[Cavfan89]

Thatcher (AZ) Eastern Arizona J.C.

Ht: 6-foot-9
Wt: 215 lbs

Jerry Tipton on UK basketball

A native of Serbia who possesses the highly-prized skills of size and shooting ability.
Kentucky had such a player on a recruiting visit earlier this week. Nicola Kecman, a 6-foot-9 native of Belgrade, Serbia, made an official visit to UK Sunday to Tuesday. His coach at Eastern Arizona College noted Kecman?s perimeter shooting ability, which figures to increase in value given the three-point line being extended farther from the basket next season.

?That?s an advantage he?s going to have,? said Tim Walsh, the interim coach at Eastern Arizona on Tuesday. ?Given the line he?s used to shooting from, being an international kid, I don?t think it?ll effect him at all.?
Kecman made 59 percent of his shots this past season. He shot with about 46 percent accuracy from three-point range, the coach said.

Kecman averaged 13.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks for a team that finished with a 30-6 record. Kecman, who visited UK at the same time as high school point guard Paul McCoy of Portland, Ore., is also considering Ohio State and Ole Miss.

He is scheduled to visit Ohio State next weekend. Such schools as Nebraska, Iowa, Nevada, Kansas State, St. John?s and Fresno State also expressed interest, Walsh said. ?He?s a very skilled player,?
?He shoots the ball very well,? Walsh said. ?He?s a four-man (power forward) who can shoot the basketball. He can run the floor. He?s got a good feel for the game.
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