Cajuns MBB Sign Portland Transfer!

[BeauCajun]

Anyone have stats for 2019-2020?

[BeauCajun]

Anyone have stats for 2019-2020?

THEO
AKWUBA
Portland Pilots
Portland Pilots
#12
C
CLASS
Sophomore
HT/WT
6' 11", 220 lbs
BIRTHPLACE
Montgomery, AL
FOLLOW
2019-20 SEASON STATS
PTS
4.0
REB
3.5
AST
0.3
FG%
56.1

[cajuns80]

Rim protector...
PORTLAND 2018-19: Started 26 games and made 30 total appearances as a true freshman… led the team and ranked second in the WCC with 1.5 blocked shots per game… his 46 total blocked shots ranked seventh in Portland single-season history and he already is tied for 21st on the career blocked shots charts… blocked three or more shots in eight games, including a season-high five blocks against Sacramento State (12/8)… tied for the team lead in rebounds per game (4.0)… scored a season-high 13 points in collegiate debut against Multnomah (11/6), also added seven rebounds… season-high 13 rebounds versus Lewis & Clark (11/19)… recorded his second straight double digit rebound game with 11 boards against USC Upstate (11/21).

BREWBAKER TECH: Averaged a triple-double as a senior with 11.7 points, 14.1 rebounds and 10.4 blocked shots per game… garnered Alabama 5A First Team All-State honors by the Alabama Sports Writers Association (ASWA)… shot 57 percent from the field and collected 1.1 steals per game… led the state of Alabama in blocked shots in both his junior and senior seasons… recorded a career-high 22 blocks in a single game against Robert Lee High School and had 18 blocks versus Lanier High School… a late bloomer, he played just two years of varsity high school basketball and a limited amount on the AAU circuit.

PERSONAL: Born on April 27, 2000… full name is Chijioke Theodore Akwuba Jr…. son of Theodore and Lilian Akwuba… possesses a 7-foot, 4-inch wingspan… major is undeclared.

AKWUBA’S CAREER HIGHS (Thru 2018-19 season)
Points: 13, vs. Multnomah (11/6/18)
Rebounds: 13, vs. Lewis & Clark (11/19/18)
Field Goals: 6, vs. Multnomah (11/6/18)
Field Goal Attempts: 8, vs. Multnomah (11/6/18)
3-Point Field Goals: N/A
3-Point Field Goal Attempts: N/A
Free Throws: 4, vs. San Diego (3/7/19)
Free Throw Attempts: 6, vs. Cal Poly (11/23/18)
Assists: 2, vs. Sacramento State (12/8/18)
Steals: 1, (8) last vs. San Diego (3/7/19)
Blocks: 5, vs. Sacramento State (12/8/18)
Minutes: 32, vs. North Texas (11/10/18)

Also never started a game his sophomore year

[cajuns80]

Plans are for him to contribute on the defensive end mostly. That is why his stats were not impressive. Difficult to see how big men contribute defensively other than blocked shots. Many times they alter shots into misses which don't reflect the contribution in stats. Offense is a ? mark although I have been told he can finish around the rim. Despite the game moving to the three point line for all positions, I don't see him doing that. More of an old school post player which often has a hard time finding the right spot in college basketball today. I bet his free throw shooting is an improvement need as well as his perimeter shot. He simply needs to take few of those and to pass the ball out when it goes into the post. From what I understand, plans are for him to be the first big off the bench. If he has high energy, he can spark the team along with Trajan Wesley who often provides a spark as well.

Well if he can be a Kadeem Coleby, that would be a huge get

[moorecajun]

Plans are for him to contribute on the defensive end mostly. That is why his stats were not impressive. Difficult to see how big men contribute defensively other than blocked shots. Many times they alter shots into misses which don't reflect the contribution in stats. Offense is a ? mark although I have been told he can finish around the rim. Despite the game moving to the three point line for all positions, I don't see him doing that. More of an old school post player which often has a hard time finding the right spot in college basketball today. I bet his free throw shooting is an improvement need as well as his perimeter shot. He simply needs to take few of those and to pass the ball out when it goes into the post. From what I understand, plans are for him to be the first big off the bench. If he has high energy, he can spark the team along with Trajan Wesley who often provides a spark as well.

We can really use someone that wants to rebound, especially on the offensive end. He will have many opportunities to rebound one of our 3 pt attempts and put it back up. I was hoping Smith would (and still do) be able to help out with this.

[RaginDave]

Here is what I see, we will have the opportunity to go really big if we want to, that is assuming we have Dou Geuye and Tyrus Smith back next year. If this is the case we could play a lineup of

6'2" Cedric Russell or 6'3" Mylik Wilson
6'7" Jalen Johnson or 6'6" Kobe Julien
6'8" Tirus Smith or 6'9" Dou Gueye
6'11" Theo Akwuba

That is not including where you could put 6'5" Durey Cadwell. This opens up tons of options if you want to or need to go big. Also, it truly gives you an option if Tirus or Dou or Theo get in foul trouble, you have a 3rd option as a big. This year when Tirus or Dou were out (either injury, foul trouble or suspension) you really only had one option at the big and that was Lafayette. For a large portion of the year we would have to move Jalen Johnson to a post player and that is just not his strength. Not that he can't he would just rather play with is back away from the basket, not his back to the basket. I do not think Theo was brought in to be a scorer, I think he was brought in to be a rim protector and rebounder and help with our bigs who just struggled to stay on the court.

