Despite platoons, John Calipari shows he is still able to use a quick hook

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By Nick Gray

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The substitution system used in the preseason — five players in for four minutes and five players out for four minutes — lasted 23 minutes into UK’s season-opening win against Grand Canyon.

UK coach John Calipari watched his second platoon give up baskets in consecutive possessions, with a pair of fouls by sophomore forward Marcus Lee sprinkled into the mix. No attention was paid to the rhythm that the second platoon finally began to get into, or that the Cats led by 26 at the time, or that the second platoon shutout Grand Canyon in the first half.

Calipari promised a quick hook — or no “communism”, as he put it — if one platoon wasn’t playing up to snuff.

He delivered to that promise.

“They came and scored too many buckets on us,” freshman guard Tyler Ulis said. “He wanted to make an example and told us that we would sit if we don’t get stops.”

Ulis admitted after the game that it was difficult to come out of the halftime break up by 27 points, citing that it was something the Cats must push through.

“We need to come out ready to fight and act like the score is zero to zero,” he said.

Only a minutes later, freshman forward Karl-Anthony Towns picked up his third foul on one end and traveled with the basketball on the other end. Calipari used his quick hook again. Towns left the game for 90 seconds, and sophomore center Dakari Johnson entered.

The substitutions, while inconsequential to Friday’s 40-point result, was a message from Calipari to the rest of the teams on UK’s non-conference schedule.

“I hope not (to substitute early), but I’ll do what I have to do,” Calipari said. “When we’re playing this way, you really have to do your job. You can’t break it off and do what you’re choosing to do.”

One game is certainly not enough time for Calipari to make any type of large-scale changes to this platoon system he employs. But junior forward Alex Poythress has been uninspiring throughout the first three games (including exhibition games).

In the first platoon, his role is undefined. Towns and junior forward Willie Cauley-Stein gobble up rebounds. Sophomore guards Aaron and Andrew Harrison handle the basketball and take a majority of the perimeter shots. Poythress’ shot has shown not to be consistent enough anyways at this point.

Calipari has to decide, by conference play if not sooner, whether Poythress deserves seven more minutes per game more than fellow small forward Trey Lyles, who has consistently hit shots from outside in the small sample size, or freshman guard Devin Booker, who can play as an undersized small forward alongside the Harrison twins.

If he continues his on again, off again play, Calipari may not be able to trust Poythress to flip the switch in a spot where UK may need him to play at a different level than he did tonight.

Otherwise, Calipari will have to do what he has to do.