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UK Loads Up On Inside Talent During Early Signing Period, But Biggest Catch Of All May Be Georgia Guard Eric Manuel
By Nick Nicholas and Mike Estep
Kentucky coach Eddie Sutton and his staff desperately need players. The Wildcats, without the services of Winston Bennett, Cedric Jenkins and Todd Ziegler, are down to only eight scholarship members. They even had walk-on tryouts a few weeks ago. . .and added two players.
At the University of Kentucky? C'mon.
Well, it's true. But don't feel sorry the second-year Wildcat coach.
Low numbers this season don't compare anywhere close to next year's tally sheet. The first day of the early signing period Kentucky signed five, count 'em, five players. And then got another signee later in the week. Add Mike Scott and Reggie Hanson to the total and UK will have two players over the 15 player scholarship limit entering next season.
What do you do?
It's been reported that Sutton may even sign one more player. When asked about having more players than scholarships he mentioned, "We don't have to worry about that until school opens in the fall. I'll sign 50 if I can.
"There are lots of options and I don't have to declare anything until next fall. I'm not going to violate any rules. Remember, every scholarship is a one-year committment. If I wanted to, I could have a new team every year."
' Headed for Lexington next season are: Johnathon Davis, 6-foot-8 forward of Pine Forest High in Pensacola, Fla.; Sean Sutton, 6-1 guard of Henry Clay High in Lexington, Ky.; John Pittman, 6-11 center of Terry High in Rosenburg, Texas; LeRon Ellis, 6-10 forward/center of Mater Dei High in Santa Ana, Calif: Deron Feldhaus. 6-7 forward of Mason County High in Maysville; and Eric Manuel, 6-7 forward/guard of Macon Southwest High in Macon, Ga.
Here's a rundown of last week's signees for the 'Cats:
*JOHN PITTMAN  "It's very obvious that Eddie has been looking for a post player," Terry High coach Fletcher Walker told TCP. "I think this was their main objectiveto sign two or three big men. In Johnny they have found one."
Yes indeed. Pittman is a legitmate seven-footer (according to his coach he's actually 6-11-54 but is seven foot with tennis shoes on). Not since the days of Melvin Turpin has Kentucky had the opportunity to have a 'true' post man underneath.
The main concern with Pittman is will he pass the guidelines set forth by Proposition 48? Already he's taken the college entrance exam (SAT), failing to meet the required score. However, Pittman and the coach's son (Rusty Walker) were seen on many a day during the past summer studying for the college test.
According to his coach he has two more opportunities to take the test.
Last season, in only his second full campaign of organized hoops, he averaged 18.1 points per game while grabbing 13.6 boards per game. While netting "six or seven" block shots game, his average is somewhat misleading. Reportedly, his main competition was against opponents who were 6-6 or 6-5.
"The hardest adjustment for him will be facing people reasonably close to his size," says his coach.
"He's a very athletic kid," said sportswriter Kevin Wishard of the Herald Coaster in Rosenberg. "He's got a pretty good touch but he's not that good of a high school player yet.
He definitely has potential.
A first-team district selection by the coaches last season, Pittman, however, was named second-team district by a poll of sportswriters.
This summer in the Basketball Congress International Tournament held in Phoenix, Ariz., Pittman was selected to the All-Tournament team. Forty-eight teams, including squads from New York and Los Angeles, competed in the event.
Walker mentioned Pittman is in excellent condition but is more of a half-court player.
"He's improving every day," said Wishard. "As far as raw talent is concerned, he's got plenty of it.
"One of his big problems is that he's such a nice guy. He lets little people push him around. This was his main problem last year."
LeRon Ellis
Said Walker, "He's a boy in a man's body and he's getting ready to learn to play in a man's league."
*SEAN SUTTON - The son of head coach Eddie Sutton kept to his early agreement by signing with the Big Blue. Considered an excellent floor-leader, Sutton might be UK's point guard for the future.
His father already has indicated that Sean will "in all likelihood" be redshirted next season. He needs to strengthen up some in order to take on the big boys in SEC play.
Sutton, who has taken and passed his college test (ACT), is the leader of his team. His coach noted that if he goes down it would be like Kentucky losing Winston Bennett.
