SE: Diarra Stayed Ready, Returned Strong for K-State MBB at Big 12 Championship
Mar 16, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
KANSAS CITY, MO. — Since the day Cartier Diarra was cleared for full contact, he said he's felt freer, less trapped by the hand injury that sidelined him for a month. The days before then, however, readied him for his return.
That came this week in the Big 12 Championship at the Sprint Center, where Diarra made a strong return.
In just his second game back, Diarra played 34 minutes — tied for his second most this season — and scored a season-high 15 points in his team's semifinal loss to Iowa State. This came a day after playing 29 minutes to help spark No. 15/14 K-State to its quarterfinal win against TCU. He scored eight points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out three assists in that game.
Who did Diarra point to when asked how he made such an impactful return this soon?
"My strength coach, Ben O'Donnell," he said. "He has been getting me conditioned with running, individuals, just trying to simulate as much as I can to a basketball game situation. So, I've been doing a lot of that while the team practiced, just getting my body right while still giving my hand time to continue to heal. I think that helped me a lot."
Before the Big 12 Championship, Diarra last played on February 9. He sat the last eight games of the regular season on the sidelines, while his teammates finished off a Big 12 regular season title. He wanted to be ready to return the favor when his hand finished healing. He wanted to help his team keep winning.
His answers after each Big 12 Championship game reflected this.
"It felt amazing," Diarra said after Thursday's win against TCU. "I was excited to be on the court after not playing for so long, but more importantly I'm excited that we won. I didn't care about anything, if I had zero points or whatever. Just creating for my teammates, helping everybody score and helping us win, that's what's most important."
On Friday, Diarra hit 5-of-10 from the floor and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. He also tied for the team high in rebounds with seven. He had arguably the best game of his sophomore season, but his self-evaluation matched his team's result. It wasn't enough.
"I wanted to win. I didn't care if I scored zero points, one point, whatever I had today. We didn't win, so it doesn't matter how many points I scored," he said. "And I didn't make the last two threes I had. I was (wide) open, should've made those. It didn't go how I wanted."
His team got exactly what it wanted it out of him, however, especially early.
On Friday, Diarra scored eight of K-State's first 15 points en route to an early lead. He hit a pair of step-back treys in the game, the latter of which tied it up at 38 after K-State trailed by as many as 11 in the second half.
Diarra's teammates also credited his seamless return to the work he put in while injured.
"He had his legs. His legs never went out," senior Kamau Stokes said. "Other than him shooting, his game never changed. He still had his legs under him, was still attacking, his mindset never changed, and that's how it's supposed to be."
"It was big time. He played well," senior Barry Brown, Jr. added. "He's been playing well, shooting the ball well, defensively making plays for everyone else. It's always good to have another playmaker out there."
Diarra, at 6-foot-4, brings a level of athleticism, versatility and craftiness that's hard to replace. It was noticeable countless times in both Big 12 Championship games, from penetrate-and-kick plays to fast-break attacks.
His production could be key in K-State's chances to make another run in the NCAA Tournament, which will announce its field on Sunday at 5 p.m.
"It's just amazing. His natural gifts, what he can do," K-State head coach Bruce Weber said on Friday. "Obviously, he gave us a great boost tonight. The little things, the defense, if you don't play every day, you don't practice, you lose a little bit of that. Hopefully this experience and then get a couple days of reps next week, it'll help him."
KANSAS CITY, MO. — Since the day Cartier Diarra was cleared for full contact, he said he's felt freer, less trapped by the hand injury that sidelined him for a month. The days before then, however, readied him for his return.
That came this week in the Big 12 Championship at the Sprint Center, where Diarra made a strong return.
In just his second game back, Diarra played 34 minutes — tied for his second most this season — and scored a season-high 15 points in his team's semifinal loss to Iowa State. This came a day after playing 29 minutes to help spark No. 15/14 K-State to its quarterfinal win against TCU. He scored eight points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out three assists in that game.
Who did Diarra point to when asked how he made such an impactful return this soon?
"My strength coach, Ben O'Donnell," he said. "He has been getting me conditioned with running, individuals, just trying to simulate as much as I can to a basketball game situation. So, I've been doing a lot of that while the team practiced, just getting my body right while still giving my hand time to continue to heal. I think that helped me a lot."
Before the Big 12 Championship, Diarra last played on February 9. He sat the last eight games of the regular season on the sidelines, while his teammates finished off a Big 12 regular season title. He wanted to be ready to return the favor when his hand finished healing. He wanted to help his team keep winning.
His answers after each Big 12 Championship game reflected this.
"It felt amazing," Diarra said after Thursday's win against TCU. "I was excited to be on the court after not playing for so long, but more importantly I'm excited that we won. I didn't care about anything, if I had zero points or whatever. Just creating for my teammates, helping everybody score and helping us win, that's what's most important."
On Friday, Diarra hit 5-of-10 from the floor and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. He also tied for the team high in rebounds with seven. He had arguably the best game of his sophomore season, but his self-evaluation matched his team's result. It wasn't enough.
"I wanted to win. I didn't care if I scored zero points, one point, whatever I had today. We didn't win, so it doesn't matter how many points I scored," he said. "And I didn't make the last two threes I had. I was (wide) open, should've made those. It didn't go how I wanted."
His team got exactly what it wanted it out of him, however, especially early.
On Friday, Diarra scored eight of K-State's first 15 points en route to an early lead. He hit a pair of step-back treys in the game, the latter of which tied it up at 38 after K-State trailed by as many as 11 in the second half.
Diarra's teammates also credited his seamless return to the work he put in while injured.
"He had his legs. His legs never went out," senior Kamau Stokes said. "Other than him shooting, his game never changed. He still had his legs under him, was still attacking, his mindset never changed, and that's how it's supposed to be."
"It was big time. He played well," senior Barry Brown, Jr. added. "He's been playing well, shooting the ball well, defensively making plays for everyone else. It's always good to have another playmaker out there."
Diarra, at 6-foot-4, brings a level of athleticism, versatility and craftiness that's hard to replace. It was noticeable countless times in both Big 12 Championship games, from penetrate-and-kick plays to fast-break attacks.
His production could be key in K-State's chances to make another run in the NCAA Tournament, which will announce its field on Sunday at 5 p.m.
"It's just amazing. His natural gifts, what he can do," K-State head coach Bruce Weber said on Friday. "Obviously, he gave us a great boost tonight. The little things, the defense, if you don't play every day, you don't practice, you lose a little bit of that. Hopefully this experience and then get a couple days of reps next week, it'll help him."
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