NC State’s Kevin Keatts wants to hear more from rookie guards Hayes, Moore
One of the hardest things to get from freshmen is to get them to be more vocal.
One of the biggest requirements for guards, point guards especially, is to do all the talking on the court. Therein lies the dilemma for N.C. State men’s basketball coach Kevin Keatts.
Keatts, entering his fourth season in Raleigh, has a pair of dynamic guards in Cam Hayes and Shakeel Moore, both from Greensboro. Hayes (6-3, 175 pounds) is the classic point guard, the kind of player Keatts can envision leading the program for years to come.
Moore (6-1, 180) is a combo guard, raw in athleticism, the type of player who can defend the ball 94 feet.
Both players will play point guard a lot this season. Keatts would also like to play them on the floor at the same time if needed. Upperclassmen like Braxton Beverly and Thomas Allen have the game experience but can also play off the ball. That’s what Keatts wants, so that he can let the freshmen run the show. But first, he has to get them to speak up.
“They have to run an offense,” Keatts said. “And I try not to coach them while they run the offense, they have to be a bigger voice.”
During scrimmages Keatts said he intentionally tries to put Hayes and Moore into situations that will make them uncomfortable, just to see how they will respond.
With a condensed schedule that doesn’t include an exhibition, the rookies will be thrown into the fire in the season-opening game. So as much as he can on the practice court, Keatts tries to throw everything at them they might see during real games. But none of it will matter if they don’t find what’s needed most from that position — their voice.
“They struggle a lot,” Keatts said. “When you’re a freshman and you don’t think you know as much, you don’t talk as much. So in those situations, I’m trying to get them to take control and put everyone in the right place they can be.”
Hayes and Moore bring plenty of talent.
At Moravian Prep, Moore averaged 15.1 points per game, 2.8 assists and 2.7 steals as a senior. Hayes, who played at Greensboro Day, shot 56 percent from the field and 36 percent from three, while averaging 10 points per game as the lead guard. Both players played AAU basketball for Team CP3, meaning they’ve been on the biggest prep stages.
In the latest intrasquad scrimmage, Moore had one of his best outings, according to Keatts, who called him one of the bright spots. Moore finished with 19 points in the scrimmage, including 16 in the first half.
HELP AROUND THEM
There are plenty of pieces around the freshmen who will make life a little easier. D.J. Funderburk (12.8 ppg), Devon Daniels (12.7) and Jericole Hellems (9.5) can handle much of the scoring. Beverly has played in 98 games at N.C. State and can guide Hayes and Moore while playing alongside them as needed. And the guard duo aren’t the only players new to college basketball; Keatts brought in five freshmen for the 2020 class. But the rest of the players are forwards and won’t be playing what Keatts called the most important position in college basketball.
“I’m trying to get those guys to get out of their comfort zone and be leaders on the floor,” Keatts said. “It’s tough when you’re a freshman trying to command the huddle of a basketball team. I’m trying to empower them to let them know they have the ability to say the right stuff, get people in the right position and even yell at somebody, which freshmen typically don’t do.”
What freshmen typically do is make mistakes. One thing Keatts told the media on Thursday was they have to grow up fast.
“They don’t have the luxury of being freshmen,” Keatts said. “I don’t have the ability just for them to have growing pains. We’re going to have to live with some of their mistakes early, that’s the tough part about it.”
This story was originally published November 12, 2020 at 6:28 PM.
