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Gophers face big wait for big man Trevor Mbakwe and his inside presence
While U struggles in paint, Mbakwe refines inside game, looks ahead
By Marcus R. Fuller
[email protected]
Updated: 01/24/2009 12:37:44 AM CST
Trevor Mbakwe has been hearing all season how he could be starting for the Gophers right now.
The former Sibley and St. Bernard's standout is an explosive 6-foot-8, 240-pound big man who specializes in rebounding, shot blocking and dunks. His toughness and physical style not only fit in with Big Ten Conference basketball, but it's exactly what Gophers coach Tubby Smith is lacking at the power forward position this season.
Too bad ... Mbakwe won't be joining the University of Minnesota until the 2009-10 season.
"One of the reasons why I picked the U was because there was a good chance I could start and play right away," said Mbakwe, who is averaging 14.2 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 4.2 blocks while shooting 65 percent from the field as a sophomore at Miami Dade College.
"We have another big man on the team here, so I'm getting to play my natural position at power forward. It's been a good season. My knee is great. I'm playing with a lot of confidence right now, so I know I'll be ready to help the Gophers when I get there."
After missing 23 games as a freshman because of a knee injury at Marquette in 2007-08, the St. Paul native thought about transferring to another Division I school but didn't want to sit out a whole season. Now Mbakwe is healthy and establishing himself as one of the top junior college forwards in the country with the 18-2 Sharks.
Smith knew what kind of player he was getting when he signed Mbakwe last November, but he can only imagine
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what Mbakwe's athletic inside presence might do for his team this season.
The No. 21-ranked Gophers (16-3), who don't have a player in the top 20 in theBig Ten in rebounding, were dominated in the paint Thursday by Purdue's JaJuan Johnson, who had 19 points, eight rebounds and five blocks in a 70-62 win at Williams Arena.
"We knew the physicality and toughness that we need to develop this year was going to take some time," said Smith about improving freshman big men Colton Iverson and Ralph Sampson III and sophomore forward Paul Carter. "We're still in the process. I think a guy like Trevor, with the number of games he's had under his belt in junior college and at Marquette, will help a lot. We probably could use some physicality in there (now)."
Miami-Dade coach Matt Eisele, who also starts 6-9, 255-pound Memphis-bound recruit Will Coleman in his frontcourt, said Mbakwe "won't average 20 points and 10 rebounds next season" at Minnesota, but he will be an immediate impact player.
"He's a rebounding and defensive presence, that's his forte, but he's also developing his offensive skills on the block," said Eisele, who raved about a 23-point, 16-rebound, seven-block performance Mbakwe had against rival Broward Community College.
"He knows when to attack the basket. When he goes up, Trevor is trying to bring the rim down. I could definitely see him go in next year and average 9-10 points, 8-9 rebounds and three blocks a game."
"He's been the dominant post player we expected him to be," Eisele said. "His midrange shot is really starting to develop. He's developing some patience in the post. He's getting better at passing out of the double teams. Defensively, he's going after every ball."
Mbakwe said Smith told him he had pro potential and resembled NBA power forwards such as Ben Wallace, Jason Maxiel and Chuck Hayes, who played for Smith at Kentucky.
"They are all beasts inside," Mbakwe said. "Coach Smith said, 'They could (make it to the NBA); why can't you?' "
Excited after the Gophers upset then-No. 9 Louisville on Dec. 20, Mbakwe stopped by practice while he was home for Christmas vacation. Already buddies with sophomore point guard Al Nolen Jr., he wished he could have just put on a Gophers uniform right then.
He won't have to wait much longer.
Mbakwe, who said he's on course to graduate from Miami-Dade this semester, is looking forward to joining other Gophers' players in the Howard Pulley Pro-Am League this summer.
Until then, he's focused on leading the country in rebounding and winning a junior college national title. And he tries not to pay any mind to people who say he's the missing piece inside for the Gophers this season.
"I hear that a lot," Mbakwe said. "But I think Colton and those guys are doing a great job so far. They're young and getting better. We'll be that much tougher together next season."
