Rest can wait for Oakland star Felder

After a disappointing exit in the semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament, Oakland coach Greg Kampe decided to give his players an extended 10-day break.

Star guard Kay Felder grew restless quickly.

“I didn’t take 10 days off. I don’t like taking time off,” he said Monday night after a 27-point, seven assist effort in the Golden Grizzlies’ 90-72 win over Towson in a quarterfinal game of the Vegas 16 at Mandalay Bay. “I took maybe a day or two and I was right back in there. It’s definitely good to get reps.”

The practice paid off for one of the nation’s most exciting players.

Felder was knocking down 3-pointers, burying step-back jumpers and even finishing alley oops as he put on a show on The Strip.

“We got a new life. We got to come to Vegas and got another chance to play,” he said. “I was just happy out there from the get-go. We still have a bad taste in our mouth from the Horizon League tournament so we just want to come out here and win the whole thing.”

Oakland had the ball and the lead with a minute to play before it was eliminated from its conference tournament by Wright State. Top-seeded Valparaiso had already been knocked off, so the Golden Grizzlies missed out on a golden opportunity to reach the Big Dance.

“It was a very disappointing end of the season. I gave them 10 days off and I think as I look at it now it was the right thing to do because they didn’t want to play immediately. They thought they should be in the NCAA Tournament and so I wasn’t going to get anything out of them,” Kampe said. “Ten days went by, NCAA games are being played and they want to get back in the gym anyways. Plus we’ve got something to play for and we get to go to Vegas. Bingo, you could see they want to win.”

Oakland took control of the game right away, seizing a 45-28 lead at halftime.

Felder finished 10 of 22 from the field, including 4-for-9 from 3-point range.

“He’s dynamic. He’s a special, special player,” said Towson coach Pat Skerry, who compared Felder to Nate “Tiny” Archibald. “He makes tough shots. Even though he’s left-handed, where he really kills you is when he goes right on those step-backs. I would give him a long, long look if I was in (the NBA).”

Felder has a decision to make on that as soon as Oakland’s run in this tournament ends. The junior is projected as a late second-round pick, but has indicated he will at least consider the possibility of declaring for the draft.

“It’s a dream to play in the NBA. But right now I’m only worried about what we have going on and that’s the Vegas 16. All the outside distractions, my family helps me out with blocking all of that stuff out. If I do get stressed out, they bring me right back down to earth. That’s one thing my family has always preached. They’ve got my back,’ he said. “It will just be whatever I feel in my heart. I have to pray on it. I’ll worry about it when all this is over with.”

Kampe would certainly prefer the nation’s assist leader and fourth-leading scorer return for one more year.

He said he will assist Felder in making the right decision, however.

“What we’ve done is said we’re going to go through all the possibilities and figure it out and then we’ll sit down with his family at the end of the season and map out what he wants to do. If we find out he’s a definite lottery pick or mid-first round, he’ll definitely come out. But I don’t think he’s there. Right now I think he’s more mid-second and if that’s the case, I think he’s going to have a decision to make,” Kampe said. “I’ve coached pros and a lot of great players. When he leaves, I’ll probably say he’s the best I’ve ever had. I’ve had some great point guards. I’ve had a point guard lead the nation in scoring. I’ve had a point guard lead the nation in assists. One guy doing both? I’ve never had that. Nobody’s had that.”

If Felder does come back, both he and Kampe said he will try to improve on shot selection and being more of a vocal leader.

Improving statistically would be a tall order for the 5-foot-9 Detroit native who models his game after Russell Westbrook, Eric Bledsoe and Chris Paul. Felder averages 24.2 points and 9.3 assists per game.

Like Westbrook, Felder has been known to force a shot every now and then. Kampe feels cutting back on that may be one of the final steps in his development, but he says Felder is working on it.

“He believes so much in himself that I think he takes some heat checks sometimes that he knows he shouldn’t take and he knows he does it,” Kampe said. “He did it twice tonight and both times he looked over and tapped his chest, but we have a pretty good relationship and the great thing about coaching him is I can get on him and he takes it. When you have a guy like that, sometimes they don’t.”

Xavier Hill-Mais added 16 points for Oakland, which will play East Tennessee State in Tuesday’s second semifinal at 8:30 p.m.

Mike Morsell had 22 points for the Tigers. William Adala Moto added 14 points and 13 rebounds.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj