How Kevin Keatts tries to make basketball homework fun
In an amusing moment after a dominant win over Miami, N.C. State coach Kevin Keatts tried to explain the challenges of getting his players to understand the scouting report.
With a second chance at Clemson (9-7, 3-3 ACC) on Saturday, the third-year Wolfpack (12-5, 3-3) coach has tried to simplify the way his team prepares. He said he gives the players information about opposing players like size, position and skill strength. The fourth bullet-point is always the same: “Have fun,” Keatts said.
The Wolfpack players took care of the latter in Wednesday’s drama-free 80-63 win over Miami. C.J. Bryce, after missing four games with a concussion, was back and N.C. State played like the team it was supposed to be.
But scouting reports are basketball’s version of homework, which has rarely been confused for fun. There were some hiccups in the Miami game prep, Keatts joked. In going over end-game situations in practice, he said he told the players they were up 75-70 in the waning minutes and had to protect the lead. After the players went through the first scenario, Keatts quizzed them on how many points they were up.
“Manny Bates said 19,” Keatts said.
The freshman big man wasn’t alone in his confusion. Miami forward Rodney Miller is a 7-footer but not according to some of the Wolfpack players.
“We had a couple of guys say he was 6-4,” Keatts said of the gigantic Miami forward. “So they don’t pay attention. We have to do a better job in that area. I’ve got to help them pay attention.”
One important tip from the Miami scouting report did stick with the N.C. State players.
Hurricanes junior guard Kameron McGusty favors his right hand. He went into the game averaging a team-best 15.4 points. The Wolfpack defense, led by guard Devon Daniels, held McGusty to a season-low two points on 1 of 9 shooting.
“We wanted to put him on his left all night and see if he could be effective there,” Keatts said. “It worked for us.”
Of course, one challenge in game preparation is knowing who will be in your own lineup. Keatts hasn’t had that luxury much of the season. N.C. State has missed at least one regular starter in four of the six ACC games, including an 81-70 loss at Clemson on Jan. 4. Bryce missed the trip to Clemson and two other ACC games.
Bryce, who leads the Wolfpack in scoring average this season, had a modest six points but added five assists in 21 minutes. More than anything, he was a calming presence back on the bench and in the locker room.
“It was good for the whole team to have him back,” senior guard Markell Johnson said of Bryce.
N.C. State is not the same team without Bryce. In a wacky ACC season, that can make a big difference. The league hasn’t made much sense. Look at Clemson.
The Tigers were in the tank before the visit from the Wolfpack. The same Miami team that lost in Raleigh by 17 points beat Clemson on the road on Dec. 31. The Tigers had a 1-6 record against “Power 5” conference opponents before its first meeting with the Wolfpack. Since then, the Tigers have ripped off wins over the Wolfpack, at North Carolina for the first time in school history and a 79-72 home upset of No. 3 Duke on Tuesday.
An ACC team hadn’t won three straight against Triangle opponents since Maryland did it at the end of the 2006-07 season. Those Terps also went unbeaten against the four North Carolina ACC teams.
Virginia turned the same trick in the 2017-18 season but it doesn’t happen often. Clemson can duplicate Virginia’s effort with a win Saturday and then a sweep of last-place Wake Forest.
Junior forward Aamir Simms has been the key to Clemson’s revival. One of only three regulars back from last year’s 20-win NIT team, Simms has averaged 20.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists during the Triangle winning streak.
Sophomore guard John Newman, who is from Greensboro but was mostly ignored on the recruiting trail by the in-state ACC schools, has shot 54.5 percent from the 3-point line and added 15.3 points during the winning streak.
Getting to see Clemson a second time might be good for the Wolfpack. Keatts has a 6-2 record in regular-season return games as N.C. State’s coach and both of the losses were to North Carolina.
Familiarity surely goes a long way in learning the scouting report.
“I love my guys,” Keatts said. “Their grades are good, and they’re doing a great job, but they lose focus after a certain amount of time. That’s something as a coach that we all have to adapt to around the country.”
Clemson at NC State
When: Saturday, 2 p.m.
Where: PNC Arena, Raleigh
Watch: Fox Sports Carolinas
Listen: WRAL-101.5
Clemson (9-7, 3-3 ACC)
G Clyde Trapp 5.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg
G Al-Amir Dawes 8.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg
G John Newman 10.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg
G Tevin Mack 12.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg
F Aamir Simms 14.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg
NC State (12-5, 3-3 ACC)
G Markell Johnson 13.1 ppg, 6.8 apg
G Devon Daniels 11.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg
G C.J. Bryce 15.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg
F D.J. Funderburk 13.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg
F Manny Bates 5.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg
