very talented freshmen, we are very dependent upon the young men buying into the full team mentality, and doing it very quickly, and that if we had only one, maybe two, who don’t, then we would see the team struggle. I think this team has taken a much longer time to come together than the last three.
I’ll add to that now, I think that last year’s team had an unbelievable advantage to help them see what it took to be a pro player. When the NBA was on strike, and the pros were at UK working out, how many times did we hear or read about how the UK players got an unique look at how hard NBA players worked on their craft? I think most college players really don’t see that. Remember last year, it was Kidd-Gillchrist who started the breakfast club for extra work, like the NBA players would do, this year Coach Cal had to start it, and I’m still not sure all the players truly bought into what it takes to play at that level.
Now disclosure time… no I don’t see practices either, no I don’t have any inside information. What I have is simple … I remember what has happened, and I see what has been happening. It is very possible I have it all wrong, and won’t be upset if that is the case. I am merely stating what I think, which is what we all are doing here.
Dan
Great Post….and as a Kentucky Native, I know for a fact, Polson Is Living His Dream !
Amen!!! I agree with Dan.
Well said Dan.
We can debate endlessly about the one and done system, and Cal’s recruiting philosophy. We’ll just how to see how this plays out. If UK was not interested in Hawkins, I seriously doubt Coach O and Cal would have spent several days watching him play. It’s not as if UK didn’t have other things going on while the state tournament was being played. I wouldn’t presume to know what Cal thinks, but after this season, he may be thinking about adding more players who are more role players and developing those players. He has shown a willingness to change his offense, his defense and other aspects that a lot of coaches seem to think are set in stone.
That being said, I really believe that some of the players he recruited developed a bit faster than he thought. For example, before his first year at Kentucky, most people thought Bledsoe and Orton would be at Kentucky more than one year. However, they progressed enough where they were not only in the NBA draft conversation, they were first round draft picks. I believe he has had other players that he thought would probably stay more than one year, but played well enough and grew enough as players that they were one and done. Rather than wanting the best recruits every year, as Joe believes, I think Cal simply wants the best players, whether they are freshmen or sophomores, juniors or seniors.
I think we’ll just have to wait to see how it all plays out. Personally, I wouldn’t trade the last 4 years for any other time that I’ve been a UK fan.
And were all extremely grateful for last minute Mays ! Not A Freshman, Not a NBA prospect, Not on anyone’s radar….but we got him and he’s been a Season Saver, more than once.
Right On!!
Karen,
You said a lot right there. I don’t think any of us, especially us amateur analysts could ever begin to say everything in one single post, and if we did, it would be a very long post indeed. I do think that the over all BB IQ of the BBN as a whole is fantastic. There are, though, as in every crowd, one or two know it alls, and occasionally a bad apple or two as well, not to mention the impostors that pretend to be fans only to try to make us or the team itself look bad.
Dan
Cal consistently plays 6-8 players every year. He says he doesn’t like to have more players than he has time to spend with them. I still think he needs to fill those last 4 spots with possible future players like Derek Willis and Hawkins. They may sit 2-3 years, but if they work hard they will see the court. Hood has had injuries and illnesses this year that have set him back and probably cost him a lot of playing time. That’s not Cal’s fault nor is it Jon’s. Just how it goes. Hawkins has already been offered a walk-on spot, and hopefully he will take it. If Cal doesn’t fill the schollies, Hawkins will get the conditional scholly. If Hawkins wants more from his college experience, I’m sure we will all be rooting for him and wish him the best.