Kentucky boys get behind early and blown out by Indiana in all-star game

Playing on an Kentucky All-Star team featuring Division I signees, J.J. Kalakon wouldn't seem like the natural pick to lead the Kentucky boys in scoring against a star-studded Indiana team.

On a lackluster night in which Kentucky was throttled, 97-64, at Bellarmine University, Kalakon was a bright spot. Other than one missed free throw, the Waggener guard was perfect from the floor.

Kalakon, who has not yet announced his college choice, made 3 of 3 shots from the field and 3 of 4 from the line to score a team-high nine points and was one of only three Kentucky players to shoot at least 50 percent from the floor.

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"I've got something coming. Next week, that's my plan at least," said Kalakon, who also had seven rebounds. "I feel like I can play at any level. D-I, D-II, JUCO, it don't matter. I feel like I can play and hold my own."

Kentucky coach James 'Boo' Brewer of Bardstown said Kalakon showed he belonged Friday.

"I really like J.J. I like his length and I like his competitiveness," said Brewer, a former Kentucky all-star himself who later played for Louisville. "He's a great teammate and he does a lot of things well. He's not going to woo you with his athleticism, but when you look at the box score, he gets it done."

Kentucky didn't do a lot of things well Friday, but Indiana did. Indiana took the opening tip and had its first of many slams just seven seconds into the game.

"They just flat-out played harder than us and they came out and punched us in the mouth," Kalakon said.

Kentucky never led and never really got in rhythm. Indiana opened by making 9 of 12 shots, while Kentucky missed 15 of 17.

"They didn't fall tonight and sometimes, that happens," said Kentucky starting guard Jordan Graham of Clark County. "But when they don't fall, you have to play that much harder and we didn't play hard."

Louisville-bound David Johnson of Trinity had seven points and eight rebounds. Like most Kentucky players, offense was a struggle for Johnson.

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"If you're open, Coach tells us to shoot it," said Johnson, who was 3 of 12 from the floor, including 1 of 6 from the arc. "We were getting good looks. And some of them weren't good looks, but we just couldn't hit anything tonight. But part of that was shot selection."

Jeffersontown guard Blake Butler had five points off the bench before exiting the game with a left leg injury. He did not know of his status for Saturday's rematch in Indianapolis.

"They played way harder than us," Butler said. "They had more heart and more drive and they just got the better of us tonight."