Sam’s coming home: Keltos joins Brock
One of Niagara’s finest basketball players is coming home.
Former Sir Winston Churchill and Niagara JUEL standout Sam Keltos has decided to leave the NCAA Division 1 St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers and join the Brock Badgers women’s basketball team for the 2019-20 season.
The 6-foot-3 post player had initially planned to graduate from St. Francis and play her fifth year of eligibility at Brock, but the rules were changed and that is no longer possible. That was one of a number of reasons why she decided to return to her hometown of St. Catharines.
“I wanted to come back home because I was homesick and this season didn’t go as I wanted with the coaching change and everything,” the 20-year-old said. “It was a bunch of little things.”
Keltos agreed the biggest factor was a head coaching change that saw her minutes reduced dramatically.
In his first season at St. Francis, she averaged 3.6 points. 2.3 rebounds in 12.1 minutes of playing time. In her second season, she averaged 3.7 points. 2.0 rebounds in 12.4 minutes of playing time. In her recently concluded season, those numbers fell to averaging 1.3 points. 0.9 rebounds in 3.3 minutes of playing time, although things started out well. In her first three games, she averaged 5.0 points. 3.7 rebounds in 12 minutes of playing time before her playing time dried up.
“My role wasn’t as big as I hoped it would be.”
That being said, Keltos said she respected Linda Cimino, who replaced retired coach John Thurston.
“She made her decisions based on whatever reasons she had and I don’t disrespect her at all,” she said. “I loved her practices — practices were so much fun — and I loved cheering my teammates on the bench, but I wanted more.”
In other words, players want to play.
“I feel coming here I will be able to do that, bring Brock to another level and add another dimension to the team.”
Keltos has no regrets about trying the NCAA Division 1 experience and it wasn’t an easy decision to leave the States.
“I’ve been thinking a lot there last couple of days about moving back because moving to New York was a big deal,” she said. “It was a big change moving to New York City and it will be a big change moving here.”
The campus at St. Francis was one eight-story building unlike the sprawling campus Brock University has become.
She can’t wait to get started.
“I can’t say this but I am looking forward to kicking some ass,” she said, saying it anyway. “I have a sprained ankle right now and I was watching the practice (Monday) and I can’t wait to get up and down the court with the girls.
“I’m so excited for the season coming up.”
Playing at home is going to be a real treat.
“My parents couldn’t make the drive down and I don’t think they saw me play live this year,” she said. “They told me they were going to be at every single game and I can’t wait for that support because they have supported me throughout my whole basketball career.”
She’s also looking forward to watching her younger sister, Brookelyn, play basketball as well as talented cousin, Ally Sentance.
Brock head coach Mike Rao is thrilled to land Keltos.
“She gives us a legitimate inside presence and not only that, she can shoot it,” he said. “She’s a bigger body and she reads the game so well.”
Rao likes everything about the local product.
“She gives us a lot of things like intelligence, a feel for the game and she understands all types of movements and concepts within the game.”
“Nothing is going to go beyond her.”
An added bonus is that’s Keltos is a Niagara native.
“That’s a big thing and we are always looking to keep our local players and that’s a priority with me. The more local talent I can keep here, the better,” Rao said. “We are going to go after local players and hopefully they want to play for Brock University. That’s the way we will elevate our program.”
Keltos isn’t a big fan of being called the poster child for local basketball players staying or returning home, but she realizes she will have an influence in that area.
‘Without sounding too cocky, around St. Catharines I am one of the better basketball players.”
Keltos feels she is a much different player than the one that left three years ago.
“I’ve definitely gained some weight so I can be more physical and I think my shot has improved a lot,” she said. “Even though I wasn’t playing a lot, I was still getting in the gym and shooting.
“Shooters are going to shoot and I am always going to work on my shot.”
Keltos will be a huge addition to Brock. This past season, Rao took the head coaching gig late and then proceeded to exceed all expectations. The Badgers went 11-13 in regular season play, After beating Laurier 54-35 in the first round of the playoffs, Brock was eliminated following an 81-70 loss to McMaster, the eventual national champions.
Against McMaster, Brock trailed by one point with 2:57 left in the game and had possession of the ball. But a couple of costly turnovers ended its season.
“They’re a very good team and I don’t want to take anything away from them, but if we could have closed out better I thought we had a chance to win it,” Rao said. “I don’t look at it as a measuring stick, I look at it from our standpoint. Can we get better at different positions?”
Rao expects to lose three players off his 2018-19 roster to graduation and two others may not be back as they focus more on their schoolwork.
Lost to graduation are Courtney McPherson and Allie Columbus while Baelie Campbell mighty not be available because of a school internship.
