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Baker Prize Catch
Grid Cats Land 14 Prospects
Coach Jerry Claiborne and his staff received 14 commitments last week, including eight outside the Kentucky boundaries, as the national signing period started last Wednesday. Of course, the biggest prize landed by the Wildcats was pulled within the state as Trigg County Star Al Baker signed a letter-of-intent to play for UK. Overall, Kentucky had 21 scholarships to offer.
"We're real pleased with the players we got," said Wildcat coach Jerry Claiborne. "We think they're going to be good student/athletes for the University of Kentucky. We hope that their college careers are as good as their high school careers."
Claiborne Pleased
Baker, a 6-foot-l, 222-pound brusing back, ran for 5,350 yards in four years at the Cadiz school. In his senior campaign he rambled for 1.338 yards and 12 touchdowns while playing
with nagging injuries.
A couple of weeks ago the Atlanta Journal and Constitution listed Baker the No. 1 recruit in the South as well as being the nation's second best player available. His other accomplishments as a prepster were: Class A 100-and 200-meter state track champion, second in the state shot put event, and Kentucky's top power-lifting champion in the 242-pound division.
"He's a quality player," Claiborne said about his new back. "He's one that has had a real outstanding high school career."
"Getting Al Baker (pause) we feel that he's probably one of, if not THE, best best runn-ingback in the country, " said assistant Jerry Eisaman, "which has to make it (in regards to recruiting) a real good year.
"If we had gotten a lineman or two here or there then we would have had a truly outstanding year. But. we've got some linemen that have some size, speed, and the weight that could blossom into real fine football players."
As in 99.9 percent of the recruiting wars, however, you win some and you lose some. Though Kentucky won with Al Baker and other signees. the Big Blue lost out on in-state product Colburn Clark and out-of-state offensive lineman Dave Szott.
Last December 2, Clark, a 6-2. 260-pound defensive lineman who played for the Daviess County Panthers, verbally committed to UK. However the All-State product signed the dotted line Wednesday to play for Howard Schnellenberger and the Louisville Cardinals.
Another Kentucky miss in the 'big game' hunt was Szott, a 6-4, 240 lbs Parade Magazine prep All-American from New Jersey. His decision apparently came down to UK, Penn State and Duke. When it came time to choose, though. Szott picked the Nittany Lions.
Another player high on UK's list, but who is also heading to Penn State, is Eric Jonassen.
Listed at 6-6, 275 lbs., Jonassen narrowed his choices to UK, Penn State and Mi i . land before deciding on Joe Paterno's team. He was a second-team prep All-American selection (T/Sd Today). Jonassen is from Baltimore.
The five other instate Wildcat signees were: Donnie Gardner (Defensive Lineman). 6-5. 210 pounds. Louisville Trinity; Carlos Phillips (Linebacker), 6-2. 220 lbs., Owensboro High School; Paul McDowell (Linebacker), 6-2, 205 lbs., Louisville Ballard; Mike Nord (Offensive Lineman), 7-6, 236 lbs., Louisville St. Xavier: and John Bolden (Wide Receiver), 6-2, 175 lbs. Louisville Male.
UK's out-of-state list features signees hailing from Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas, to theGrand Canyon State of Arizona. Sandwiched among those players are four recruits from Ohio.
The out-of-state players arc: Randy Holleran (Linebacker). 6-1, 234 lbs., McKeesport, Pa.; Gary Ralston (Defensive Lineman), 6-3, 240 lbs., Cuyahoga Falls. Ohio; Mike Meece (Tight End). 6-5, 210 lbs.. Madeira. Ohio; Dean Wilks (Offensive Lineman), 6-5, 275 lbs., Proctorville, Ohio; Steve Phillips (Wide Receiver and Strong Safety), 6-2. 184 lbs., Fairfield. Ohio; Ed Keenan (Linebacker and Defensive End), 6-3, 200 lbs., Corral Springs, Fla; Scott Rayburn (Tight End), 6-3, 240 lbs., Richardson, Texas: and Chris Moga (Wide Receiver), 5-10, 175 lbs.. Tucson. Ariz.
Last season Kentucky successfully recruited three players from the Ohio area  Tom Crumrine, Westerville; Gardner Sorrell, Mid-dletown: and Russell Viei, Middletown.
Claiborne said that the staff would continue to keep on the trail of '86 freshmen-to-be and possibly junior college players. He also noted that some students are still awaiting to take the ACT or SAT (college entrance exams). And with Proposition 48, the college bound student thus faces a tougher task just to qualify for college eligibility.
Kentucky Basketball Statistics
Date: 02-17-1986
____G___ US
WALKER, KENNY 25 25
Min
858
34.3
FC
2-5-GANE STATISTICS UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY WILDCATS EGA      Pet      FT    FTA     Pet    Reb    Avg     PF D
172    312    55.1    130    178 73.0
BENNETT, WINSTON
25       25     773 30.9      122    227    53.7     83    104 79.8
DAVENDER, ED
25       25     788 31.5     123    266   46.2     64     84 76.2
HLACKMON, JAMES
25       25     666 26.6       99    206   48.1      28     47 59.6
HARDEN, ROGER
25       25     745 29.8       72    1 37    52.6     23    ^25 92.0
MADISON, RICHARD
25 -     412 16. 5       52     93    55.9     29     43 67.4
LOCK, ROBERT
18
JENKINS, CEDKIC
126      7.0        21      37    56.8      16      33 48.5
25
ZIEGLER, TODD 1 J
ANDREWS, PAUL 17
BYRD, LEKOY 16
THOMAS, IRVING
14
Team
WILDCATS
25
284    ii.. 4        24      59    40. 7      18      27 66.7
61      4.7        12      22    54.5        6      10 60.0
125     7.4       14     33 42.4
6 100.0
97 6.1
65 4.6
15    60.0      10      13 76.9
II 36.4
8 62.5
5000    200.      724  1418    51.1    418    578 72.3
Opponents
25 -    5000   200.      606 1297    46.7    291    416 70.0
187 7.5
171 6.1
68 2.7
95 3.8
52 2.1
69 2.1
30 1.7
52 2.1
17
13 .8
10 .6
13 .9
41 1.6
818 32.7
712 28.5
(22-3 Overall;  13-1 SEC) (13-0 Home; 9-3 Away;   1-0 Neutral) Ast      To    Blk    Stl Pts Avg
63 1
30
34
27
35
34   4      34     48     11 31
61    1      83 55
46
60   1      57     28       1 32
A7    -    175 56
26
32   -     20     30       4 9
3     17       6 4
37    1       5       8       3 5
4       6       1 2
11-11 4
9-14
13
12
4      15       1 ,1
451    8   440    309     54 209
522 20   317    420     66 129
474 19.0
3*27 13.1
310 12.4
226 9.0
167 6.7
133 5.3
58 3.2
66 2.6
30 2.3
34 2.0
28 1.8
13 .9
1866 74.6
1503 60. 1