Keitas leadership next year is going to be valuable.

[orangefan13]

I know I have said it before, but Keita deserves his own post.
Hes going to look like a 30 year old veteran next year.
http://instagram.com/p/bCgjMQO1-0/#

 

[stuckinbig11]

Indeed, Keita is smart enough and energetic enough and experienced enough that he could be the soul of this team.

 

[Lawrinson14]

Indeed, Keita is smart enough and energetic enough and experienced enough that he WILL be the soul of this team.

fixed that for ya

 

[cuseinseattle]

Indeed, Keita is smart enough and energetic enough and experienced enough that he could be the soul of this team.

i totally agree. I really think Christmas and Cooney could see small minutes if they don't make big improvements.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

At the risk of having eggs thrown at me...

I like Keita, a lot, but let's temper things a bit. He had some really good games late in the season, but it's getting really overblown. He's a part of our success, but he's a 4 and 4 guy with some really great intangibles.

 

[Lawrinson14]

At the risk of having eggs thrown at me...

I like Keita, a lot, but let's temper things a bit. He had some really good games late in the season, but it's getting really overblown. He's a part of our success, but he's a 4 and 4 guy with some really great intangibles.

He is also our best defender. He was the one barking out orders (audible on television) and leading the zone into post-season success. You do not have to put up gaudy numbers to be a team's heart and soul.

That said, I could see him averaging close to 8 pts, 8 rbs, and 3 blks a game this year.

 

[stuckinbig11]

i totally agree. I really think Christmas and Cooney could see small minutes if they don't make big improvements.

Whether Baye gets the playing time or not, his maturity will lead this team.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

He is also our best defender. He was the one barking out orders (audible on television) and leading the zone into post-season success. You do not have to put up gaudy numbers to be a team's heart and soul.

That said, I could see him averaging close to 8 pts, 8 rbs, and 3 blks a game this year.

I see him nowhere near that. Where are the minutes going to come from?

 

[Lawrinson14]

I see him nowhere near that. Where are the minutes going to come from?

Perhaps I worded that wrongly. It would not surprise me to see that kind production from him. Minutes wise, I think it will come down to what the team needs more of at any given time. Scoring? Put in DeJuan. Defense? Baye. Although with the move to the more fluid style of ACC basketball, Baye will be a huge asset and may be needed more often than not.

I don't see Rak playing very much at center at all. Unfortunately, I don't see him really playing that much at forward either as Grant and CJ will likely play huge minutes with Roberson backing them up.

And I can't help but think "What becomes of Sr. Rak?" if this is the case. He'd have to come back, wouldn't he? Who would draft him? Anyway, that is an argument for a different day.

 

[orangefan13]

Keita averaged 5.8 ppg the last 8 games(quarter of the season). When players make those jumps late in the season its usually something to take notice of.

Compare Rak to Paul Harris in 08-09. Harris had alot of baggage dissapearing for long periods of time back home, having a child, having a hard time with grades. Rak is still the opposite of that. Harris averaged 10 and 8 that season as a sf he should average more ppg then a center though, but he also had a tough time guarding the perimeter at sf(alot of that because opponenents ran plays in the corner on his sides to get his rebounding out of the post), On offense Harris couldn't play on the perimeter as a three and we had no four who could either. While not being the best scoring option, Rak does not mess with or destroy our chemistry on either sides. Would love to see him play the four, but he needs to be building the lateral quickness if he wants to. I actually think Keita had our best potential to play the four last year because he has the best lateral quickness, and was the fastest at chasing down the weak side to block a shot. But, I don't think we will see Kieta at the four this year.

 

[pearl31]

love me some Keita. and really enjoyed end of last year as all the many, many haters had to eat crow

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Keita averaged 5.8 ppg the last 8 games(quarter of the season). When players make those jumps late in the season its usually something to take notice of.

Well... he averaged 3.7 on the season, so really he added one more basket a game (I know the math is bad on that). The jump wasn't really that crazy. His value that quarter wasn't reflected very clearly in the stats.

 

[tee1222]

At the risk of having eggs thrown at me...

I like Keita, a lot, but let's temper things a bit. He had some really good games late in the season, but it's getting really overblown. He's a part of our success, but he's a 4 and 4 guy with some really great intangibles.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Oh, man! From Tee!?!?!?!?!?!

I really stepped in it.

 

[orangefan13]

Well... he averaged 3.7 on the season, so really he added one more basket a game (I know the math is bad on that). The jump wasn't really that crazy. His value that quarter wasn't reflected very clearly in the stats.

Fair enough but Dion two years ago jumped from 6 to 9 ppg as a freshmen his last quarter and we know how that ended up.

Keita proved he could make foul shots and he took them because he created them. He also showed signs of a developing hook shot during the season.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Fair enough but Dion two years ago jumped from 6 to 9 ppg as a freshmen his last quarter and we know how that ended up.
Keita proved he can make foul shots and he took them because he created them.

The FT thing is a good point. It looked like he played differently, on both ends of the floor.

Again, he's building on a good close, just like Cooney had his Georgetown and DC had his 1st round tourney explosion. I'd rather see the team close strong than not. It's more to build on. I just think Keita is going to remain highly valuable, but he won't be a featured player in any sense.

 

[Oakland]

At the risk of having eggs thrown at me...

I like Keita, a lot, but let's temper things a bit. He had some really good games late in the season, but it's getting really overblown. He's a part of our success, but he's a 4 and 4 guy with some really great intangibles.

He averaged 3.7 and 3.7 in 17 mins last season. Per min, he has been one of our best rebounders his entire career.

 

[Gabjon]

I think whoever is playing center numbers will go up simply because Ennis will shoot better than MCW, which will forced teams to hedge off of pick and rolls and open up the roll is the center for easy buckets. This years teams just dared MCW to shoot and the role man was never open.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[Sgt Cuse]

Perhaps I worded that wrongly. It would not surprise me to see that kind production from him. Minutes wise, I think it will come down to what the team needs more of at any given time. Scoring? Put in DeJuan. Defense? Baye. Although with the move to the more fluid style of ACC basketball, Baye will be a huge asset and may be needed more often than not.

I don't see Rak playing very much at center at all. Unfortunately, I don't see him really playing that much at forward either as Grant and CJ will likely play huge minutes with Roberson backing them up.

And I can't help but think "What becomes of Sr. Rak?" if this is the case. He'd have to come back, wouldn't he? Who would draft him? Anyway, that is an argument for a different day.

One of the reasons for keeping Rak happy is so he is here senior year. Senior Rak is a much more crucial piece to the SU puzzle than is junior Rak. In '14-'15 the centers look like DC2, Rak, and Chino. The dropoff from defensive stopper center from Rak to Chino is huge! Rak better come back, he is needed!

I don't understand the sentiment of people who don't see Rak playing center. It is his natural position. The pf experiment has been done in part because Rak doesn't have the size to be an NBA center. I don't see Rak beating out the others at forward. I could easily see Rak beating out BMK, my apologies to the OP but if Rak gets it together he could be a top flight college center.

I fully support the idea to give Rak his token 5 mpg at forward this coming year so that you get Rak as the backup center/defensive stopper in '14-'15. This plan may help "Boeheim" Grant into having to stay another year. And while Roberson may technically get a little less time than he may have ultimately deserved, he is a frosh, and I can live with that.