[Moderated by Matt Jones]
Ten points, three assists, and one turnover in 31 minutes of play. Looking at that line blindly at the beginning of the season, you may have assumed it would belong to Ryan Harrow and Archie Goodwin, maybe even Julius Mays. Considering the cast we had when we first watched All-Access, Jarrod Polson seemed destined to continue his role as a reserve player content to earn minutes in games against LIU-Brooklyn and the like.
But Jarrod (from Wilmore!) wasn’t content. After making a statement early on in the season against Maryland, Jarrod played in every game (averaging nearly 14 minutes per outing) and ended the season averaging around 3 points a game. However, if you look at his stats after the Florida game (RIP Nerlens’ ACL), he scored 44 points over 9 games for right around a 5 point average- including an 11-point game at Tennessee (the thirty point loss immediately after the Nerlens news) and last night’s 10 point game against Robert Morris. Polson’s greatest efforts game when Kentucky needed a hero in the worst way possible- and although they were never enough singlehandedly, his heart shone through in every play.
He may not have been our best on-the-ball defender, he doesn’t have the lightening-fast moves of Archie, and he didn’t come to UK with the McDonald’s All-American label of most of his teammates. But Jarrod Polson never quit, even when UK was in the most demoralizing of situations, and in the absence of Nerlens Noel- who college basketball fans unanimously agree was the heart and hustle of the lackluster Kentucky underachievers- Polson rose to the occasion to lead by example and remind his teammates of what it means to play for the team on the front of the jersey.
Forget what Harrow, Goodwin, Poythress, and Cauley-Stein are doing next year. I want Polson back more than any of them. #OneMoreYear.
@KristenGeilKSR
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March 20th, 2013 at 10:35 am
YES HE IS!!!
March 20th, 2013 at 10:47 am
I’m bringing the hardwood back to Wilmore babay! MVP MVP MVP
March 20th, 2013 at 12:22 pm
We will be desperate for some Senior leadership and Polson has more than enough heart and experience to bring that to the team. He is the closest thing we will have next year to a Darius Miller type of player.
March 20th, 2013 at 5:51 pm
He did really well this year. He’ll be back and I hope they all come back. And that includes Jon Hood. If Nerlens comes back I think we could legitimately be thinking 40-0.
March 21st, 2013 at 9:45 am
Jarrod definitely acted like more of a leader than Kyle Wiltjer did this year, despite a difference in minutes, I wonder why that is
March 21st, 2013 at 6:14 pm
I really like Jarrod and realize that he is a very talented player. Fans sometimes forget just how talented someone like Jarrod is. That being said it is his defense that limits him the most. The most glaring flaw I saw, as an admitted couch coach, was trailing his man around screens. I watched him so many times behind his man as he received a bounce pass for a layup at the goal. Better communication and/or anticipation on his part could possibly improve that.
To leave it on a positive note – I really like Jarrod’s game (especially his nose for the ball and quite remarkable rebounding skills) and hope he has a great next season and life success.
March 21st, 2013 at 6:36 pm
Jared Polson once belonged to Jessamine county now he belongs to BBN.
March 21st, 2013 at 6:51 pm
For what…………….getting destroyed by every PG he defended. I hate how everybody loves the crap players and dogs the good players on this team………….For example….I know we wanted more from poythress and wanted him to play harder…..however he average 13 PPG and about 7 boards while shooting 60% from field and 40+% from 3…….not quite beast mode but you would think he was the worst player in the country when reading most people post……those are pretty legit numbers for an 18 year old freshman
March 22nd, 2013 at 2:08 am
Poythress scored about 10+ points a game and gathered 6 rebounds a game.