By Keith Taylor
Kentucky Today
Brad Calipari enjoyed another summer tour with the Global Sports Academy.
The Kentucky guard and son of Wildcats coach John Calipari averaged 13.2 points and seven assists per game for Global Sports, which compiled a 3-2 record playing in three European counties. The team, coached by Bucknell assistant coach Joe Meehan, played against teams from Cologne, Leverkusen, and Leuven.
In the team’s final game, Calipari scored 17 points and dished out six assists on a team compiled of 10 collegiate players from eight different teams. Calipari tallied 10 points in the opener and had 17 points and 11 assists in the third encounter. In the fourth game, Calipari made four shots on five attempts from 3-point range and finished with 14 points and eight assists.
Calipari has played in 26 games in his first two seasons with the Wildcats and has scored 11 points, including three shots from long range.
In addition to basketball, Calipari attended several cultural events and visited numerous historical sites in three countries. Calipari participated in the tour a year ago and enjoyed similar success.
Briscoe, Hawkins honored
Former Kentucky guard Isaiah Briscoe led the BC Kalev/Cramo squad, based in Estonia to a national championship in a best-of-seven sweep of Tartu Urikool recently.
Briscoe scored 20 points in the final game and was named one of the top performers in the league. Dominique Hawkins also played in the league and both were all-star players. Briscoe scored 50 points in the all-star game to claim Most Valuable Player honors and also won the 3-point shooting contest.
Prayers for C.M. Newton
On his website, Kentucky coach John Calipari asked for prayers for former athletics director C.M. Newton.
“C.M. Newton is struggling right now and in need of our prayers,” he said. “As I think back on the positive impact he’s had on my life, I am overcome with feelings of gratitude and respect.”
Calipari added that Newton has “has always treated me as a part of his family” and has been supportive in his tenure with the Wildcats.
“After I became the coach at Kentucky, he always made a point to call me or spend time with me when we were in Alabama,” he said. “He has always been willing to share advice and give me good counsel. His son, Martin, who I consider a dear friend was at the center of me being hired at Kentucky. I would imagine C.M. was in the background somewhere. He is one of the people I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to for helping me prepare for and achieve my dream job here at Kentucky.”
Prior to taking over at Kentucky, Newton coached at Transylvania, Alabama, and Vanderbilt.
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“I’m excited about what PJ (Washington) can do for himself and our team this year and I support Wenyen (Gabriel) and Jarred (Vanderbilt) as they pursue their dreams,” John Calipari.
Keith Taylor is sports editor for Kentucky Today. Reach him at keith.taylor@kentuckytoday.com or twitter @keithtaylor21.