'Truly an honor': Why Kentucky's Blue-White scrimmage meant so much to Pikeville residents

PIKEVILLE, Ky. — Per the latest U.S. Census, taken in 2020, Pikeville's population is a hair under 7,800. Not small enough to be a blip on the map, a blink-and-you-miss-it town. Yet it's not a sprawling metropolis, either.

But big events — something that makes the entire state take notice — are rare.

That's why Kentucky's men's basketball team holding its annual Blue-White scrimmage in Pikeville meant so much to those in the community, especially in light of the hardships suffered by those in the area in recent months, as flooding ravaged 13 counties in the eastern portion of the state, leaving 43 dead.

"An event like this truly brings out everybody to see these type of athletes," said Johnny Cole, chief of the City of Pikeville Fire Department. "This community rallied behind them, and they also rally behind us."

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Pikeville might be a small town, Cole said, but its people have big hearts.

"We show compassion to each other, just like this team did coming out here to us," he said. "That means the world."

At halftime of Saturday's scrimmage, the Wildcats presented a check to Gov. Andy Beshear, totaling $162,450. The money will be donated to the Team Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief fund.

"Just seeing that amount and seeing what people are pouring into this, we're thankful," Cole said. "We've had a lot of first responders affected by it. No matter what part of Kentucky that you're from, we always want to be there for everybody."

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Prior to tipoff, Kentucky coach John Calipari noted players came up with the idea to take the scrimmage on the road to benefit flood relief efforts. Freshman guard Adou Thiero couldn't recall which upperclassman first proposed the possibility. But almost instantaneously, the rest of the team jumped on board.

"Growing up, my parents were all about giving back," he said, "so just being able to give back to the people today was a great feeling."

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The scrimmage and subsequent donated ticket proceeds weren't the only way the Wildcats gave back Saturday, however. Before arriving at Appalachian Wireless Arena, the team went to Jenny Wiley State Park and handed out clothes — T-shirts, jackets, gloves.

The community showed their appreciation hours later, packing the arena to the gills.

"It was crazy," Thiero said. "To be honest, I wasn't expecting this many people, but I'm happy everyone was here today and I hope they enjoyed what we did."

Calipari wasn't surprised by the turnout. Wherever the Wildcats go, he said, fans follow. He remembered one event earlier this year where thousands stood in line five hours for autographs.

"Now you come here and it's sold out," Calipari said during a postgame radio interview. "And this wasn't a free game. They had to pay to get in. Literally sold out in an hour."

Because of a shorthanded roster — Oscar Tshiebwe, Sahvir Wheeler and Lance Ware sat out due to injury — UK cut the scrimmage short, playing a 10-minute second half. Which meant nothing in the grand scheme of things.

"I think everybody left knowing that (their) money went directly back to the relief fund," Calipari said.

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Not to mention the joy it brought to the people in the area.

"Travel right now is very hard for people around here, to get to Lexington or these other big college towns, looking at it money wise with the travel expenses," Cole said. "(Tonight), they could have a friend pick them up and bring them to this game to cheer for a team they've always loved and cherished."

Cole is one of them: He's a Kentucky fan.

At the end of the night, he still was wrapping his mind around a day that bordered on surreal.

"This is one of those events that you would never think would happen in Pikeville, Kentucky — having UK come to this area," Cole said. "It was truly an honor for them to be in our town, and let us show them a little bit of love and support."

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @RyanABlack

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: UK basketball: What Blue-White scrimmage meant to Pikeville