The game of 5-foot-11 Keegan Ladines spans the position spectrum. As a point, the senior can score when needed (see his most recent game winner versus Woodcreek High) but much more prefers setting up his teammates (100 assists in 15 games last season). But the Granite Bay High student and Rose City Baller alum recently had to keep himself foremost in his mind. That's because Ladines was involved in selecting his college as well as a fit that provided the sense of comfort he was seeking.
He went with Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, in a county bordering Ohio and a town containing 35,000 or so residents. "It's in the middle of nowhere," Ladines recounted. Sounds good for focusing on academics and hoops.
Why the choice? "Because the coach really believed in me. We talked a lot," Ladines explained. "When I visited, I met the team and hung out with them, saw a practice and then a practice game." When you are told in so many words that 'we are trying to find the right guy and you're it' then it makes the decision so much easier.
How Ladines even became aware of Earlham is due to a connection Rose City Baller Coach Brandon White had with the coaching staff. Otherwise, it's unlikely he would he heading to the state of Indiana come September.
So what does he do best on the court? "With basketball changing and becoming positionless, I'm one of the rare point guards who focuses on making the right pass at the right time to get buckets. I like to get downhill and begin my playmaking." Note than he averaged per game last season, 10 points, plus 7 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals.
Regarding leadership, he offered, "I might be a natural born leader as I'm not one to bite my tongue. I try my best to lead by example but what's next is communication. Some players need to hear and others need to see it. It's important that I know my personnel, how they take in information and how they react."
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Ladine's Game Winning Shot Against Woodcreek High
Ladines' best basketball moment (or at least his most recent) took place in a recent matchup with #10 ranked Woodcreek High, a pairing that some expected to be a blowout for host Woodcreek which featured 6-foot-9 Max VanLaningham who has signed to play next season at Long Beach State. Granite Bay was down by one when Ladines received a frontcourt inbounds pass with 4.2 second on the clock, he immediately went to the hoop and netted a layup for the game winner, 62-61. Ladines finished with 11 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals.
His runner up memory is his first game eligible last season (he transferred in from Folsom High) where he tallied a double double consisting of 11 assists and 10 points against Oakridge High.
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Ladine's Top Assists of the Season
Ladines thanked his parents for "always being supportive no matter what, and my sisters. Nobody in my family will hold back if something needs to be said. Also my brother in-law Marcus who trained me, Rose City Baller Coach Brandon White, Coach (Jason) Sitterud," (the Granite Bay boys basketball coach) and Coach (Derrick) Pringle (Jr.)."
Sporting a 3.75 grade point average in his two years at Granite Bay High, a challenging academic entity, Ladines will be majoring in Sports Exercise Science, aka kinesiology, and Business. His dream job is becoming a trainer with an NBA or college basketball team.
Maybe Ladines will be generating a Cali-infused version of "Hoosier Hysteria" in Indiana before too long.