Post players in college basketball progress in the same way an investment matures in the stock market: The risk can go nowhere or lead to a major payoff.
For the Bobcats, Reggie Keely and Ivo Baltic have seen both ends of it.
Both of Ohio's sophomore power forwards have seen highs and lows during their young careers. Keely started 17 games last season that culminated in a 16-point, 20-rebound effort against Akron last Feb. 14.
But he also played 10 minutes or fewer in seven games and struggled rebounding and defending sometimes.
Baltic also showed signs of promise as a freshman but struggled to get on the court as well. He averaged only 11.4 minutes per game during his first year as a Bobcat.
Both admitted that most big men take a longer time to develop in college than guards and small forwards.
The game speed you got to get used to. It's so much different than high school
Keely said. You could slow the game down if you were the main focus point but (in college) people are so much faster and so much stronger.
Akron, Ohio's opponent tonight, has had some of the same ups and downs with its sophomore center, Zeke Marshall. Ranked No. 61 in ESPN's Top 100 coming out of high school, Marshall averaged only 5.1 points and 3.9 rebounds in his freshman season. In three meetings with Ohio, Marshall's score totaled eight points and nine rebounds.
(Power forwards and centers) in general - I always say that those guys breathe different air than everybody else Ohio coach John Groce said. They're different in terms of their growth and development and speed at which they do grow.
But Marshall has improved largely in his second season with Akron. He's more than doubled his scoring average and blocks almost three shots a game.
Groce said Marshall's improvement has impressed him.
I think our guys have improved as well. I think they've kind of had that natural maturation process
Groce said. I think the jump from freshman to sophomore year is the best chance to make a dramatic jump
and obviously Zeke Marshall's done that.
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Vince Nairn
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Ohio guard Ricardo Johnson takes a shot during Saturday's opening game. Ohio won 88-69. (Maddie Meyer | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
