Kyisean Reed in 2012-13

So has Kyisean Reed turned the proverbial corner?

Kyle Goon ponders that subject.

Will that bring him a WAC First team honor or possibly the whole enchilada?

Kyisean Reed named WAC POW

Utah State’s Kyisean Reed has been named the Western Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 17-23.

Reed, a senior forward from Palmdale, Calif. (Antelope Valley JC), led the Aggies to a perfect 3-0 record at the World Vision Challenge, sponsored by Gossner Foods. Reed’s three impressive performances earned him World Vision Challenge MVP honors. He posted his first double-double of the season with 20 points and 12 rebounds in USU’s 79-72 win over Nicholls State, adding a career-high four blocks to go with three steals. After a nine-point, eight-rebound outing in a 73-61 win over UC Davis on Friday, Reed topped his season-high for the second time in three games with 21 points in a 70-58 win over Southern Illinois, helping the Aggies win the World Vision Challenge. He added three rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal.

Over his three games last week, Reed averaged 16.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals per game. He shot 57.1 percent (16-of-28) from the field and 78.3 percent (18-of-23) from the free throw line on the week.

Other nominees: 

* Denver junior forward Chris Udofia averaged 16.5 points in a pair of games last week 

* Louisiana Tech sophomore guard Raheem Appleby scored 17 points in a win at UALR

* New Mexico State freshman center Sim Bhullar averaged 15.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in two games 

* Seattle U junior guard D’Vonne Pickett Jr. averaged 11.7 points and 6.0 rebounds in three games, including two wins last week 

* Texas State junior forward Joel Wright tallied his third double-double of the season and averaged 19.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in two games last week 

* UTSA senior guard Kannon Burrage scored 21 points and pulled down 7 rebounds in a win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

The golden years ain't

Don't let anyone fool you -- getting old isn't all being a free agent, no timeclock, all y-o-u time, etc. More like when or if the back or stomach or hearing or eyesight will cooperate.

Let's have Kyisean Reed demonstrate, or at least a photo of him.

Saw this (below) and immediately thought 'that's the strangest punk mohawk I've ever seen on a basketball player, Dennis Rodman included' until luckily sanity prevailed as my eyes adjusted. Yeah, as if Stew Morrill would say, 'I'm cool with that.'

A major tip o' the hat to Mel Grussing for making my embarrassment possible.

Sunday morning WAC hoops edition

Tony Jones posts about the summer edition of Kyisean Reed.

PTW would be more than happy to be incorrect in this case (won't be the first time, nor the last) but how many players 'get it' in their final season? Reed has been a tease throughout his basketball playing (not a judgment, just an observation) so why would every-second full-game focus come into play now?

Again, Reed on the All-WAC ream at season's end would be great. Here's hoping he achieves that honor by moving from contributor to featured in the Aggie system.

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Sportsbow @ the Sports Hawaii forum (scroll to the bottom), has dug up some interesting details on Rainbow Warrior recruiting target Aaric Armstead -- very, very good work.

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At the Warrior Insider site, there is news about former UH backcourter Shaq Stokes.

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* 6-foot-6 Anthony Dixon, a talent out of Chicago who played one season )2009-10) at San Jose State University, has signed with Fresno Pacific but he will sit out the 2012-13 season. Dixon played at West Valley College in 2010-11 but didn't participate last season.

Saturday morning's WAC basketball exposure

Yannis Koutroupis @ Hoopsworld profiles the unsung college seniors who will likely he heading overseas and he has San Jose State University's Wil Carter among them:

One of the lone bright spots this season for the struggling San Jose State Spartans was the play of Wil Carter. Carter averaged 13 points and eight rebounds a game while shooting 51 percent from the field. Yet, the team’s woes made it to where he couldn’t have too much joy over it.

“It was very bittersweet feeling personally,” Carter said to HOOPSWORLD. “I felt like I succeeded with the numbers I put up personally, but it was kind of overlooked because we didn’t win a lot of games. It was hard to go through that mentally and emotionally to lose even though I’m doing everything I can.”

What made it even more difficult for Carter was that he was playing out of position the entire year. Stuck at center due to the team’s needs, he was limited to playing just in the paint. However, that’s not who he truly feels he is.

“The biggest thing is I can shoot the ball very well,” Carter said. “My natural position is a stretch four. I can stretch the court, shoot the three. I’m athletic enough to drive it to the hoop off the dribble. That’s not something you’re going to see from my college tape because I played out of position. That’s another advantage for me, I’m willing to do whatever it takes to help the team win. I put up really good numbers even though I wasn’t playing my ideal position. I’m versatile and that’s something I think I’m going to be able to show to people, my full skill set.

“My ball handling skills, shooting, pick and pops, off of curls, off the dribble. Things I wasn’t able to do during the season, now I’m trying to rep it out so when I get in workouts I can show that I can do this, I just haven’t been able to show it yet.”

Along with having underrated versatility, Carter also brings stability that teams will undoubtedly find attractive.

“I’m not a guy that anyone needs to worry about,” Carter said. “I’ve been married for two years. My life is off the court is solid. I don’t do stupid things. I’m not someone you have to worry about on the weekends. That stability has allowed me to become stable on the court, work out several hours a day because my life is in order.”

As an undersized center, the odds are stacked against Carter. But once he shows that he’s capable of playing, and defending, the power forward spot the outlook on him will change significantly.

Koutroupis also has four other segments on this topic so do click through on his links.

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Matt Sonnenberg is back with apples and oranges for the Utah State players based on their 2011-12 performances. Kyisean Reed is up.

Monday's WAC roundball digest

Mel Grussing has the news on Kyisean Reed returning to his old stomping grounds.

There's your appetizer.

A Kyisean Reed feature

BIAH maestro Rob Dauster has posted an interesting piece on Utah State's Kyisean Reed, he of the sometimes they bite you, sometimes they nuzzle you variety.

USU's Kyisean Reed dunking

BallinIsAHabit offers video of Utah State's Kyisean Reed flushing.

Mel Grussing welcomes Kyisean Reed to USU

MelG offers a pictorial essay on former Antelope Valley College player Kyisean Reed, now at Utah State.

Good news for Utah State fans

Mel Grussing has good news for Aggie-ites. Not so much for WAC opponents.

If it happens in Antelope Valley...

Actually, the event didn't take place in Antelope Valley or at Antelope Valley College but, hey, that just shows the 'reach' of Mel Grussing, Mr. AVC basketball. 

At Mel's site, he has a basketball update -- not (yet) an academic one -- on Utah State signee Kyisean Reed.