As an assistant at UNLV in the mid-1990s, Kentucky assistant coach Glynn Cyprien nabbed a talented player by the name of Shawn Marion from Vincennes Junior College in Indiana. 

Now, could the Cats' staff be looking into dipping into the Blazers' talent pool once again?

Over the weekend, Kentucky played host to three 2010 youngsters from Vincennes in point guards Johnie Davis and Cordell Passley and forward J.P. Olukemi on unofficial visits. The trio of players took in the football game versus Western Kentucky on Saturday evening, but beforehand got to work out with the team during an open scrimmage.

"They asked them to come down and enjoy the football game on unofficials," Vincennes assistant coach Brian Davis said. They couldn't have any contact with the coaches, but they had a great time."

All three, who were non-qualifiers coming out of high school, have some work to do in the classroom, but provided that they make progress both on and off the court, it's conceivable that any of the three could factor in UK's plans down the road.

Davis, who himself is a 2001 graduate of Kentucky, may give the Wildcats an edge.

"They know about Kentucky from me," Davis said. "I know coach (Jeremy) Cox and coach (Tracy) Webster. They loved the atmosphere, the facilities and the guys (on the team). They would definitely love to be recruited by UK."

Although none of the three currently holds a scholarship offer, Davis said the interest is mutual.

"They (UK) like all three, it just depends on their progress."

Davis, a 6-2 point guard from Canton, Ohio, wowed those on hand, displaying freakish athleticism on drives to the basket and a nice outside touch as well. But what may have caught the attention of the UK coaches is how hard Davis plays. drawing comparisons to former Cat Gerald Fitch, and how quickly he can go from endline to endline. Brian Davis said although Davis is flying under the radar right now, with an inquiry from Wyoming among others, but that it wouldn't be that way for long.

"That's going to change pretty quickly," Davis said. "He's the most athletic kid we've had. He can do any dunk you want at 6-2. He plays hard, that's the way he plays all the time. He can really score the ball. He's been under the radar, but he was first-team all-state in Ohio." 

Olukemi, a small forward via La Habra, Calif. and Stoneridge Prep, compares favorably to a current Wildcat, Davis said.

"He would be comparable to a Darius Miller," Davis said. "He's very athletic. He can shoot the three and he's good finishing around the basket, but sometimes he has a tendency to settle for jumpshots."

USC, Washington, Colorado, Oregon State were courting Olukemi before landing at Vincennes.

Passley, a 6-2 guard originally from Indianapolis Pike, originally committed to Tennessee, before the Vols dismissed his brother, Tony, a sophomore in the program and has hence, re-opened his recruitment.

"Cordell will be our starting point guard," Davis said. "He's got a big-time body. He's really strong defensively. He has a good handle and a high basketball IQ."

Baylor, Charlotte, UAB have inquired about Passley since his arrival at Vincennes.

Davis said although his players were already familiar with UK, he took the liberty of making sure.

"It's an unbelievable situation: the tradition, the fanbase," Davis said. "It doesn't get any better than this. It's good for them to get to see a big-time program."

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