Last year’s men’s basketball season ended in disappointment. After missing out on the NCAA tournament through some controversy, head coach Frank Martin’s team lost in the second round of the NIT to Georgia Tech.
Returning first team SEC All-Defensive Team player Sindarius Thornwell will lead the team next season both on and off the court, and he knows the importance of moving forward after a tough season-ending loss.
“We just do what we’ve been doing since [we] got here,” he said at the post-game press conference after the Georgia Tech loss. “It’s just back to work, getting better on your game, guys getting stronger. Just do what we do … We got to prepare for the season as much as we can. When it comes around, be ready and attack it again.”
With the departures of seniors Michael Carrera, Mindaugas Kacinas and Laimonas Chatkevicius, three of the top five players in terms of minutes per game this season, Martin will have some spaces to fill in his rotations. Add in the fact that freshmen Eric Cobb and Jamall Gregory were dismissed from the team due to their pellet gun incident in March and sophomore Marcus Stroman and freshman Raymond Doby each transferring, Martin will likely have to use the incoming class more than originally expected. Here’s how the new faces on the 2016-2017 team stack up.
Sedee Keita — forward
As Martin’s top rated prospect coming to the team next year, Keita is expected to log significant minutes immediately. The four-star has the kind of body to dominate the paint: a tall, 6-foot-9 frame with long arms and incredible athleticism.
But what stands out most for Keita is his ability to stretch the floor with his jump shot. In the NBA Top 100 Camp last year, he knocked down shots all over the floor, from midranged turnarounds to three-pointers. Add in the fact that he already has good ball control since he grew up playing guard before his growth spurt, and Keita will be a dangerous offensive weapon for the Gamecocks next year.
Hassani Gravett — guard
It’s no question Martin and his staff wanted to bring in someone to run the point guard position next year, and Gravett is the kind of player that could do so. Not only is the transfer a good ball handler, but he can knock down three-pointers — something the Gamecocks had trouble with consistently last season. The JUCO guard averaged 16.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists last season for Pensacola State and will have three years of eligibility left.
Rakym Felder — guard
After playing in Brooklyn his last three years of high school, the three-star guard has a tough-minded approach to basketball, similar to former Gamecock point guard Ty Johnson. He has the handles to play backup point guard to P.J. Dozier next year and could be used in tandem with Thornwell to shut down opposing backcourts. He does need to improve his offensive game all around, as his shot-creating has been noted as lacking.
Khadim Gueye — center
Gueye is a slab of raw talent waiting to be molded into a basketball player, and it doesn’t hurt that his slab is 7-foot-1. The Senegal native has a three-star rating and averaged 9.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. Coach Martin is most excited about Gueye’s shot blocking ability.
“Khadim gives us our first true shot blocker that we’ve had in our time here,” Martin said.
Maik-Kalev Kotsar — forward
Kotsar is probably the most unknown player. A member of the U18 Estonia National Team in 2014, he’s a three-star according to 247sports.com, but there’s little to no video of him and he has close to no scouting on the internet. However, there’s no reason not to trust coach Martin, especially with Eastern European big men — look at how Chatkevicius and Kacinas turned out.
These additions to Martin’s roster will see time on the floor in 2016-2017, giving South Carolina some fresh faces and new talent to (hopefully) enjoy.