Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Former Illinois State guard lands at Cleveland State

Evan Wessel, Kaza Keane

Evan Wessel, Kaza Keane

AP

With last season’s leading scorer, guard Bryn Forbes, having decided to transfer to Michigan State in order to be closer to his family, Cleveland State head coach Gary Waters had a scholarship to fill (or hold onto) for the 2014-15 season. Wednesday the program announced the addition of a transfer who, if granted immediate eligibility by the NCAA, can give the Vikings some additional perimeter depth as they look to contend in the Horizon League.

Kaza Keane, who played 12 minutes and averaged 2.4 points and 1.8 assists per game last season at Illinois State, has joined the Cleveland State program.

“I believe we have added a solid combo-guard who can shoot from the perimeter, defend and also distribute the ball,” Waters said in the release. “Kaza will bring experience to a team that lost three experienced players and we expect him to contribute as soon as he is eligible to play.”

Keane will have two years of eligibility remaining according to the release, but it’s up in the air as to when he’ll be able to take the court for the Vikings in game action. According to Elton Alexander of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, the school intends on filing a request for a waiver that would allow Keane to play immediately.

While no one would suggest that Keane would account for the production lost with Forbes’ departure by himself, he can give Cleveland State added depth and experience on the perimeter.

Even with the loss of Forbes the Vikings have the pieces needed to contend in the Horizon League this season. Guards Trey Lewis (13.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.4 apg) and Charlie Lee (9.8, 4.1 apg) return, as does senior forward Anton Grady (10.4, 6.8) from a team that won 21 games and finished 12-4 in Horizon League play (two games behind regular season champ Green Bay).

Grady’s undoubtedly a player to watch for the Vikings, as the 2013-14 campaign was his first following a knee injury that ended his sophomore season (2012-13) after just six games. If Grady can take another step forward with a full season post-knee injury under his belt, Cleveland State will surely be a factor for the Horizon League title.

Follow @raphiellej