UK recruits shine in Derby Festival Basketball Classic

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LOUISVILLE — Mixed feelings seemed to rule the day at the Wazoo Sports Derby Festival Basketball Classic. A divided crowd of over 13,000 UK, Louisville and Indiana fans booed and cheered their respective recruits and rivals as questions swirled regarding the commitments of a pair of high-profile UK commits and another pair of UK recruits.

The Gold team, featuring UK commits Daniel Orton and Jon Hood along with three Indiana commits, defeated the Black team 151-145 despite trailing early. The Black team counted three Louisville commits on its roster along with Nolan Dennis and Eric Bledsoe, two undecided recruits still considering UK.

There was no bigger question mark entering the night than UK commit Daniel Orton, a 6-foot-11 center from Oklahoma City. Orton won a fan vote collected via text message as the game’s best player while registering 12 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Orton said his recruiting situation was still the same. He’s committed to UK for now, but didn’t rule out the possibility of that changing.

UK basketball commit Jon Hood is interviewed after the Wazoo Sports Derby Festival Basketball Classic on Saturday in Louisville. Hood scored 13 points for the Gold team. Photo by Kristin Sherrard | Staff

Jon Hood, a UK commit and Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball, saluted UK’s tradition during the dunk contest finals at halftime. Before his dunk, he took his Gold Team jersey off to reveal a blue No. 15 UK jersey. He completed his dunk before going to the judges and having former UK standout Jeff Sheppard sign the jersey. Sheppard, who led UK to its 1998 National Championship, wore No. 15 during his time with the Cats. He gave Hood a perfect score of 10 for the dunk.

Questions had begun to swirl regarding Hood’s commitment to UK recently, and at one point in the past week, he said he was only 95 percent sure he had made the right decision by committing to UK. After the game, he said something happened over the weekend that made him 100 percent sure UK was the place for him. Hood finished with 13 points, five rebounds and four assists.

UK basketball commit Jon Hood dribbles against Nolan Dennis during the Derby Festival Basketball Classic on Saturday in Louisville. Dennis was originally committed to Memphis, but decommited after John Calipari took the UK head coaching job. Photo by Kristin Sherrard | Staff

Hood said he had shifted his focus to recruiting other prospects for UK. He said he spent a lot of time talking with point guard prospect Eric Bledsoe, who is expected to decide between UK and Florida, as well as talking to Orton. Hood said he did not get to spend much time speaking with Dennis, who decommitted from Memphis after UK head coach John Calipari left the school.

“I think we’re good (with Orton),” Hood said. “I think we still need to keep working, though. I’ve got tonight and a little bit tomorrow and I’m going to keep on working. I’ve been working on him and Bledsoe. I haven’t talked to Nolan much. We’ve just … we’ve got to get (Orton).”

After the game, Dennis sat on the bench and talked to reporters as fans clamored for his autograph. He signed one shoe and gave it to a fan before another fan tapped him on the shoulder with a silver Sharpie, asking for his other shoe. He signed it and handed it to the fan just before a young boy, not realizing he had already given up both shoes, asked for a shoe.

Exasperated, he took his jersey off and threw it over his head to the crowd of fans behind him. As a cluster of fans grabbed at the souvenir, one of the event organizers joked that fans were going to start fighting for items if he kept tossing them to the crowd.

UK basketball commit Daniel Orton dunks for two of his 12 points during the Gold team's 151-145 victory at the Derby Festival Basketball Classic on Saturday in Louisville. Photo by Kristin Sherrard | Staff

Dennis said his recruitment is completely open and he has no clear leader now. He has been receiving calls from too many schools for him to count, but he would likely make a decision within a week. He said Calipari’s system and ability to develop NBA talent played a major role in his previous decision to commit to Memphis.

With fans still imploring him for autographs, the shoeless Dennis reflected on the atmosphere surrounding UK basketball.

“They’re going to tell you whenever you mess up and they’re going to tell you whenever you do good,” Dennis said. “It’s just the love. They love their players that go to Kentucky.”