St. John’s Basketball: How Sedee Keita Will Impact The Red Storm in 2018-19
By Nick Bello
St. John’s Basketball will likely be anchored by their perimeter players. The key to their success, however, could depend on Seede Keita in the frontcourt.
In 2018-2019, the St. John’s Red Storm hope to make a return to glory coming off of a couple of lackluster seasons in the Chris Mullin era. With the addition of Mustapha Heron and the return of Shamorie Ponds, the Red Storm is considered to have one of the best backcourts in the Big East and maybe even in all of college basketball. However, the frontcourt anchored by junior Sedee Keita at center will be key to the Red Storm’s success next season.
With Tariq Owens leaving St. John’s as a graduate transfer to Texas Tech earlier this offseason, the Red Storm have a major hole to fill at the center spot. Last season Owen’s was ranked top 10 in the nation in blocks and was a key component in Mullin’s defense. His shot-blocking presence on the defensive end was a nightmare for teams to handle.
As a result of Owens departing, Keita will most likely step in at center. The 6-9 junior sat out all of last season after transferring from South Carolina. In his freshman year, he appeared in 14 games and was fourth on the team in blocks with 11. Keita also has experience in the NCAA Tournament as South Carolina made it all the way to the Elite Eight in his freshman season.
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Although Keita’s stats may not be jaw-dropping to fans, he has a lot of potential to be a real impact player down low. Keita’s build compiled with his athleticism and strength could be a nightmare for opposing teams who try to take the ball inside. Keita along with fellow senior Marvin Clark III, who was lights out for the Red Storm last season, is a dangerous force to be reckoned with next season.
Keita’s athleticism is perfect for Mullin’s fast-paced offense. As fans have seen over the past few seasons, Mullin’s teams like to get out on the fastbreak creating dazzling plays on both the defensive and offensive ends. Keita’s athletic ability to block shots and cause turnovers could lead to many fast break opportunities.
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With the addition of incoming freshmen like Josh Roberts and Juco standout L.J. Figueroa, it will be interesting to see how Mullin manages his frontcourt. However, with the multitude of talented guards on his roster, it is safe to assume that Mullin will look to go small leaving both Clark and Keita to defend down low. With the amount of potential that Keita has, the Red Storm could be dominant this season.