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Ebuka Izundu
Freshman F/C 6'10 210 Charlotte, NC (Victory Christian, Nigeria)
2014-15 H.S. Stats: 21 ppg, 15 rpg, 6 blcks.
Scouting Report:
- Extremely athletic big, who is a natural finisher above the rim. Runs the floor very well as well.
- Can contribute immediately as a defensive presence and on the glass. Great instincts especially as a shot blocker.
- Nice touch around the basket, but the big lefty will need to refine his post game the next few seasons to be a consistent offensive threat at this level.
- Needs to add size and strength to his wiry frame. Until then will likely be muscled around some against more experienced/stronger players.
Summary: Izundu reminds me a lot of the freshman version of Tonye Jekiri, who was UM's #4 big on the 2012-13 ACC Championship team. He may be a touch more refined offensively than TJ was at that stage of his career, but look for Coach L to use him similarly to the way Tonye was used as a freshman. That means playing good defense in limited minutes, occasionally finishing at the rim, but very few touches else wise. And that is perfectly okay for a developmental big. Look at how far Jekiri has come over the last few seasons. This young man has similar potential, and while I do not yet expect big things from him in 2015-16, the athletic left-handed C could be an important cog in the program as early as next season.