With steady player turnover throughout college basketball, the value of senior leadership has taken an increased significance. With the possibility of players leaving after just one or two seasons, a senior has become something exceptional. The experience that seniors have accrued throughout their careers creates a greater awareness under pressure that sometimes eludes younger players.
As seniors, Juan Dixon and Lonny Baxter carried Maryland to the National Championship in 2002. Senior Shane Battier led Duke to such heights in 2001. Keith Bogans looks to follow the line in 2003 as the senior leader of the Kentucky Wildcats.
Bogans, a native of Alexandria, Va., played prep ball at renowned DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Md. Under the tutelage of Naismith Hall of Fame head coach Morgan Wootten, Bogans became the first player to play varsity all four years at DeMatha since Adrian Dantley.
Bogans was teamed with future North Carolina star Joe Forte and the two became quite a duo on the national basketball scene, as DeMatha finished in the national top-ten in 1998 and 1999.
Bogans received most of the national attention, being named the “Prep Player of the Year” nationally, while garnering many other illustrious awards. Forte was a great player in his own right, leading the team in scoring, but took a backseat to his teammate as Bogans was deemed more of the all-around player.
Upon their matriculation into the college ranks, Forte became more of the spotlight player. As a Tar Heel he broke Sam Perkin’s freshman scoring record while helping UNC reach the Final Four. Forte left school for the NBA after earning consensus first team All-American honors as a sophomore and was drafted in the first round by the Boston Celtics.
Bogan’s first two seasons in college didn’t reach the heights of his former teammate, but Bogans was named to the All-SEC freshmen team in 2000 and went on to earn first team All-SEC honors as a sophomore, when Kentucky made it as far as the Sweet Sixteen before falling to USC.
Bogans declared for the draft along with his high school teammate but backed out after it was apparent that there was little interest. The NBA scouts wanted to see Bogans develop a bit more, and it turns out they should have asked Forte to do the same.
Bogans returned to Lexington for his junior season looking to take his Wildcats deep into the post season. For reasons unknown Bogans sputtered in early season play and never found much consistency.
He averaged only 11.5 points per game on the season, a considerable drop from the 17 points he averaged as a sophomore. He would score 18 points in one game but fail to reach double digits in the next with bad shooting. It was a vicious rollercoaster for Bogans, and his play was criticized for Kentucky’s shortcomings on the season.
Nevertheless, he played through the inconsistency, starting all 30 games for Kentucky, who again reached the Sweet Sixteen before falling to eventual champion Maryland.
Bogans’ unbalanced play on the 2002 season held him out of the NBA draft and he returned to Lexington with renewed focus. He was determined to correct his mistakes.
Bogans has done just that for himself, leading the Wildcats in both scoring and assists in the 2002-03 season. With Bogans at the helm, the Wildcats have been on a tear. Kentucky has not lost a game since late December, attaining the first No. 1 seed for the NCAA tournament in Bogans’ career. His Wildcats are poised as a favorite to reach the Final Four, and Bogans has taken the title of leader willingly. As the only starting senior on the team, he has spearheaded the tenacity of the defense while hitting key shots on the offensive end.
With Kentucky a consensus favorite, the team is looking much like its predecessors. Bogans has had his ups and downs but has had the patience to play for four seasons, keeping professional aspirations on hold. He has the experience to draw from and is confident enough in his abilities to make anything happen. With a well-balanced team, Bogans looks to be the next senior to be cutting down the nets in April.
