University of Miami Men’s Basketball Clips 2015-16 2011-15 highlights on last 35 pages 7-foot Jekiri a big reason for Hurricanes’ success Associated Press “When he’s in there, we’re not fouling,” Steven Wine Larranaga said. Jekiri is excited about his potential in Feb. 12, 2016 the NBA, and because he became serious Jekiri said his fondness for defense dates about basketball just five years ago, scouts In his most recent game, Miami Hurricanes to his days playing soccer in Nigeria, before figure he still has room for development. senior Tonye Jekiri twice saved balls from he moved to Florida in 2010 to pursue a going out of bounds under his basket, basketball career. But he’s a late bloomer, which will likely forced a turnover at midcourt and was the prevent teams from considering him as a first player down the floor on a fast break. “I’ve always been on the defensive side lottery pick. playing soccer,” he said. “That has always For a seven-footer, Jekiri gets around. been my mindset - having to make stops.” “They’re intrigued,” Larranaga said. “They see his improvement. They like the way The Nigerian is not a big scorer, averaging The soccer background also helps explain he plays team defense. They like his barely half a dozen shots and 8.1 points Jekiri’s uncommon agility for someone rebounding numbers. But he’s a senior, per game. But he’s a big reason for the with size-16 shoes. He has developed a and they don’t like old guys - 22 is too old success of the No. 12-ranked Hurricanes nice shooting touch inside, and his field for them.” (19-4, 8-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), goal percentage has improved from 46 who trail league leader North Carolina by percent as a sophomore to 50 percent as a The Hurricanes like their senior center just one game heading into Sunday’s game at junior and 55 percent this season. fine. Florida State. Another area of progress has been choosing “I’m a Dennis Rodman and Kevin Garnett when to be aggressive on defense, which fan,” Jekiri said Thursday. “Those are is why he has yet to foul out of a game guys who play with so much energy and this season. With a laugh, Larranaga passion. I’ve always tried to do that, and recalled that when Jekiri was a freshman, I think my team feeds off me sometimes.” he would commit a foul on virtually every possession in practice. Coach Jim Larranaga agreed. He said Jekiri deserves serious consideration for “The game fast for me,” Jekiri said, “and I ACC defensive player of the year after was asked to go against guys who weighed finishing third last year. 10 times more than me. Sometimes you had to foul to slow them down.” “He has such a big impact on the defensive end,” Larranaga said. “There are plays he No more. He’s a muscular 245 pounds, makes that there is no statistical category which also comes in handy on the boards, for.” where he ranks among the ACC leaders at 9.8 rebounds per game. Jekiri’s especially adept at helping guards defend ball screens, forcing the opposition Jekiri concedes his defense is ahead of his to its second or third option. offense, in part because the Hurricanes have other players to do the scoring. Four His impact was evident in Tuesday’s teammates are averaging in double figures. win over Pittsburgh. In the first half the Panthers made 10 free throws, all with “That’s what a team is supposed to be,” Jekiri on the bench because of foul trouble. Jekiri said. “You have to have a guy who In the second half he played 19 minutes, really scores, and guy who really plays and the Panthers made no free throws. defense. You put them together, and it’s kind of like you’re building a brick wall.” The Sixth Man: Newton Out to Prove He is Best Player in His House Sports Illustrated - Campus Rush something you want. Wait your turn. From his to? Lindsay Schnell mom: You get the respect you give—including to Still, he credits his upbringing with molding him Feb. 12, 2016 and from people in front of you in the rotation. into a college basketball player. Known for some of It’s advice he still heeds. Through 23 games, the best pick-up basketball in America, Philadelphia Newton is second-leading scorer and assister for has churned out some of the premier players in After Miami’s 65 –63 win over Pittsburgh on the 19–4 Hurricanes, who are ranked No. 12 in the college and