Kentucky

LEXINGTON - Kentucky freshman Nerlens Noel said his injured knee is “doing good” and that his physical therapist tells him he's ahead of schedule recovering from the torn anterior cruciate ligament he suffered in UK's loss at Florida Feb. 12 that ended his season - and college career since he's put his name into the NBA draft. Noel said he is trying to “take things slow” as he focuses on his therapy but being patient has not been easy. “It's hard to be patient, especially during the season seeing my teammates out there playing and just wishing I was out there playing with them.

He has 17 scholarship offers and is ranked among the nation's top 30 tight ends by several national recruiting services, but Westerville (Ohio) South High School standout Darryl Long insists he has a “lot of interest” in Kentucky as he prepares to make his college choice Saturday. His list of offers includes Louisville, Missouri, North Carolina, Vanderbilt, Pittsburgh, Vanderbilt, Illinois, Indiana, Boston College, Purdue and Duke. “I am still looking at all my options, but I like Kentucky,” said the 6-5, 217-pound Long.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky freshman Willie Cauley-Stein never thought he would be a one-and-done player in college, so staying at UK rather than putting his name into the NBA draft was “easy" for him. “To leave this year, go late first round, or come back next year and have an opportunity to go really early … Plus, I enjoy school. It's not like I was in any hurry to leave,” said Cauley-Stein Monday. “I never thought I was going to be a one-and-done anyways so another year doesn't really mean very much, I guess.” He said his family “survived this far without whatever I was going to make in the pros, so what's another year or two?

He's had big-time players recruited by the nation's top coaches before, but Lakota West coach Larry Cox has never had a high-profile player make his college choice as early as running back Mikel Horton has. One of Ohio's best players, and one of the nation's premier backs, ended his college recruitment Saturday when he gave his verbal pledge to Kentucky. “My recruitment is totally shut down. I am finished. My school is picked. I am a man of my word and I am going to Kentucky,” said Horton.

FRANKFORT, Ky. - Lexington writer and Danville native Frank X Walker will be inducted officially as Kentucky Poet Laureate in a public ceremony on Kentucky Writers' Day at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the Capitol Rotunda. Kentucky Writers' Day is an annual event organized by the Kentucky Arts Council that celebrates the Commonwealth's strong literary history. It is observed on the birth date of Kentucky native Robert Penn Warren, the first poet laureate of the United States and winner of three Pulitzer Prizes.

He's still trying to “soak in the once in a lifetime experience” of being a national recruit, but Conner quarterback Drew Barker said Sunday he still plans to stick with his original timeline to make a college choice in the next few weeks. He's visited Kentucky, South Carolina and Tennessee this spring and likely will not take any other visits before probably deciding which of those three schools is right for him. “I would like to get this over probably in early May,” said Barker.

LOUISVILLE - He didn't want to admit he was nervous, but Kentucky signee Derek Willis knew the Kentucky Derby Festival Basketball Classic was his chance to show others why he was one of the “other” players in coach John Calipari's top-ranked recruiting class. “I wouldn't say I was nervous, but I didn't really like feel comfortable playing in this atmosphere at first. I started to loosen up and get a few shots in and run up and down the court and kind of made it a little more comfortable in the second half,” Willis said after the game Friday in Freedom Hall.

Kyle Meadows know plenty about Kentucky's most recent verbal commitment, running back Mikel Horton. Meadows, an offensive lineman who signed with Kentucky in February, blocked for Horton last season at West Chester (Ohio) Lakota West, where Horton rushed for 1,003 yards and 13 touchdowns. Horton, a 6-1, 230-pound junior, ranks among the nation's top running backs and had scholarship offers from Florida State, Arkansas, Boston College, Vanderbilt, Louisville, Purdue, Indiana, Minnesota, Kent State, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Toledo, Western Michigan and Miami (Ohio)

LEXINGTON - Kentucky coach John Calipari may have completed another No. 1 recruiting class this week when Dakari Johnson, Julius Randle and Dominique Hawkins all signed to play with the Wildcats and joined fall signees Aaron Harrison, Andrew Harrison, Marcus Lee, Derek Willis and James Young to form the consensus top-ranked class in the nation. “The thing I like most about this group is its competitive spirit and its will to win,” said Calipari in a statement from Kentucky. “These guys are All-Americans and award winners, but more importantly they're world champions, national champions and state champions.

Since Ohio receiver Derek Kief is considered one of the nation's best high school receivers, it's no surprise that he has Ohio State and Alabama - in no certain order - as his top two schools. However, he has a surprise at No. 3 - Kentucky. “I would say Kentucky is No. 3, but he had definite interest in Kentucky,” said Cincinnati Lasalle High School coach Tom Grippa. “He is 6-5 and runs a 4.5 (second) 40 (yard dash). He is a great receiver and special kid. He is a legit 6-5, is long and can jump and run with great body control.” Kief, who went to the Ohio State spring game instead of UK's Blue-White Game, has related well with UK assistant coach Vince Marrow, Kentucky's primary recruiter in Ohio.