Wright presents challenge for Lions' post players

Coming into the season, the Lions’ junior center Mark Cisco was looking forward to testing himself against the Ivy League’s other top big men: Yale senior center Greg Mangano and Harvard senior forward Keith Wright.

“It’s going to be tough going up against them, but I think that it’s definitely going to be a good challenge, and I’m just going to do my best and it’ll work out well,” Cisco said.
He will get his first crack at Wright this Saturday night.

Wright is a psychology major and a second-year co-captain. Last season, he was Ivy League Player of the Year, averaging 14.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game after starting in each of Harvard’s 30 games.

This season, he averages 10.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. Although his per-game numbers have decreased, they appear to be a result of his decreased minutes, an effect of Harvard’s improved frontcourt depth.

Nonetheless—as his 58.8 percent field goal shooting this year attests—he remains dangerous.

“You let him bury it deep, he’s going to score on about anybody,” Columbia head coach Kyle Smith said.

However, the team is not looking to make any drastic adjustments, optimistic that centers Cisco and freshman Cory Osetkowski can contain Wright.

“[He]’s turning into a good post defender,” Simth said of Cisco. “Even defending the on-ball situations, got much improved, so I think we’re okay there.”

If fouls become an issue, Smith can turn to the 6-foot-10 Osetkowski.

“Cory is a smart defender. He understands as well as any for a freshman,” Smith said. “When he’s with it, he’s really hard to score over. So we’ll probably try and make him [Wright] score over the top on us. No angles.”

Even if the Lions can stop Wright offensively, with his 6-foot-8, 240-pound frame, he can impact the game defensively and along the boards. He has 157 rebounds and 33 blocks through 20 games this season, after 54 blocks last season—the second-highest mark in Harvard history.

“They really cover the rim well with Casey, Wright ... they do a good job,” Smith said. “That’s where Cisco helps. Cisco can hit 10-, 12-foot, 15-foot jumpers.”

“We gotta put it inside to keep them honest, but also with the understanding that they really cover the rim.”

Last season, Wright was successful against the Lions, as Harvard won both meetings with Columbia. He posted 14 points and seven rebounds in Cambridge, playing mostly against Cisco and junior forward John Daniels. A couple of weeks later, he scored 16 points and added 12 rebounds in Manhattan, facing senior forward Asenso Ampim and centers Zack Crimmins and Max Craig.

More recently, however, Wright had a relatively quiet night against fellow 2011 All-Ivy frontcourt presence Mangano, who has posted a dominant 18.7 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game through 18 contests. He had seven points and five rebounds, while Mangano scored 17 points in New Haven, Conn. A night later, Wright scored nine points and added 11 boards at Brown.

“He’s a good player, but I’ve gone up against other good players before,” Cisco said. “Just gotta go in with the mindset that I’m going to play hard and do my best, and that’s really all I can do.”