Malachi Moreno’s buzzer-beater capped off a 15-12 Blue Team victory and secured exclusive sneaker bragging rights.
As the Kentucky Wildcats continue summer practices, Tuesday’s session saw Mark Pope add an extra incentive for the winning team with unreleased Kobe 8 Venice Beach shoes, and Malachi Moreno got his team the win in dramatic fashion.
With the score tied at 12 in the closing seconds of the practice, Collin Chandler launched a shot that clanked off the front of the rim. Moreno secured the rebound as time nearly expired and, with just 0.1 seconds remaining, launched a full-court heave that went in as the buzzer sounded, lifting the Blue Team to a thrilling 15-12 win.
And the celebration was on.
The victory came with more than just bragging rights. As a reward, Blue Team players were gifted the unreleased Kobe 8 “Venice Beach” shoes, adding extra flair to the moment. Moreno was joined by Braydon Hawthorne, Trent Noah, Otega Oweh, Denzel Aberdeen, Reece Potter, and Jayden Quaintance in the win, and they didn’t hide their excitement.
“Just for that shot, baby,” Moreno said as the blue team received their new sneakers and then later in the hallway, he added with a grin, “We got the win today, so we got the early ‘Venice Beach’ Kobe Eights, and this is what winners get. So, be a winner.”
If this scrimmage is any indication, Kentucky’s new-look squad is going to be a lot of fun to watch this upcoming year.
Today’s scrimmage had a little extra on the line … and you HAVE to see how it ended ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/zw9PmL4YVm
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) July 8, 2025
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