PF Nikola Kecman (official thread)

[osugrad21]

Scout Free--Kecman Out For Season

[Jake]

Originally Posted by osugrad21

Scout Free--Kecman Out For Season

Dang, no wonder we didn't see him tonight.

Please get well soon, David Lighty.

[BB73]

He made his OSU debut Jan. 9 against Houston Baptist, scoring six points and grabbing five rebounds in 11 minutes of action.

He will apparently finish the season with an average of 21.8 points and 18.2 rebounds per 40 minutes of playing time.

It's unfortunate - I was hoping he'd help fill the void until Lighty came back.

[DZ83CK]

He was at the IU game, but sitting in front of the student section instead of with the rest of the team. I guess his crutches were too cumbersome to put him on the bench with the rest of the guys???

[buckeyes_rock]

Originally Posted by BB73

He will apparently finish the season with an average of 21.8 points and 18.2 rebounds per 40 minutes of playing time.

It's unfortunate - I was hoping he'd help fill the void until Lighty came back.

This stinks. I feel for the young man. And I liked what I saw out of him in the few minutes he got in the other night. He looked a little more athletic than I imagined he'd be. Tough break.

[DZ83CK]

Bob Baptist said he was informed by OSU that Kecman WILL be eligible to apply for a medical redshirt this season since he played in less than 30% of the team's games and didn't play in the second half of the regular season. Kecman could redshirt, get 3 full seasons (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)

If he does apply for a redshirt, that would give him three more seasons of eligibility and sort of wipe out the somewhat unjust penalty levied against Kecman over the first 12 games of this season.

[LitlBuck]

I thought the very same thing when I heard that he had torn his ACL. Use this season as a medical redshirt and get all of the games back that the NCAA took away from him this season. Just hope the NCAA does not go retroactive in this situation. They have done dumber things.

[DaytonBuck]

It's been a rough for Nikola since he got here. He'll bounce back strong next year. Redshirt and starting gunning next year.

[buckeydoptimist]

It will be justice, for once, if he does get the whole year back. Something positive in his having to sit those first 12 games after all.

NCAA-idiots!

Let's hope Kec makes the most of this!

[Buckskin86]

CHRISTIAN LAUTENSCHLEGER/THE LANTERN
Ohio State sophomore Nikola Kecman shoots a 3-pointer against Houston Baptist on Jan. 9. OSU won 89-65. Kecman tore the ACL in his left knee in practice three days later and missed the rest of the season.

After serving a 12-game suspension for playing for a semi-pro team overseas, Kecman returned to action Jan. 9 with six points and five rebounds in an 89-65 win over Houston Baptist.

Three days later, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during practice, cutting short his first season at OSU after just one game.

The roller coaster season took its toll on the 6-foot-8-inch forward, but Kecman said it's all part of the territory that comes with playing basketball.

"That's all part of what happens in sports," he said. "That'll be part of my career that I had to go through so I'll be ready for next season. I'll start from the beginning and I'll finish it well."

The recovery process is no stranger to Kecman, who suffered the same injury to his right knee four years ago. He has worked throughout the offseason on tactics to avoid becoming injury-prone, he said.

"The part that was injured, you have to make it stronger so that the same thing can't happen again," he said. "I've done a lot every day with cardio workouts, shooting and knee workouts."

Kecman said he should be fully healed by July, and has his sights set on team practices in the fall.

Men's Basketball: Lighty, Kecman on the road to recovery - Sports

[BB73]

Adam Jardy writes about Nikola's difficult first year as a Buckeye. He should be full go by the end of July.

Scout.free

[BB73]

Brandon Castel talks about Nikola's role for the upcoming season.

Rivals.free

[osubuckeyes2731]

I think this kid is gonna be good. He can shoot and that translates. I mean 60 percent from the field and 46 percent from 3...Can't get better than that.

[buckeydoptimist]

Originally Posted by osubuckeyes2731

I think this kid is gonna be good. He can shoot and that translates. I mean 60 percent from the field and 46 percent from 3...Can't get better than that.

Be careful on expectations for Kecs. EA AZ isn't exactly high JUCO competition and a 6'8 guy who only pulled down 3.5 rebounds makes me think SOFT as cotton. I think he'll struggle to adapt at this level particularly coming off of a blown out knee to boot. With so many good-to-great wings I'm not sure how he gets any PT anyway as we'll probably start Lighty at 4 and have Turner back him up there MOSTLY. I don't see Kecs eating into PT that could be going to whichever wing doesn't start ( most think that's Buford - I hope its Diebler ). If he's just a 3 pt shooter I'd maybe rather Diebler or Buford is in for that role anyway ( they are both going to be better than Kecs at 3 shooting )!