Sunday, October 29, 2000
Estill stars in UK scrimmage
The Associated Press
LEXINGTON, Ky. — It took less than three minutes for Kentucky forward Marquis Estill to demonstrate exactly what he's going to mean to the Wildcats this season.
The 6-foot-9, 235-pound sophomore scored the first eight points of Saturday's annual Blue-White scrimmage, displaying the form which made him Kentucky's 1999 Gatorade High School Player of the Year.
On the White team's first possession, he got fouled underneath and made one of two free throws. The next time down, he hit a jumper just inside the foul line for a 3-0 lead.
He drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key on the White squad's next possession and followed that up with a rebound and putback for an early 8-0 lead.
“I felt real comfortable out there right from the beginning,” said Estill, who sat out last year as a partial qualifier. “After I hit those first couple shots, my confidence took over and I got on a little bit of a hot streak.”
Estill played significant minutes for each team in the first half, hitting all seven of his field goal attempts, including two 3-pointers, and pulling down three rebounds.
For the entire 40-minute scrimmage, Estill hit 11 of 16 shots and four of five free throws for a game-high 28 points.
“Marquis really adds another dimension to our team because he is an outside threat,” coach Tubby Smith said. “He may be the best pure jump shooter on the team.
“We knew that he could play like that because we've seen him for a year in practice. But to see him actually do it in a game setting was a big thrill.”
Keith Bogans scored 24 points, hitting four of 11 3-pointers, Tayshaun Prince and Marvin Stone each had 20, Jules Camara had 19 and Jason Parker had 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Parker was one of several newcomers who made a strong pitch for playing time this season.
On one break, freshman Gerald Fitch drove the lane and tossed the ball off the backboard to a trailing Parker, who slammed it with one hand to the delight of several thousand raucous fans. Parker had several other dunks that brought the crowd to its feet.
Fitch finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists while walk-on Cory Sears hit four of eight shots, including three of six 3-pointers, to finish with 12 points.
“I think people are going to see a deep, exciting team that likes to push the ball up and down the floor,” said senior guard Saul Smith, who finished with 11 points — including three of four 3-pointers, and eight assists. “All of the new guys are very athletic and can do a lot of things with the basketball.
“It's going to take a little bit of time for everyone to get used to the offense and their own roles in it, but once that happens I think we're going to be a very good basketball team.”
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