professional hoops. In South Philly, Tuesday, Hurricanes assistant coach Jamal Brunt AP poll. Years ago Joe told Ja’Quan that scoring Ja’Quan played regularly against Samir Doughty, asked Joe Newton what was supposed to be an early in games wasn’t everything. Drawing from now at VCU, and Maurice Watson Jr., now at innocent question: Who is the best player in the lessons he had learned watching Magic Johnson, Clemson. Newton household? Joe told Ja’Quan that involving teammates early He isn’t sure who placed a basketball in his hands The 1998 NABC Division II National Player of usually meant they would go to battle with you first, but Ja’Quan’s earliest memories are tagging the Year answered without hesitating. “Me,” Joe late. Ja’Quan relishes his role as what Larrañaga along with Joe to pick-up and rec league games, said. But the player ESPN analyst Dick Vitale likes likes to call a “multipurpose guard,” increasing his bouncing a ball on the sideline as his dad “put on a to call the best sixth man in the country overheard scoring output (from 4.6 points as a freshman) and show.” Joe was always one of the best players on the conversation, and disagreed. “Me,” said his shooting percentage (from 40.5% from the field the court, Ja’Quan says, and he watched closely as Ja’Quan Newton. last season to 48.6% now). his dad relentlessly attacked the rim, blowing past “I almost asked him to play me one-on-one He just wishes Brown could see it. defenders with change-of-pace moves. right there in Miami, in front of his teammates During his senior year in high school, Ja’Quan Ja’Quan started with Nerf hoops and kiddie and coaches,” said Joe, who starred at Central traveled with his mother to Miami for an official balls, with Joe watching him and correcting his Oklahoma before playing professionally in countries visit. Brown had been diagnosed two years earlier form. When Ja’Quan’s turn came on the pick-up including Mexico, Colombia, Croatia and Greece for with breast cancer and knew she would not live courts, Joe told the other adults—Joe says he nearly a decade. “But I decided since they got the much longer. So she went to Liz Larrañaga, Jim’s never let Ja’Quan play with his age group—not to big win, I’d let it go for now.” wife, and had a mom-to-mom conversation. “She take it easy on his son. “They’d foul me, push me Ja’Quan isn’t fazed. “Last time we played one- basically asked my wife to take care of Ja’Quan,” down. They never asked if I was O.K., just always on-one,” he says. “I was in the eighth grade. He Larrañaga recalled. “She said, ‘He needs a family— yelled, ‘Get up!’” Ja’Quan says. “At first, I’d get stopped it, said he had to ‘be somewhere.’ We will you look after him?’” mad, because I couldn’t score. I’d be like, ‘Man, haven’t played since.” Ja’Quan laughed. “He’s Brown died months later, on March 20, 2014, what the hell? What is going on?’ But it made me scared now!” at age 38, the day before Neumann-Gorett played tough.” Joe, who works part-time at the Philadelphia for its fourth state championship game in Newton’s Ja’Quan spent hours in the gym, dribbling around Convention Center, insists that isn’t the case. At career. He responded by scoring 33 points in a cones and chairs with Joe barking out instructions 41, he works out “excessively” each day, honing 64–57 overtime win, explaining afterward to local about when to cross over, when to hesitate and his game because he loves hoops but also because, media that he knew his mom would be up in heaven when to go between the legs. One screw-up sent “I can’t let my son beat me!” He estimates that by “fussing” if he used her death as an excuse to quit. Ja’Quan back to the start. In the eighth grade, dad the time Ja’Quan finishes playing at Miami in two Ja’Quan says now that decommitting to stay closer would wake son at 5:30 a.m., drive to the gym for years, he might be able to beat Joe, but not before to home, and his remaining family, never crossed drills, bring him back in time to shower and then that. He isn’t ready to deem his son the best player his mind. In Coral Gables he found two things his send him off to school. “A lot of people thought in the family. But he’s good with calling him the parents had wanted for him: safety and sunshine. it was too much,” says Joe, who split with Lisa best sixth man in the country.