Kentucky’s Kenny Brooks era began on Monday with a dominant win against South Carolina Upstate. The final score was 98-43, and there were a few big takeaways that could be an indication of how this season will go for the Wildcats.
The Clara Towers could be a problem
Clara Silva and Clara Strack make up one of the tallest front courts in all of college basketball. At 6-foot-7 and 6-foot-5 respectively, both Claras absolutely had their way on the defensive end against SC Upstate. The sophomore Strack finished with a game-high 22 points on 7-for-11 shooting and 8-for-9 from the free throw line. Silva, a freshman, came off the bench and was 6-for-6 from the field and finished with six blocks. Their presence down low made any shot in the paint almost impossible for SC Upstate
As for offense, both Claras were a big part of the offense, Kentucky often threw the ball into them at the mid-post and let them go to work. Both Silva and Strack have good low-post footwork and were comfortable turning over their shoulder for fading jumpers. Perhaps the most important part of these possessions is the spacing the Wildcats were able to create, oftentimes having one of the guards clear out the strong side corner, giving them more space to operate.
