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From ESPN insider-Andy Katz
Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie said Monday that he's going to Derrick Jasper's hometown of Paso Robles, Calif., Wednesday to see if the sophomore guard still wants to transfer out of Kentucky. Gillispie said Jasper will finalize his decision this weekend, and Gillispie was told that Jasper wanted to be closer to home. Jasper was limited by injuries this past season and didn't play in the first 10 games. He missed one other game during the season and ended up averaging only 4.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 20 games.
"We didn't need to lose Derrick, but he's about 95 percent sure he's going," Gillispie said.
Gillispie said rising junior Jodie Meeks, who had sports hernia surgery after the season, Maybe good to go for Late fall. Like Jasper, Meeks battled injuries and played in only 11 games this past season, his last on Feb. 16. Meeks averaged 8.8 points and 2.6 rebounds for the Cats.
If Jasper leaves, the Wildcats will be down three returning perimeter players. Seniors Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley are gone, and Alex Legion transferred out during the season. Gillispie said reserve Michael Porter will be back, but Gillispie is banking mostly on incoming players, like 6-6 guard Kevin Galloway from the College of Southern Idaho, 6-6 forward DeAndre Liggins from Nevada and Darius Miller, a 6-7 forward out of Mason County High in Kentucky, to be productive.
"We'll be pretty good, not great," Gillispie said of the perimeter. "We're adding some experience with Jodie coming back healthy and Kevin should be a pass-first guy for us."
Meanwhile, the Cats are hopeful that freshman Patrick Patterson comes back from surgery on his left ankle. Gillispie said Patterson, who averaged 16.4 points and 7.7 rebounds a game, got his cast off last week and is in a walking boot. Gillispie said he was told that Patterson is healing well. He said Dr. James Andrews, the surgeon, should be back in town to visit with Patterson again later this week. The Cats also return rising juniors Perry Stevenson and Ramon Harris upfront and added a newcomer in Josh Harrellson.
Gillispie said he's also looking at adding another player or two to the recruiting class for 2008. He may also take on a transfer if Jasper were to leave.
? Kentucky still has return games with Louisville (road), Indiana (home), North Carolina (road) and is looking at starting another home-and-home next season with one possibility being Michigan. The Wildcats are in a tournament in Las Vegas with two guaranteed games at home followed by two in Las Vegas. The three other hosts are West Virginia, Iowa and Kansas State
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