By Nick Brockman, Messenger Sports Reporter nbrockman@the-messenger.com
One week after removing his walking boot, Madisonville-North Hopkins star Jon Hood displayed he has completely healed from a stress fracture, which curtailed his senior campaign, during a brief scrimmage in Louisville on Thursday.
Hood scored 15 points, notched five assists and threw down two slam dunks during an eight minute scrimmage with the players chosen to participate in the Kentucky Derby Festival Classic to be played today at Freedom Hall.
"He's ready to play," Hood's father Brian said. "He's out there playing and some of them other guys are probably just getting up and down the court."
On April 1, Jon Hood received the Mr. Basketball award and was able to take his boot off for the first time in a month.
Five days later, doctors at the University of Kentucky cleared him "to do anything he wanted to do," Brian Hood said.
North's senior standout has had more than medical issues on his mind with the coaching changes at UK and evaluating his decision to stick with the 'Cats.
Thursday, the 6-7 UK signee showed he's back to form and nothing is weighing him down.
Hood scored 15 points, notched five assists and threw down two slam dunks during an eight minute scrimmage with the players chosen to participate in the Kentucky Derby Festival Classic to be played today at Freedom Hall.
"He's ready to play," Hood's father Brian said. "He's out there playing and some of them other guys are probably just getting up and down the court."
On April 1, Jon Hood received the Mr. Basketball award and was able to take his boot off for the first time in a month.
Five days later, doctors at the University of Kentucky cleared him "to do anything he wanted to do," Brian Hood said.
North's senior standout has had more than medical issues on his mind with the coaching changes at UK and evaluating his decision to stick with the 'Cats.
Thursday, the 6-7 UK signee showed he's back to form and nothing is weighing him down.
"When you've got all that stuff on your mind and you finally get out there on the court, you forget about that stuff and you just start playing," Brian Hood said. "It's almost like a vacation to be able to play and you don't have to worry about it anymore."
Jon Hood's performance during Thursday's scrimmage proved he's healthy and ready for the collegiate level by standing out against some of the country's most talented high school players. He will play on the Gold team with fellow UK signee Daniel Orton, though it is still not a certainty that Orton will end up in Lexington in the fall due to the coaching change.
Other schools represented on the Gold team include Indiana, Ilinois, UCLA, Florida State, Villanova and Minnesota.
Players on the Black team have committed to schools like Memphis, Louisville, South Carolina, Kansas, USC, Florida, Oklahoma State and Syracuse.
Although Jon Hood has secured a roster spot on the Kentucky-Indiana All-Star squad, he still plans to attend tryouts next week at Campbellsville to "get a run in and build stamina," Brian Hood said.
In addition to his clearance for basketball, he can now begin his assault at the state high jump title after finishing second in 2008.
Back to full health, the sky's the limit for Jon Hood.
"When that boot came off, he was just 'thank goodness,'" Brian Hood said. "He's getting excited about it because he can see it. It's almost here."
Jon Hood was unavailable for comment.
Jon Hood's performance during Thursday's scrimmage proved he's healthy and ready for the collegiate level by standing out against some of the country's most talented high school players. He will play on the Gold team with fellow UK signee Daniel Orton, though it is still not a certainty that Orton will end up in Lexington in the fall due to the coaching change.
Other schools represented on the Gold team include Indiana, Ilinois, UCLA, Florida State, Villanova and Minnesota.
Players on the Black team have committed to schools like Memphis, Louisville, South Carolina, Kansas, USC, Florida, Oklahoma State and Syracuse.
Although Jon Hood has secured a roster spot on the Kentucky-Indiana All-Star squad, he still plans to attend tryouts next week at Campbellsville to "get a run in and build stamina," Brian Hood said.
In addition to his clearance for basketball, he can now begin his assault at the state high jump title after finishing second in 2008.
Back to full health, the sky's the limit for Jon Hood.
"When that boot came off, he was just 'thank goodness,'" Brian Hood said. "He's getting excited about it because he can see it. It's almost here."
Jon Hood was unavailable for comment.
No comments:
Post a Comment