UK's Blevins itching to get back on court, finish senior season

LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - This wasn&#39;t the scenario Kentucky guard J.P. Blevins envisioned for his senior season. <br> <br> The 6-2, 185-pounder from Edmonton, Ky., began the year on the biggest high of his athletic career, starting at point guard for the team he&#39;d worshipped his entire life. <br> <br> After only two games, however, he was replaced in the starting lineup by lightning-quick sophomore Cliff Hawkins. A sprained ankle then limited his effectiveness when he did find his way on to the floor. <br> <br> He started just one of the Wildcats&#39; next five games before breaking his right wrist against Indiana on Dec. 19. <br> <br> On Saturday, Blevins hopes to return to the court against South Carolina (13-7, 3-4 Southeastern Conference) to resume a final year that began with so much promise. <br> <br> ``I&#39;ve got the itch bad,&#39;&#39; he said before the 10th-ranked Wildcats (14-5, 4-3) left for Gainesville earlier this week to take on No. 5 Florida. ``It&#39;s tough not to be able to go out there and fight with your team. <br> <br> ``I just have to get to a point where I&#39;m comfortable really snapping passes and where it&#39;s not awkward to shoot the ball. It&#39;s still uncomfortable, but I&#39;m making progress.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Blevins, who was averaging 2.7 points and 1.5 assists per game before the injury, began practicing with the team Sunday, wearing a red no-contact jersey like quarterbacks often do during contact drills at football practice. <br> <br> ``I kind of like that,&#39;&#39; he joked. ``I might keep that around for the rest of the season so people can&#39;t get too close. Maybe they&#39;d let me wear it in games.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Blevins worked hard to stay in game shape during the layoff, logging mile after mile on the treadmill to keep up his conditioning. His psyche, however, has been more difficult to rehab. <br> <br> ``You have to sit there and watch, and that&#39;s hard,&#39;&#39; he said. ``I think away from the court it&#39;s easier to keep my spirits high. When you have to sit there on the court and watch from the sideline on the bench, that makes it extra tough.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Kentucky coach Tubby Smith said Blevins&#39; return will give the team a much-needed jolt of experience and leadership. <br> <br> ``J.P. has been unbelievable in his treatment and rehabilitation,&#39;&#39; Smith said. ``He&#39;s done everything we&#39;ve asked of him. <br> <br> ``He&#39;s in good shape, he&#39;s mentally ready and he&#39;s hungry. We think he can get back into it and help us fairly quickly.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> With backup point guard Adam Chiles hampered by a ribcage injury the past few games, sophomore guard Gerald Fitch has had to log a significant number of minutes at the point when Hawkins has needed a rest or gotten in early foul trouble. <br> <br> ``Even though I&#39;m starting to get a little more comfortable at the point, it&#39;ll be great to have him back,&#39;&#39; Fitch said. ``We&#39;re going to need him from here on out.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> With Kentucky on the road for three of its next four contests after the South Carolina game, Blevins said his return couldn&#39;t come at a better time. <br> <br> ``Some people have had to play out of position and this should allow things to get back to normal a little bit,&#39;&#39; he said. ``And maybe I can add a little leadership because I&#39;ve been through all this before.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Blevins noted the similarities in his own season and that of the team, which has had its own share of disappointments like losing games it had in hand or having a teammate leave and transfer to a bitter rival. <br> <br> ``There&#39;s been a couple bumps in the road,&#39;&#39; he said with a smile. ``Hopefully, we&#39;ll all be able to rally and end with a bang.&#39;&#39;