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With his playing career at an end, iconic ex-prep star Chris Lofton seeks divine assist

Now 36 and three years removed from playing the game he loves, an iconic former Kentucky high school basketball star finds himself in what he called “that phase of life where it’s a transition. Trying to find out what I’m going to do.”

Chris Lofton seeks divine assistance.

“Just waiting for God to give me clarity on what to do …,” he said. “I talk to God about it daily. God, do you want me to do this or do that? Coaching? Training? It’s just, like, Chris, just wait. Be patient.”

Lofton last played for a team based in South Korea in 2019. The coronavirus pandemic blocked his plans to play in Puerto Rico in 2020. He wanted to play this past season but no team called.

“I don’t know if I’d take a chance on me …,” he said. “I don’t know what else to do right now.”

Lofton was not complaining. He frequently smiled as he spoke of being at this metaphorical fork in the road.

As a player for Mason County, he was one of the most celebrated high school players in Kentucky history. In his junior season, he led Mason County to the 2003 state championship.

“I remember walking into Rupp Arena, looking at myself,” he said. “It was, like, why not us? Why not a small-town team winning?”

As a senior, Lofton was named Kentucky Mr. Basketball.

Mike Fields, who covered Kentucky high school basketball for 45 years, referenced arguably the sport’s biggest current star in describing Lofton’s on-court impact.

“It’s an exaggeration to say, but he was kind of Steph Curry before Steph Curry as far as a three-point shooter,” Fields said.

Said Lofton: “A lot of people say that to me. I like it.”

Yet, neither Kentucky nor Louisville became a viable college option.

Louisville recruited him as a sophomore and offered a scholarship, Lofton said. He considered himself too young and ill-informed to make such a decision. U of L then withdrew the offer, only to return two years later to watch him play.

“I was ready to sign,” Lofton said. “I was, like, are you going to offer me? Why do you keep coming to my games?”

Kentucky never recruited him except for what Lofton referred to as one “courtesy call.”

Kelly Wells, who coached Lofton for Mason County, said that finalists in the recruitment for his star player were Tennessee and Cincinnati. Other options were Arkansas State, Valparaiso and Western Kentucky.

“I was disappointed for sure,” Lofton said of UK’s lack of interest. “A kid growing up in Kentucky, Kentucky basketball was it.”

Lofton voiced no ill-will toward the UK program. He said a highly rated freshman class had been signed, Plus, he added, “maybe they didn’t think I could play at that level. I didn’t wow you with my basketball game, so I can understand why they didn’t want me.”

Wells suggested that the value placed on athleticism can prevent recruiters from fully appreciating skill.

“The old adage is if you don’t run fast enough (and) don’t jump high enough, the gurus think that’s how you dictate winning and losing,” he said.

Of course, Lofton signed with Tennessee, where he scored 2,131 points, set a Southeastern Conference record by making 431 three-point shots (3.4 per game on average) and was voted SEC Player of the Year for 2006-07.

“Being on a mission” made him a standout, Lofton said. “When I got to Tennessee, it was just like nobody really wanted me in college basketball. … I was laser-focused just trying to prove people wrong.”

After college, he played for teams in Turkey, Spain, France, Russia, Lithuania and South Korea.

Now, he ponders not playing anymore. Maybe he will want to coach. Maybe he will want to help young people maximize their basketball potential.

While trying to patiently wait for what the future holds, Lofton said he wants to “find ways to help people.”

Having a ball

UK fan Jack Taylor is a second cousin to Joe B. Hall. When the former UK coach and his wife, Katharine, decided in retirement to move to a new home, Taylor helped.

As Taylor recalled recently, Hall showed his appreciation by saying, “take anything you want.”

Taylor looked over the basketball memorabilia in the Halls’ home and saw what he wanted. He picked up the game ball from Kentucky’s historic 92-90 victory over undefeated Indiana in the 1975 Mideast Region finals.

Hall laughed. “I said anything, didn’t I?”

Incidentally, Taylor was living in the Washington, D.C., area when UK played Indiana. The game being televised there that day was Maryland-Louisville in the Midwest Region finals. Taylor said he and his father drove 50-plus miles to a hotel in Fredericksburg, Va., to watch Kentucky-Indiana.

“The parking lot was full,” he said. “All kinds of people walking around with blue-and-white jackets on.”

On Christmas Eve, Hall gave Taylor the ball, which was signed by all the UK players and Hall. For safekeeping and in fear of thievery, Taylor keeps the ball in a bedroom closet.

That’s about to change. Now 71 and a retired teacher, Taylor intends to give the ball to Kevin Grevey, a senior and leading scorer for Kentucky in the 1974-75 season.

“To have the game ball with all my teammates’ signatures from that monumental win over IU is special to me,” Grevey texted. “It’s been with Coach Hall all these years and will stay safe with me.”

Grevey nixed Taylor’s offer to mail him the ball. Too risky. Grevey plans to pick it up on one of the scouting trips to Lexington.

Grevey’s plans for the ball do not include keeping it in a closet.

“Not sure yet, but I do plan to display it prominently at my home,” he texted.

Playing in Israel

On Tuesday, Alex Poythress signed a contract to play for Maccabi Tel Aviv next season. He became at least the fourth former UK player to have either played last season and/or is set to play next season for a professional team in Israel. He played for UK from 2012-13 through 2015-16.

James Young (2013-14) averaged 16.9 points for Hapoel Tel Aviv last season.

Archie Goodwin (2012-13) averaged 18.6 points in eight games for Maccabi Rishon LeZion.

Sacha Killeya-Jones (2016-17 and 2017-18) led Hapoel Gilboa Galil in scoring with an average of 18.4 points.

The information is courtesy of Josh Halickman (aka The Sports Rabbi).

No timeout I

Boston trailed Brooklyn by a point with 15 seconds left in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series this year. When Kevin Durant missed a three-point shot, Boston’s Al Horford grabbed the rebound.

Boston Coach Ime Udoka chose not to use his final timeout. In what appeared to be an impromptu final possession, Jayson Tatum won the game for the Celtics with a layup in the final second.

“You’ve got to give credit to Ime for trusting us in that situation with one timeout (remaining) …,” guard Marcus Smart said of the Celtics not calling a timeout. “That’s a big confidence-builder for us. The coach trusted us to go out there and make a play and be basketball players.”

No timeout II

Kentucky did not call a timeout when Saint Peter’s guard Doug Edert made a shot that tied the score with 21.6 seconds remaining in the second half of the NCAA Tournament first-round game this year. UK did not score on its final possession of regulation and Saint Peter’s won in overtime.

On his final radio show of the season, John Caliapri said he “very rarely” calls a timeout in that situation. The UK coach said he does not want to give the opponent a chance to spring a defensive surprise.

Calipari presumably counts on Kentucky basketball players (read often more talented than the opponents) using their superiority to make a winning play.

But no coaching decision is foolproof. Calipari was philosophical. If no timeout works (as it did for the Celtics), it’s seen as a wise coaching move, he said. Then he added, “if it doesn’t work, why didn’t you call a timeout?”

While Jayson Tatum’s game winner seemed the product of improvisation, Calipari said that he does not want his players relying solely on whim in the clutch.

“You practice this all the time so you don’t have to call timeout,” he said.

Happy birthday

To Brandon Stockton. He turned 38 on Saturday. … To former UK director of athletics Larry Ivy. He turns 79 on Sunday. … To Dominique Hawkins. He turns 28 on Monday. … To former Auburn standout Chuck Person. He turns 58 on Monday. … To former Duke guard and present Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley. He turns 51 on Tuesday.

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