By Brian Bennett
The Courier-Journal

LEXINGTON - It came as little surprise that Chuck Hayes and Kelenna Azubuike dominated Saturday's Blue-White scrimmage at Memorial Coliseum. The University of Kentucky basketball team's lone two returning starters combined for 47 points to lead the Blue team to an 84-76 win.

But the crowd of 7,500 really wanted to know how the newcomers --- four heralded freshmen and transfer Patrick Sparks --- would play. The answer proved encouraging.

Sparks, the former Western Kentucky University guard, led the White team with 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Freshmen Ramel Bradley (19 points), Joe Crawford (15), Randolph Morris (12) and Rajon Rondo (8) all showed off their offensive ability and a willingness to mix it up defensively.

The latter was especially pleasing to UK coach Tubby Smith. Though he said they still have much to learn, he likes his young players' intensity and attitude about playing defense.

"I think they understand that coming here, that's our M.O., our profile," Smith said.

Bradley, perhaps the least touted of the four freshmen, twice stripped Ravi Moss at midcourt and went the other way for layups. He also showed a deft shooting touch from the outside. But he knows defense is his ticket to playing time.

"I definitely wanted to show (Smith) I could pressure the ball and be active on defense," he said. "Whoever's going to be out there pressuring that ball and getting turnovers and making stops, that's who's going to be on the court."

The Blue team went to a full-court press in the closing minutes, and Bradley and Rondo created havoc by deflecting the ball out bounds and nearly grabbing several steals.

"That's what Kentucky basketball is all about," Rondo said. "Coach says that's a freshman weakness, so that's what we try to pick up every day in practice."

Not everything went smoothly, as it was only the team's 11th practice. Rondo wowed the crowd with an assortment of moves but also committed six turnovers, tying Sparks for team high in that category. Hayes at one point threw a cross-court pass to assistant coach Reggie Hanson, who was standing near the sideline wearing a blue shirt. Both teams and the crowd broke into laughter at the play.

"I was concerned about the turnovers, but we're trying to play up tempo," Smith said. "We're trying to pick the pace up, and sometimes that can create more turnovers."

The White team led by six at halftime, but then the veterans took over for the Blue side, which shot nearly 70 percent in the second half. Hayes, the senior forward, finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Azubuike, a junior, scored 26 and threw down a thunderous dunk over Morris and Bobby Perry late in the game.

Smith also liked what he saw from sophomore 7-footers Lukasz Obrzut and Shagari Alleyne. Obrzut played good defense on Morris, while Alleyne swatted two shots and dunked in traffic during one two-minute stretch of the first half.

The lumbering big men provided a contrast to the explosiveness of Kentucky's freshmen, who could be alternately thrilling and frustrating at times this season.

"There's so much athleticism out there, it's scary," Hayes said. "If we can put the fundamental aspect with that, we could be a dangerous team."

UK will play its first exhibition game Nov. 3 against Northern Kentucky. The season opener is Nov. 20 versus Coppin State at Rupp Arena.