Osse on point with freshmen

LITTLE ROCK — Kemy Osse wasn’t expecting to hear UALR Coach Steve Shields bark out his name along with the other starters last week.

The freshman from Canada did all he could to hide his feelings, though.

“He [Shields] was like ‘Are you comfortable running the point?’ And I was like ‘Yeah,’” Osse said. “I couldn’t tell him no.”

Osse was given a chance for the most playing time he’s had this season after UALR’s two freshman point guards missed a team bus from its hotel in Mobile, Ala., to the Mitchell Center last Saturday. John Gillon and Josh Hagins had to catch a $16 cab ride with Kerry Darting, the team’s director of basketball operations, to the arena because of their tardiness.

“It’s a team rule, you’ve got to be on the bus on time. It’s not real complicated,” Shields said. “Hopefully [they] learn from it and hopefully it never happens again.”

Shields’ disappointment was partially eased by Osse, who averaged just 8.2 minutes a game going into the contest but turned in his most productive minutes of the season. UALR lost 77-62 to South Alabama, but Osse scored 11 points in 22 minutes - both season highs - and didn’t commit a turnover.

Osse has been sharing time with Gillon and Hagins at point guard this week in preparation for tonight’s game at Louisiana-Lafayette (5-9, 1-2 Sun Belt Conference). Shields said he isn’t sure who will start or how the point guard rotation will evolve today, but if Osse remains a legitimate option it will be a boost for the Trojans (8-5, 2-1)

“You can never have too many point guards,” Shields said. “The more ball-handlers and good decision-makers you have on the floor, the better off it is for your team.”

Osse, from Montreal, wasn’t recruited as a point guard and had played sparingly before last week while trying to crack a rotation of shooting guards that includes sophomores Ben Dillard and Taggart Lockhart and junior Leroy Isler. He had played more than 20 minutes in just one other game - against NAIA St. Gregory on Dec. 4 - and had played fewer than 10 minutes in eight games.

But Osse has shown good decision-making skills when he’s managed to get on the floor, committing six turnovers in 129 minutes.

“At first it was kind of hard,” said Osse, who played some point guard in high school and for Canada’s national team. “It was hard until last week. I just stayed positive and kept working hard and doing the extra work.”

Shields said Osse, Gillon and Hagins could all factor into the rotation the rest of the season.

Gillon said he thought Osse “showed us he can play” against South Alabama and that it’s been nice having another player getting snapped at by coaches in practice.

“Normally, [Shields] harps on me and Josh as point guards. Now Kemy shares the criticism from Coach,” said Gillon, who is averaging a team-best 11.7 points per game. “It definitely helps. Someone as good as Kemy, that definitely can help us.”