Queta’s return locks USU in as heavy MWC favorites
After Utah State basketball fans collectively held their breath, hoping that 2018-19 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, Neemias Queta, would bring his award-winning talents back to Logan, they got their wish. Queta decided the timing was not right for him to go pro and announced he would don the fighting white for at least one more season.
Queta’s return is more than just USU not losing 11.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game. It signals the chance for the Aggies to run back almost the entirety of their Mountain West regular season and tournament championship team, pairing the conference’s DPOY in Queta and the MVP in Sam Merrill for a second year running. And with some of Utah State’s immediate competition getting weaker (or at least not substantially better) that means they’ll be a heavy favorite to repeat in 2019-20.
Not only will the Aggies find themselves at the top of the conference title prediction polls, they may also find themselves in the AP preseason top-25 poll for just the second time in program history. The last time USU found itself in the top-25 on day one was the 1970-71 season where the Aggies began at No. 12 and climbing to No. 9 at one point during the year. Multiple “way-too-early” polls from media outlets, ranging from ESPN, CBS and Stadium, place USU inside the top 25.
This isn’t to say that competition won’t rise out of nowhere. After all, Nevada entered last year as bigger favorites than The Aggies will for this upcoming season. The Wolf Pack returned effectively all of its major 2017-18 contributors from a conference title run and Sweet 16 appearance and failed to secure a full share of the regular season title or even make it back to the conference title game. Things can go wrong. But for now, Utah State will enjoy a significant advantage on paper over the rest of its conference foes.
For his part, though, Queta is no doubt excited to run back an extremely successful 2018-19 team for a look at a repeat Mountain West regular season and conference tournament championship.
“It was a great experience to be involved with the NBA Draft combine and it really helped me to know where I need to improve,” Queta said in a statement from USU Athletics. “We have a really good team coming back and I’m excited to get stronger and get better.”
Neemias Queta dunks the ball at the Mountain West Championship game.
The Aggies defeated San Diego 64-57, Saturday, March 16, 2019.
To describe the 6-foot-11 Queta as a dominant force on the floor might just be an understatement. His length, a 7-foot-4.25 wingspan and a 9-foot-3.5 inch standing reach, make interior defense a breeze for him. It also allows Queta to finish over anybody in the conference (seriously, anybody).
This picture (via @lucerophoto) illustrates one of the reasons Neemias Queta is a great rim protector. While he does goes for his fair share of highlight-reel volleyball blocks most of the of shots Queta blocks/alters come from him maintaining his verticality and using his length pic.twitter.com/t0EtmK84lh
— Jason Walker (@thejwalk67) February 21, 2019
Queta used his length to become on of the better rim protectors in the country (he finished 10th in total blocks) and solidify himself as the undisputed best defender in the Mountain West. He topped the list of conference players in defensive win shares and defensive box plus-minus and defensive ratings — some of those by an extensive margin.
All of that dominance will return to Utah State, and possibly more. Meeting and training with professionals along with going head-to-head in five-on-five drills at the NBA Combine allowed Queta to more fully understand his weaknesses and where he needs improvement the most.
“This has been a great process for Neemias. He gained both valuable feedback from NBA personnel and experiences that will help him in the future at Utah State and beyond,” head coach Craig Smith said.
Assuming he puts in the hard work over the summer and over the course of the season to amend his list of shortcomings, Queta will emerge as an even more terrifying force in the Mountain West and the NCAA in general.
Eventually, Queta will get his crack at the NBA. It was obvious from his time in the 2019 NBA Combine that he has pro-caliber talent. For now, the rest of the Mountain West will have to step it up or cower in terror as Big Blue rolls forward with the dominant trio of Smith, Queta and Sam Merrill.