| Keyon Dooling |
|
|
SEASON OUTLOOK — Electrifying playmaker who is one of the Big 12’s top talents ... An all-American-caliber player who should really blossom in new coach Quin Snyder’s up-tempo, full-court style of play ... Has the ability to take over a game with his acrobatics and show-stopping play ... Looks to be MU’s floor leader, controlling things from his point guard position ... Extremely gifted ballhandler and passer who can also get to the basket in a hurry, and finish with a flurry.
1998-99 SEASON **Hon. Mention All-Big 12** **Big 12 All-Freshman Team** — Had a solid freshman year, and was an honorable-mention all-Big 12 pick by both media and coaches, after averaging 8.7 points and 3.0 assists per game ... Named to Big 12 All-Freshman team, and finished 2nd in conference freshman of the year voting ... Also named to Big 12 all-academic first team ... Preseason Big 12 Freshman-of-the-Year pick who was really coming into his own before injuries limited him in the stretch run ... Averaged 10.7 points per game and shot nearly 50 percent from the floor in league play ... Suffered a concussion in MU’s Feb. 15th game with Oklahoma, when he was clobbered on a breakaway by OU’s Eduardo Najera ... Later in the week, sprained an ankle in practice, which forced him to miss Feb. 20th game at Oklahoma State, and limited him to just 3 minutes on Feb. 24th against Iowa State ... Prior to being injured, had shown over a seven-game stretch why he is one of the most exciting players in the league ... Beginning with Jan. 24th game at #19 Kansas, averaged 16.0 points, 4.3 assists and shot 54.9% from the floor over a seven-game stretch ... Came off the bench at KU, and was a key in MU’s win, as he scored 15 points (on 6-of-7 FGs), and added 2 assists and 3 blocks ... Was named Big 12 Rookie-of-the-Week for that performance ... Also earned the award the next week after notching consecutive 20-point outings vs. Baylor (22 pts/4 asst.) and Texas Tech (21 pts./7 rebs./5 asst.) ... Ranked among league leaders in free throws (10th -- 71.8%), assists (15th -- 3.0), and assist/turnover ratio (12th -- 1.55) ... Notched a career-high 8 assists on Feb. 13th vs. Colorado, with no turnovers ... Began the year with consecutive double-figure scoring games, notching 12 vs. Jackson State and adding 13 more against Southwest Missouri State ... Was 2nd on Tiger squad with 85 assists, and 4th in scoring average (8.7) ... Prior to joining the Tigers, was selected for the USA Basketball Men’s Junior World Championship Qualifying Team over the summer, and helped lead USA team to gold medal, with a perfect 6-0 record ... Averaged 7.8 points per game in the tournament, and added 14 assists and eight steals, starting all six contests.
IN HIGH SCHOOL **Parade All-American** — Transferred to Dillard High School as a senior to team with longtime friend Clarence Gilbert, and helped lead Panthers to 27-7 record and Class 6A final four ... Averaged 22 points, six assists, six rebounds and five steals a game as a senior, and was named a third-team Parade All-American ... Other honors included first-team all-state and Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel 6A Player-of-the-Year ... Was named MVP at the NBA Players’ Association camp, and was on the ABCD/Adidas Camp all-tournament team during the summer prior to senior season ... As a junior, playing at Cardinal-Gibbons, earned Class 4A all-state honors after averaging 14.6 points and 4.8 assists per game ... Led his team to the 4A final four that season, and also made trip to final four as a freshman.
PERSONAL — Born May 8, 1980 ... Parents — Leroy and Brenda Dooling .. His mother was a long-time school teacher, and his father owns a flower shop in Ft. Lauderdale ... Older brother, Eric, was a star basketball player at Bethune-Cookman ... High school coach — Darryl Burrows ... Chose MU over Clemson, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan State and South Florida.