Gophers face big wait for big man Trevor Mbakwe and his inside presence
While U struggles in paint, Mbakwe refines inside game, looks ahead
By Marcus R. Fuller
[email protected]
Updated: 01/24/2009 12:37:44 AM CST
Trevor Mbakwe has been hearing all season how he could be starting for the Gophers right now.
The former Sibley and St. Bernard's standout is an explosive 6-foot-8, 240-pound big man who specializes in rebounding, shot blocking and dunks. His toughness and physical style not only fit in with Big Ten Conference basketball, but it's exactly what Gophers coach Tubby Smith is lacking at the power forward position this season.
Too bad ... Mbakwe won't be joining the University of Minnesota until the 2009-10 season.
"One of the reasons why I picked the U was because there was a good chance I could start and play right away," said Mbakwe, who is averaging 14.2 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 4.2 blocks while shooting 65 percent from the field as a sophomore at Miami Dade College.
"We have another big man on the team here, so I'm getting to play my natural position at power forward. It's been a good season. My knee is great. I'm playing with a lot of confidence right now, so I know I'll be ready to help the Gophers when I get there."
After missing 23 games as a freshman because of a knee injury at Marquette in 2007-08, the St. Paul native thought about transferring to another Division I school but didn't want to sit out a whole season. Now Mbakwe is healthy and establishing himself as one of the top junior college forwards in the country with the 18-2 Sharks.
Smith knew what kind of player he was getting when he signed Mbakwe last November, but he can only imagine
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what Mbakwe's athletic inside presence might do for his team this season.
The No. 21-ranked Gophers (16-3), who don't have a player in the top 20 in theBig Ten in rebounding, were dominated in the paint Thursday by Purdue's JaJuan Johnson, who had 19 points, eight rebounds and five blocks in a 70-62 win at Williams Arena.
"We knew the physicality and toughness that we need to develop this year was going to take some time," said Smith about improving freshman big men Colton Iverson and Ralph Sampson III and sophomore forward Paul Carter. "We're still in the process. I think a guy like Trevor, with the number of games he's had under his belt in junior college and at Marquette, will help a lot. We probably could use some physicality in there (now)."
Miami-Dade coach Matt Eisele, who also starts 6-9, 255-pound Memphis-bound recruit Will Coleman in his frontcourt, said Mbakwe "won't average 20 points and 10 rebounds next season" at Minnesota, but he will be an immediate impact player.
"He's a rebounding and defensive presence, that's his forte, but he's also developing his offensive skills on the block," said Eisele, who raved about a 23-point, 16-rebound, seven-block performance Mbakwe had against rival Broward Community College.
"He knows when to attack the basket. When he goes up, Trevor is trying to bring the rim down. I could definitely see him go in next year and average 9-10 points, 8-9 rebounds and three blocks a game."
"He's been the dominant post player we expected him to be," Eisele said. "His midrange shot is really starting to develop. He's developing some patience in the post. He's getting better at passing out of the double teams. Defensively, he's going after every ball."
Mbakwe said Smith told him he had pro potential and resembled NBA power forwards such as Ben Wallace, Jason Maxiel and Chuck Hayes, who played for Smith at Kentucky.
"They are all beasts inside," Mbakwe said. "Coach Smith said, 'They could (make it to the NBA); why can't you?' "
Excited after the Gophers upset then-No. 9 Louisville on Dec. 20, Mbakwe stopped by practice while he was home for Christmas vacation. Already buddies with sophomore point guard Al Nolen Jr., he wished he could have just put on a Gophers uniform right then.
He won't have to wait much longer.
Mbakwe, who said he's on course to graduate from Miami-Dade this semester, is looking forward to joining other Gophers' players in the Howard Pulley Pro-Am League this summer.
Until then, he's focused on leading the country in rebounding and winning a junior college national title. And he tries not to pay any mind to people who say he's the missing piece inside for the Gophers this season.
"I hear that a lot," Mbakwe said. "But I think Colton and those guys are doing a great job so far. They're young and getting better. We'll be that much tougher together next season."
