By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

SITTING on the sidelines for the 2012-13 NCAA season, Kadeem Coleby watched his Wichita State Shockers nearly complete a storybook ending to their season when they reached the NCAA Final Four.

This season, Coleby will be expected to be a major contributor for the Shockers as they seek to make a return to NCAA postseason basketball.

The 6’9” 251-pound Coleby transferred from Louisiana-Lafayette and missed last year’s NCAA tournament run which featured wins over Pittsburgh, Gonzaga, La Salle and Ohio State. The Shockers eventually lost to Louisville by four points in the Final Four.

Coleby, with his fourth team in the last four years, will be expected to fill the void left by the departure of taking over for Carl Hall at the center position.

Hall was a force for the Shockers on both ends of the floor and averaged 12.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.

Coleby averaged 9.5 points and 4.9 rebounds for Louisiana-Lafayette last season, starting 30 games. He blocked 2.4 shots a game and led the Sun Belt Conference in shooting percentage (56.1).

He led the Sun Belt Conference in shooting percentage and ranked second in blocks at 2.4 a game, including 73 blocks in 31 games.

He scored double-figures 15 times, including a career-high 20 against Central Florida and also had a career-high 11 rebounds at Duquesne. He also was ranked 23rd in the NCAA in blocked shots.

As a sophomore at Daytona State College, he averaged 10.2 points and 8.1 rebounds. He also received first team All-Mid-Florida Conference honours, was ranked fifth in Region VIII in blocked shots per game (2.4) and eighth in rebounds.

As a freshman at Odessa College in Texas, he averaged 1.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in limited time.

Coleby closed out his high school career at the Christian Life Academy in Humble, Texas, posting 12 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks per game.

He did not receive a release from Louisiana-Lafayette and was forced to pay tuition last season while he sat out, but will now receive a scholarship for the 2013-14 season.

In addition to Hall, the Shockers lost court leader Malcolm Armstead, however they will bring back Cleanthony Early, who had 25 points and 10 rebounds in the Final Four, sharpshooting Ron Baker and point guard Fred VanVleet.

Other returning contributors include starter Tekele Cotton and Evan Wessel.

Coleby has been a member of both the junior national and senior national teams for the Bahamas most recently at the CBC Championships in 2012.

A part of a strong basketball bloodline, his younger, brother Dwight Coleby, will join the University of Mississippi Rebels basketball programme as a true freshman this fall.

The 6’9” 220-pound post player became the first commitment for the Rebels and was the top recruit on the team’s recruiting list for the 2013 season. He is listed as a three-star recruit by Scout.com and ranked No. 23 amongst centers.

During his junior season at Piney Woods, Coleby began to garner attention of major programmes throughout the country when he averaged 18 points, 12 rebounds and 12 blocks per game. He chose Ole Miss over Memphis, Georgia, Mississippi State and Southern Mississippi.