Ranking the Top 5 Games of Kadeem Batts’ Most Improved Season

he Big East announced today that Providence junior forward Kadeem Batts was named co-Most Improved Player in the conference along with Syracuse’s Michael Carter-Williams.

Batts has come a long way from a junior season that saw him ineligible in the first semester due to a team suspension and then quiet upon returning in averaging 6.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.

It’s easy to forget just how far Batts has come this season.  A year ago he shot 39% from the field and cracked double figures in points on just three occasions last season.

This year he’s been the sole consistent big man for the Friars, scoring 15.2 points and grabbing 7.4 rebounds per game while carrying an undersized frontcourt.  He’s scored 20 points or more on eight occasions and finished the regular season with five double doubles.

In Big East play he was 14th in points per game, 6th in rebounds, 3rd in offensive rebounds and 8th in field goal percentage.

Here’s a look at Batts’ top five performances of the 2012-13 season:

5. 27 points, 9 rebounds, 12-15 shooting in an 81-49 victory over Bryant. Now a distant memory, there was serious question as to whether or not PC would defeat Bryant in their second game of the season.  The first was a close shave, a 64-63 win over the New Jersey Institute of Technology in which Vincent Council was lost to injury, and after the Bulldogs had the Friars on the ropes last season this had the makings of a bad night in Friartown.

Batts and Bryce Cotton (24 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists) had other ideas though.  Batts controlled the inside, knocking down face up jumpers and having his way in the paint on his way to a career high-matching 27 points in 32 minutes.

4. 32 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, 12-18 shooting against Mississippi State.  The Friars were short-handed for this one, playing without both Council and Kris Dunn, while Cotton could give them just 16 minutes as he recovered from an ankle injury.  PC got 32 minutes and 7 points from Ted Bancroft and 18 out of LaDontae Henton, but it was Batts once against stepping up when Ed Cooley needed him to, making 12 of 18 shots and 8-10 at the free throw line.

3. 25 points, 9 rebounds in a 54-50 win over #17 Cincinnati.  Henton went 1-6, Cotton 2-10, while Council and Dunn combined for four field goals.  No matter, Batts was too much to handle for the Bearcats, scoring nearly half of the Friars points in a win that helped to get their season on track.

Cooley said he thought Batts was on his way to 40 if he could have made his free throws.  The freebies (5-12) were the only knock on Batts on this night. He was tremendous.

2. 27 points, 12 rebounds, 10-18 shooting in a win against Seton Hall.  In the final game at the Dunkin Donuts Center Batts dominated Eugene Teague and Seton Hall, scoring a personal Big East high 27 points – a number that matched his Big East career high.  The win was Providence’s seventh in eight games.

1. 20 points, 6 rebounds, 10-16 shooting in a victory over #21 Notre Dame.  The numbers may not have been as huge as some of the others on this list, but that Saturday afternoon game against the Irish was when Friartown started to believe that Providence had turned a corner.  Batts was at the heart of it.

He dominated first team All Big East forward Jack Cooley, and the Friars beat down Notre Dame in front of a rowdy sellout crowd at the Dunk.  Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said, “when Batts is doing that inside, he’s a pro.  It’s almost impossible to stop him.”

Email Kevin at kevin.farrahar@friarbasketball.com

One Comment

1. 

   Nelisiwe

   February 13, 2016 at 4:14 am

   don’t rush. If you go to those clubs in college you may meet somneoe there.Powered by Yahoo! AnswersSharon asks…Where can I find good Simulation games that is free,online and interesting for teenage d interesting for teenagers?I need sites where I can get good Simulation games for teenagers,they

You must be logged in to post a comment Login