With the returning team we have coming back (Johnson 15.5 ppg, Russell 14.4 ppg, Julien 12.8 ppg, Wilson 11.5 ppg, Gueye 8.7 ppg and Smith 8.3 ppg and Cadwell who we are not sure what he can give) Theo will not be expected to score allot, with what we have coming back (assuming they all come back), you are looking at 75+ points a game, where we lacked was a physical sustainable big man. If Theo knows and realizes his role on this team He will be fine, all of this is under the assumption that he gets a waiver to play right away. If not it gives you a plan for when Tirus and Dou are gone.

I for one, hope is eligible to play next year, but I guess we shall all just wait and see, of course we are doing allot of that anyway right now.

[Hatch]

As Mike mentioned above it is hard to equate stats to defensive play. One example I can think of is both P.J. Hardy and Jonathan Stove were considered very good on ball defenders but neither ever put up a big number of steals. With that being said here is a comparison of blocked shots from last season and those who he will be or may be asked to replace.

Blocks per 40 Minutes played:
Tirus Smith 2.66
Theo Akwuba 2.49
Kristian Lafayette 2.18

Now of course that is actual blocks which can't tell us how their presence as a defender altered other shots. I would bet a number of Lafayette's blocks came on 2nd chance attempts after he failed to secure a rebound.

As far a rebounding goes Akwuba appears to have better hands and obviously a larger frame than Lafayette.

Rebounds per 40 Minutes played:

Theo Akwuba 11.14
Tirus Smith 10.97
Kristian Lafayette 8.32

[Cajun Monkee]

Is it unrealistic to think Akwuba might go for 6-8 points/rebounds a game, in addition to 2-3 blocks a game?

And in the meantime, Jalen Johnson regularly gets to check somebody his size, or maybe even a little smaller?

Three role-playing bigs giving you 20-25 ppg/rpg and the bulk of scoring coming from Cedric, Mylik, JJ, and Kobe(hopefully?)?

[Cajunsmike]

Is it unrealistic to think Akwuba might go for 6-8 points/rebounds a game, in addition to 2-3 blocks a game?

And in the meantime, Jalen Johnson regularly gets to check somebody his size, or maybe even a little smaller?

Three role-playing bigs giving you 20-25 ppg/rpg and the bulk of scoring coming from Cedric, Mylik, JJ, and Kobe(hopefully?)?

Good analysis. I wonder what Akwuba's stat is for blocks per 40 minutes in his freshman year. His no. of blocks dropped substantially in his sophomore year compared to his freshman year. He was second in the conference in blocks in his freshman year. That drop seems unusual and there may be a reason for that. Coach Morris may address that in his interview with Steve coming up later this morning. I think his freshman year block no. is the main reason they targeted him in the recruiting process. Noticed he is from Alabama originally. Probably where Coach Morris noticed him as he was on the South Alabama staff two years ago.

[Hatch]

Good analysis. I wonder what Akwuba's stat is for blocks per 40 minutes in his freshman year. His no. of blocks dropped substantially in his sophomore year compared to his freshman year. He was second in the conference in blocks in his freshman year. That drop seems unusual and there may be a reason for that. Coach Morris may address that in his interview with Steve coming up later this morning. I think his freshman year block no. is the main reason they targeted him in the recruiting process. Noticed he is from Alabama originally. Probably where Coach Morris noticed him as he was on the South Alabama staff two years ago.

3.61 Blocks per 40 minutes as a Freshman. He played almost twice as many total minutes as a freshman.

[Cajunsmike]

3.61 Blocks per 40 minutes as a Freshman. He played almost twice as many total minutes as a freshman.

Coach Morris just said in the interview just concluded that he had a family emergency in Alabama his sophomore year. Whatever that was contributed to his sophomore year not being as good as his first year. He also said that situation is why he is coming here as it is a little closer to home. I imagine that issue will be the basis of a waiver request for immediate eligibility if the one time transfer rule without penalty does not pass or goes into effect a year from now.

[RaginDave]

https://www.wbko.com/content/sports/...480368093.html

Interesting article on this young man coming out of HS. He was recruited by WKU, at that point in time he was listed as 6'10" 201, he is now listed as 6'11" 220, so he has put on nearly 20 lbs. He has some HS video on this article to watch, he seems to be a pretty athletic kid has some skills around the rim and also has a soft shot at the FT line. Seems to be a solid pickup in my eyes. Again, I don't think the expectation is for him to average 10 and 10, but if he can get us a few points as well as be a rim protector and get rebounds, I think it is a win. I see him as being similar to a Byron Collins type player, but more athletic. with limited minutes at Portland he averaged 4 rpg and roughly 1.5 blocks per game while contributing 4 or so ppg and all while doing it in a much tougher conference then we play in, remember we are talking about a conference with Gonzaga, St. Mary's and BYU at the top.