Jan. 17, 2003
By Paul Helgren
Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations
Keith Triplett would seem to be safely on his way to an outstanding career with the Rockets.
He's averaging nearly 15 points a game, shooting 49 percent from the floor and 40 percent from three-point range. He leads the Rockets in rebounds and steals, and is unquestionably the best defender on the team.
But it didn't start out that way. After sitting out his freshman season at UT in 2000-01, Triplett entered the start of his sophomore campaign with high expectations. A prolific scorer at Bowsher High School in Toledo, Triplett was considered by some to be the best high school player in the state as a senior. Basketball fans in the city of Toledo were anticipating that Triplett would become the Rockets' biggest homegrown star in years.
And Triplett lived up to his billing on the defensive end, quickly establishing himself as a terrific one-on-one defender. But he struggled mightily on the offensive end, making just over 33 percent of his shots heading into the Mid-American Conference Tournament.
Despite Triplett's shooting woes, Head Coach Stan Joplin never lost confidence in him, encouraging him to keep shooting. Finally, Triplett broke loose in the MAC Tournament with 25 and 22 points vs. Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan, respectively, in a pair of Rocket wins.
Those games may have signaled a change for Triplett, who has been a new man this season. He may have put to rest any doubt about his emergence as a shooting star when he tied a school record by hitting 10-of-11 shots in a 31-point performance in a 78-71 win over Ohio on Dec. 7. Triplett, who made just 27 three pointers as a sophomore, connected on a blistering 6-of-7 shots from behind the arc in that game.
Triplett's explanation for the change can be summed up in one word: confidence.
"Last year I wasn't really looking for my shot," said Triplett. "This year I'm looking for my shot. I feel a lot more comfortable out there this year. If I miss a shot I'm going to keep shooting." Said teammate Ricardo Thomas, "Keith's really looking to shoot the ball this year. He's not passing up shots. Last year he would start the game pump-faking. This year he's coming out shooting, and a lot of times it's going in, which really has helped his confidence."
So Joplin's faith in Triplett has paid off. Now the coach has even higher expectations for the 6-3 junior.
"He's the type of guy who could lead us in scoring and rebounding from the guard position," said Joplin. "He can slash to the basket, go to the boards and shoot it from the outside. He plays hard and continues to get better."
Triplett's improvement may also be a simple case of growing pains. He said he is a more confident person overall than when he first stepped on campus two years ago. And although he was greatly disappointed when he was ruled a partial academic qualifier for his freshman season, it may have been a blessing in disguise.
The year off from basketball gave Triplett more time to adjust to campus life and the classroom, where he has thrived. He blended in easily with his teammates, quickly establishing a reputation as a jokester who enjoys making his teammates laugh.
He also got a year to practice with the team and mature physically. And while he is required to complete 75 percent of his coursework toward his degree by the end of the 2003-04 academic year to earn back the year of eligibility he lost as a freshman, his excellent academic progress almost assures that he will be back for two more years after this one.
"I'm going to get my year back," he stated emphatically. "There's a chance I might even be able to graduate in four years. But no matter what, I'm going to get that year back."
And with the improvement that Triplett has made in the last year, just imagine what he might do by the time he is a senior.
