SE: With Mechanics Fixed, Kamau Stokes Heating Up for K-State
Dec 21, 2018 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
Kamau Stokes' shooting woes against Marquette and Tulsa – K-State's only two losses this season – were not mental. They were mechanical. More important, they were fixable. And if his last two games are any indication, Stokes seems to have them corrected.
K-State's senior guard combined for 33 points in his team's last two games, both wins. Between them, he shot 65 percent (11-of-17) from the field and 67 percent (8-of-12) from 3-point range.
"It's all about my mechanics," Stokes said. "If my mechanics are right, then I'm going to make the shot… most likely it's going to go in."
Stokes' shots started going in at a vital time in K-State's 55-51 win over Southern Miss on Wednesday.
While he led his team with 18 points for the game, he scored 16 of them in the second half of K-State's 16-point comeback victory — tied for the third-largest comeback in school history, including the largest since coming from 16 points down to defeat New Mexico on Nov. 23, 2005. At one point, Stokes led a 13-2 run by himself, burying a trio of 3-pointers during what grew to be a 24-2 run.
"We needed someone to step up and make some plays," senior guard Barry Brown, Jr., said. "I feel like we were doing our part in the second half, especially on the defensive end, but offensively we still could not hit shots, and then he hit that first three (that sparked us)."
The game before, a win against Georgia State, Stokes put up 15 points on 5-of-9 from the field and 4-of-6 from 3-point range. He duplicated that 3-point shooting effort on Wednesday, marking the first time in his career he's made four or more 3-pointers in back-to-back games.
He also scored his most points (33) in a two-game stretch since putting up 37 between wins against Vanderbilt, which the Wildcats face at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Saturday at 6 p.m., and USC Upstate last season.
"He's put some time in the gym and got his shot going," K-State head coach Bruce Weber said on Wednesday. "It's great for him. I'm happy for him. He made big plays when we needed it."
Like Stokes did against Southern Miss, he also heated up in the second half against Georgia State on Saturday. He hit two threes, dished out two assists and had a steal in 2:27 of game time, part of a 13-2 run.
K-State's momentum in that game was halted when senior forward Dean Wade went out with an injury, however. Stokes had to leave the game not long after with an injury, too, but he was determined to make it back on Wednesday. He knew, without Wade, his team would need him more now than ever.
"I knew Saturday night I was going to play, but that's just me. I fight. I'm a warrior. That little foot injury, ankle sprain, it really didn't hold me back very much," he said. "When it's a man down, you always have to take ownership, especially being a senior and one of the leaders of this team. It's definitely on us when we're not playing well.
"Somebody had to step up, and I just took it upon myself to get everybody going, bring the energy and things turned out great. I started making shots, Barry started making shots, and we just kept rolling."
Stokes looks to keep rolling against Vanderbilt, a team he scored 20 points against in last season's 84-79 win. More specifically, he wants to maintain the mechanics he's used the past two games.
"If you get the right form, right mechanics and you just do the same thing every time," Stokes said, "most likely the ball is going to go in."
Kamau Stokes' shooting woes against Marquette and Tulsa – K-State's only two losses this season – were not mental. They were mechanical. More important, they were fixable. And if his last two games are any indication, Stokes seems to have them corrected.
K-State's senior guard combined for 33 points in his team's last two games, both wins. Between them, he shot 65 percent (11-of-17) from the field and 67 percent (8-of-12) from 3-point range.
"It's all about my mechanics," Stokes said. "If my mechanics are right, then I'm going to make the shot… most likely it's going to go in."
Stokes' shots started going in at a vital time in K-State's 55-51 win over Southern Miss on Wednesday.
While he led his team with 18 points for the game, he scored 16 of them in the second half of K-State's 16-point comeback victory — tied for the third-largest comeback in school history, including the largest since coming from 16 points down to defeat New Mexico on Nov. 23, 2005. At one point, Stokes led a 13-2 run by himself, burying a trio of 3-pointers during what grew to be a 24-2 run.
"We needed someone to step up and make some plays," senior guard Barry Brown, Jr., said. "I feel like we were doing our part in the second half, especially on the defensive end, but offensively we still could not hit shots, and then he hit that first three (that sparked us)."
The game before, a win against Georgia State, Stokes put up 15 points on 5-of-9 from the field and 4-of-6 from 3-point range. He duplicated that 3-point shooting effort on Wednesday, marking the first time in his career he's made four or more 3-pointers in back-to-back games.
He also scored his most points (33) in a two-game stretch since putting up 37 between wins against Vanderbilt, which the Wildcats face at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Saturday at 6 p.m., and USC Upstate last season.
"He's put some time in the gym and got his shot going," K-State head coach Bruce Weber said on Wednesday. "It's great for him. I'm happy for him. He made big plays when we needed it."
Like Stokes did against Southern Miss, he also heated up in the second half against Georgia State on Saturday. He hit two threes, dished out two assists and had a steal in 2:27 of game time, part of a 13-2 run.
K-State's momentum in that game was halted when senior forward Dean Wade went out with an injury, however. Stokes had to leave the game not long after with an injury, too, but he was determined to make it back on Wednesday. He knew, without Wade, his team would need him more now than ever.
"I knew Saturday night I was going to play, but that's just me. I fight. I'm a warrior. That little foot injury, ankle sprain, it really didn't hold me back very much," he said. "When it's a man down, you always have to take ownership, especially being a senior and one of the leaders of this team. It's definitely on us when we're not playing well.
"Somebody had to step up, and I just took it upon myself to get everybody going, bring the energy and things turned out great. I started making shots, Barry started making shots, and we just kept rolling."
Stokes looks to keep rolling against Vanderbilt, a team he scored 20 points against in last season's 84-79 win. More specifically, he wants to maintain the mechanics he's used the past two games.
"If you get the right form, right mechanics and you just do the same thing every time," Stokes said, "most likely the ball is going to go in."
Players Mentioned
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