Whenever you ask Washington Huskies center Franck Kepnang about the team’s big men for the upcoming season, he’s always quick to mention Oregon State transfer KC Ibekwe.
“If you don’t, you’re going to have a bad practice because those dudes, like KC Ibekwe, he goes hard every single day,” he said on Tuesday. “You’ve got Wilhelm (Breidenbach), his toughness too; he’s going to catch you if you’re not ready; you’ve got Chris Conway, all great bigs, so your game has to be really on point. Having those guys get you game reps every single (practice) is good.”
But even among that talented group of reserves, Ibekwe has stood out for multiple reasons. Not only did Kepnang name the junior alongside himself and forward Great Osobor as what he expects the toughest trio of big men in the country, but Ibekwe also looks like he could be one of the best defenders in the Big Ten.
Not only did he average 5.1 points and 4 rebounds per game as a sophomore, but he also recorded a block or a steal on 9.5 percent of possessions when he was on the floor for the Beavers last season, which is the third-highest among returning players in the Big Ten.
If coach Danny Sprinkle can find an effective role for Ibekwe, he could evolve from a sleeper, as Kepnang called him, into one of the Big Ten’s most valuable reserves.
https://twitter.com/joejacksonCBB/status/1846672475733610909