Kevin Keatts talks Florida State ending, finishing struggles and Greg Gantt

NC State basketball head coach Kevin Keatts has had time to look back at his decision to call a timeout with less than 10 seconds remaining in the loss to Florida State Saturday afternoon, and he would not do anything differently.

Trailing by two points, NC State redshirt sophomore wing Dereon Seabron, who had 32 points on 12-of-14 shooting in the game, was racing down the floor when Keatts signaled for time.

Keatts noted that Florida State defenders eased up after seeing Keatts calling for the timeout.

“He didn’t have a clear path, it wasn’t actually a fast break,” Keatts added. “The other thing was when we were at the Purdue game … we had the basketball and I listened to my player, and he said, ‘Let me have it.’

“And I let him have it, and we didn’t get a good shot there. I felt like that I could have called a timeout and … drew up something to run a play.”

Keatts added that the timeout was not an issue with the team, and he also discussed the ensuing inbounds pass with senior forward Jericole Hellems, who tried to throw it into Seabron despite him being double-teamed by FSU defenders.

“If he would have just did what he did two plays previous, throw the ball right back down to the block and step in, he may have had an open shot,” Keatts added.

“That doesn’t mean we win the game, that doesn’t mean he lost the game.”

The Florida State loss was the latest in a string of games where NC State basketball was in position to pull off a win but failed to close it out, joining defeats to Louisville at home, Purdue on a neutral court and Miami on the road.

Keatts believes the youth and inexperience of his team has showed up in those contests’ late-game situations.

“A lot of people don’t want to hear this: we’ll be better later on for it, but you have to go through it when you’re so young,” Keatts noted.

He added that the team has been watching a lot of film to try to help players understand late-game situations, but noted there is no substitute for actual experience.

“I think think we haven’t finished the possession,” Keatts added. “We haven’t finished defensive possessions. We haven’t finished a rebound. We haven’t finished with a 50-50 ball.

“We tell our guys that most of the game there are 10 plays that are either going to go your way or the other team’s way, and right now we’re losing six or seven of those.”

Two of Keatts’ best players so far this year have been two of his younger ones: Seabron and true freshman guard Terquavion Smith.

Seabron is averaging 19.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per contest while shooting 54.2 percent from the field. He also leads the team in assists (50) and steals (24).

“I don’t know if there is anybody in the country or anybody that I’ve coached that has embraced who he is more than him,” Keatts noted. “He’s a paint touch guy, he gets to the rim, he offensive rebounds, he’s elite in transition. I think that’s what’s working for him.

“We’re glad that he’s playing well.”

Smith is contributing 14.4 points per contest and has a team-high 36 threes while shooting 36.7 percent from beyond the arc.

Keatts noted that Smith may be the most confident player he has coached.

“I think that’s what makes him special,” Keatts added. “He’s a guy that could miss five shots in a row and thinks he will make the next 10.”

Hellems is also producing at 14.6 points per game, but Keatts is hoping others will step up. One player though that is questionable to do that is Providence transfer and junior forward Greg Gantt.

Gantt has been sidelined since the start of the season with a sports hernia. He recently practiced for about 10 minutes, and the time off showed, according to Keatts.

“After he had that practice, he had to take off the next day because it was so sore,” Keatts said. “So it’s going to take a little time. I don’t have a timeframe for him. I’m hopeful he will play at some point this season, but there’s a great chance that he won’t.”

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