Oregon men’s basketball guard Keeshawn Barthelemy has had his fair share of injuries since transferring from University of Colorado, Boulder in 2022. The most significant was an ankle injury that he suffered last season in late January and did not return for the remainder of the season. In the 18 games prior to his injury, Barthelemy averaged 7.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, while scoring in double figures eight times.
The amount of time Barthelemy missed last season gave him another year of eligibility, and he has relished the opportunity. In his fifth season on the court, Barthelemy has stepped into a leadership position, and at times, has carried the Ducks on offense.
“It’s a new opportunity,” Barthelemy said, “and any time you get an opportunity at something like basketball, you take it.”
The early season struggles for sophomore guard Jackson Shelstad did not affect Oregon’s ability to win games, which in a large part was thanks to Barthelemy picking him up. In the Nov. 12 game against the University of Portland, the Ducks appeared to have their first loss of the season, but Barthelemy’s clutch 3-point shooting helped send the game to overtime, and they never looked back.
“I want to put my imprint on the team as best as I can and help the team get to an even higher stage than we did last year,” Barthelemy said.
As a whole this season, Barthelemy has recorded a .431 field goal percentage and .472 from beyond the arc. His most outstanding performances came in the Players Era Championship Game in Las Vegas against the University of Alabama, and the Big Ten opener against University of Southern California. Against Alabama, Barthelemy recorded 22 points with five 3-pointers, four assists and two steals. In the USC game, he recorded 18 points with four 3-pointers, five assists, three steals and a block.
The Ducks are currently ranked No. 9 in the nation. They haven’t always played the cleanest basketball, but they have still found ways to win consistently. After making a surprise run in the Pac-12 Tournament last year, Oregon is looking to make an even bigger impression in its first season in the Big Ten, and there’s no doubt Barthelemy will be in the middle of it all.