"I'm always intrigued when there is' a player that we would feel that would be good enough whose father is a coach," said Eddie Sutton while talking to a group of reporters at Memorial Coliseum the day Sean announced his college choice. "They're ahead of our time. He's been on our bench since he was about four years old."
"Coaches sons will always have an advantage over most players because they just know the game."
Sutton's shooting touch is suspect. According to his high school coach it's something which he's worked on during the summer months.
"He's improved his shooting tremendously," said Al Prewitt.
"He's a great passer," Prewitt continued. "He's a great team player and an excellent leader. Sean is extremely coachable.
"When he plays for his dad, he's going to have to play real sticky defense. I feel this is the one area that he, as well as most guys who go to college, really needs to work on. If he can go ahead and play the defense like his dad wants him to then before he graduates he'll be a definite asset to the University of Kentucky and its basketball program."
For Sean Sutton, who one day hopes to follow in his father's footsteps and become a head coach, it's a dream come true. Even at Arkansas he was amazed with the impact of Kentucky basketball. He got a first hand look at the Bluegrass hoopla when his dad's
Deron Feldhaus
Razorbacks lost to Kentucky in the 1978 Final Four at St. Louis.
"He was on the bench and he just saw all of the great enthusiasm that Kentucky had," said the UK coach. "He knew of the tradition because he's a student of the game.
"A couple of years after that. . .he made the comment, T want to play for you in all likelihood here at Arkansas, but if Kentucky calls I might have to go."
Call the Wildcats did.
*LERON ELLIS - While John Pittman might remind fans of Melvin Turpin. . .LeRon Ellis could bring back memories of former Wildcat star Sam Bowie. "They look a lot like," said Ellis' coach Gary McKnight in a recent interview with The Cats' Pause.
Ellis, like Bowie, is a big man who loves to run the court. He prefers the forward position, that is he likes facing the hoop instead of posting up underneath. In fact, with Kentucky signing Pittman his decision became even better.
"Oh he thinks that's the greatest thing because he doesn't have to play center," sai3 McKnight when asked how the two skyscrapers would figure into Sutton's scheme. "He'll just get better and better with more experience.
"He runs the floor so fluid that at times he even looks small. He's a thoroughbred.
LeRon is extremely quick and intelligent."
McKnight mentioned that Ellis' coordination skills are unbelievable for a man of his
Eric Manuel
stature6-10 and 230 pounds. From double pump jumpers to tipping in overthrown alley oop passes, reportedly this kid can do it all. Labeled by his coach as "a Danny Manning-type player."
"LeRon needs to extend his range in his shooting touch so he can hit the 15-footer," McKnight said.
In the classroom Ellis is also a steady performer. He scored a 900 on the SAT, which is far above the 700 required by the NCAA's Proposition 48.
By the time he enrolls at Kentucky, Ellis could reach the seven-foot mark. His coach says he hasn't stopped growing.
He was treated to in-house vists by Sutton, Lou Carnesecca. John Thompson, George Raveling and Jim Boeheim. According to McKnight, Ellis was really impressed, especially by Sutton and Carnesecca.
Last season Mater Dei finished its campaign with a 30-1 mark, losing in the finals of the Southern California championships. As a junior, Ellis was surrounded by three Division I players and two Division II signees. The team's lone loss ended its 59-game win streak, second best in California prep history.
He averaged 17.5 and seven rebounds last season. Naturally, McKnight is looking for his star forward to increase those figures.
Ellis' dad is an assistant at Southern California. After a visit to the Bluegrass state in mid-September, however, young Ellis decided to announce his intentions of becoming a Wildcat.
Did he ever have any second-thoughts?
"Never," answered McKnight. "USC bombarded him with literature but he did not talk to them. After his visit to Kentucky he said everything just fit into place."
?JOHNATHON DAVIS - Coming from the Florida panhandle, which isn't known for its basketball prowess, and carrying only 195 pounds on his 6-8 frame, his high school coach Bill Fryman said that Davis isn't likely to come in and be an "immediate impact player," but he definitely has the ability to develop into one down the road in his career.
"He's not the kind of player who will come in and dominate the SEC in his first year," Fryman said. "But he has the ability to rise to that level. Basketball isn't very big down here, a lot of the middle schools don't even have their own gyms. So he just hasn't had the opportunity to develop as much as
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