🏀 Transfer joins Tide basketball team...

[TerryP]

Michael Kessens - 2012-13 Men's Basketball


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#14 Michael Kessens Position: Forward Height: 6-9 Weight: 205 Class: Freshman Hometown: Nyon, Switzerland High School: Lycee Europe Robert Schumann (France) 2012-13 | Freshman: First-year team member … High School: Led Lycee Europe Robert Schumann in Cholet, France to French High School Championship as a senior … Personal: Son of Walburga Kessens and Abdi Goddah Barre … born in Geneva, Switzerland … team member of French U21 Champions in both 2009 and 2010 … attended basketball camp and visited family in Germany during summer 2012 … Academics: Majoring in business administration.

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[TABLE="class: stats_table"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD]Games Played:[/TD]
[TD]33[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Points Per game:[/TD]
[TD]13.7[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]FG Pct:[/TD]
[TD].537[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]3FG Pct:[/TD]
[TD].222[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]FT Pct:[/TD]
[TD].699[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Rebounds Per game:[/TD]
[TD]8.8[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Assists Per game:[/TD]
[TD]1.4[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Turnovers Per game:[/TD]
[TD]2.9[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Steals Per game:[/TD]
[TD]1.2[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Blocks Per game:[/TD]
[TD]1.3[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

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[h=1]European makes double-double splash as Longwood freshman[/h]

He is a resident of Switzerland. That’s one reason Michael Kessens didn’t appear on recruiting lists. He didn’t start playing basketball until he was 16. That’s another reason. And a couple of years ago, he was 3 inches shorter than his current 6-foot-9.

Kessens, 21 and a Longwood University freshman, showed up late for college hoops, but made a splash. The athletic big man averages 13.5 points and 10.8 rebounds for the Lancers (1-5). Those stats are watered down by a two-point, four-rebound game against Creighton. Kessens committed early fouls and played only 14 minutes. He scored 17 and grabbed 11 rebounds against Arkansas, and had 20 and 14 last time out, against Cornell.

Soccer was his sport until age 16, when Kessens joined friends who played basketball. “I went to a practice, and I kind of liked it,” he said. “So I quit soccer.”

Following high school, Kessens played for an amateur French team, and remained at that junior level for two years. The growth spurt preceded his decision to seek an NCAA school where he could earn a business degree and play basketball.

“You can’t do both overseas, so that was a big motivation to come over here,” Kessens said.

Through years as a George Mason assistant and as Lancers coach, Mike Gillian built relationships with the European basketball community. Kessens was recommended to Gillian. Kessens wanted to become part of a program in which he could immediately contribute. Kessens said he saw “a perfect fit” at Longwood. He had no interest in prep school or junior college, paths international players often take to Division I.

“This is not like a guy that gets off the plane and you hope he’s good. There was a pretty good idea that he was going to succeed, because that level that he was competing at was pretty good,” Gillian said of the 205-pound Kessens. “And physically, I’d say he is nowhere near what he’s going to be two or three years from now, even 12 months from now.”

Twenty-nine of Kessens’ 65 rebounds have come on the offensive end. “Sometimes I can anticipate where the ball is going to go,” he said. “And then, it’s all about hustle, just try to be quicker.”

Kessens continues to acclimate to a more physical style of basketball than he played in Europe, but he says his integration as a student at Longwood couldn’t be smoother.

“He’s a good player, and a better person, so we’re happy to have him,” said Gillian.

 

[Bo]

I'm guessing he's going to have to sit out next season?

 

[psychojoe]

Bo, That is my understanding. No reinforcements for next season.

 

[bamaraider]

Damn.

 

[Bo]

Yeah, even though I've never heard of Longwood, looking at their schedule they appear to be a D1 team.