NU recruit Coleman remains an enigma

[Harry]

Nebraska basketball recruit Keith Coleman entered the season as one scouting service's No. 1 junior college prospect nationally.

Where the 6-foot-9, 245-pounder from Philadelphia ranks now is unclear after ending the season at Marshalltown (Iowa) Community College with averages of 8.2 points and 7.1 rebounds, and 32 percent free-throw shooting.

Coleman's final game was Thursday night, an 86-77 loss at Iowa Western CC.

"There were ups and downs, but I think I did great," he told The World-Herald. "I finished out great."

Coleman scored 12 points against IWCC on five dunks and a 17-foot jump shot, hitting 6 of 8 shots overall. That was the 11th time in 29 games he scored in double figures. He also had six rebounds and two turnovers.

"Keith grew up a lot this year," Marshalltown CC coach Brynjar Brynjarsson said. "He had bad games. And he had good games. But that's a freshman."

Marshalltown CC finished with an 11-20 record, but that included nine forfeited games for using a player who had fallen below full-time status.

Nebraska began recruiting Coleman when he was in ninth grade.

Husker assistant David Anwar, who was at Thursday's game in Council Bluffs, said he has known Coleman and his parents since Coleman was in elementary school.

"He's still raw," Anwar said. "But he's got three years in college to go."

Coleman didn't qualify academically out of high school, so he spent a year in prep school at Lee Academy in Maine. He was expected to play a second year at Lee, but transferred this fall to Marshalltown.

"To have three years left, I could think of about 60 schools that would drool over having a guy like that," Brynjarsson said.

Last winter while at Lee Academy, Coleman had scholarship offers from Virginia Tech, La Salle, Rutgers and Seton Hall. After his move to Marshalltown and an appearance at a showcase event late last summer, Brynjarsson said, he took calls from Iowa, Missouri, USC and Penn State.

An April 2011 evaluation from ESPN's basketball insider recruiting site addressed the challenge ahead for Coleman, and why he intrigues recruiters.

"Keith is still very raw with a limited understanding of the game. He takes very bad shots, rifles poor passes, doesn't know how to establish position in the post and lacks a go-to move.

"Despite his flaws, there simply aren't too many players out there who can match his combination of physical gifts."

Coleman's game Thursday night was that evaluation in a nutshell.

He drew oohs and aahs from the crowd with his five powerhouse dunks. He amazed onlookers by regularly sprinting past smaller players on his way down the court.

Yet, his offensive post play was stiff. Defensively, his presence didn't stop Iowa Western from regularly attacking the lane. Marshalltown fell behind by 24 points, then rallied to score 19 in a row, but much of that comeback came with Coleman on the bench.

Brynjarsson praised Coleman for coming to a new part of the country on short notice to play for a coach he had never met and working hard to fit in.

Read more: http://www.omaha.com...IGRED/703039774

[foutsrouts]

Those FT numbers are pretty distressing. Hate for that to continue and result in his being pulled from games during crunch time. Sure hope that is a top priority project for him this Summer.

[MeanGreenTexan]

32 percent free-throw shooting.

GULP! Anyone else here expect to see some 'Hack-a-Keith' next season?

[greenminer]

I don't know if Coleman is the most mystifying signee we've ever had, or one of the most polarizing.

I've read everything from "This guy can ball with the best" to "big project" to "we don't know anything about him".

Still, I'm glad he's on board. I can't think of a reason to not have him. He provides the size we really needed, if nothing else. Get some boards, defend the paint. Not really any need to score, but I can see him spelling off Tony for 5 - 8 points/game. I'm looking forward to finding out.

[island eagle]

Until I see evidence to the contrary, I'll have to trust Benford's judgement on talent and potential. He has certainly been around a lot of BB talent in his career.

[Army of Dad]

Until I see evidence to the contrary, I'll have to trust Benford's judgement on talent and potential. He has certainly been around a lot of BB talent in his career.

You may be alone in that since it has never really stopped the board before and I suspect it won't stop any of us in the future either!