Okereafor’s emergence gives VCU’s backcourt depth
When the VCU basketball team traveled to Italy over the summer for a brief tour of the country and a few of its pro basketball franchises, the Rams put up several lopsided scores and in their off time did a scavenger hunt which included doing pushups at specific landmarks and visiting such staples as the Leaning Tower of Pisa.What they also found on the trip was potentially the beginning of an emergence for sophomore point guard Teddy Okereafor, who saw additional minutes in the blowouts victories on the trip. Okereafor, who is originally from London, put up big numbers in all areas of the stat sheet especially three pointers and assists.
(Photo by Chris Conway)
Quinn Casteel
Sports Editor
When the VCU basketball team traveled to Italy over the summer for a brief tour of the country and a few of its pro basketball franchises, the Rams put up several lopsided scores and in their off time did a scavenger hunt which included doing pushups at specific landmarks and visiting such staples as the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
What they also found on the trip was potentially the beginning of an emergence for sophomore point guard Teddy Okereafor, who saw additional minutes in the blowouts victories on the trip. Okereafor, who is originally from London, put up big numbers in all areas of the stat sheet especially three-pointers and assists.
“Teddy showed us how, when he’s confident in his game, how good he can be,” said sophomore guard Treveon Graham of Okereafor’s impressive performance in Italy. “When he was over there he played great and showed us just how good his three point shot is.”
At Atlantic 10 Media Day, VCU coach Shaka Smart said Okereafor has made big strides in the offseason, as evidenced by the trip to Italy, and he expects to use a lot of point guard heavy lineups this season, even guaranteeing that Okereafor, senior Darius Theus and sophomore Briante Weber will all see the floor at the same time.
“It’s good to have a team with multiple point guards, we have very good chemistry,” said Theus of the combination of himself, Weber and Okereafor. “It could be a certain time in the game where we need ball handlers on the floor, so we could all play together at one point and it could help us out if we use it to our advantage.”
The best part about VCU’s combination of point guards is the different strengths that the three of them bring to the court. Weber’s hands are among the quickest in the nation as he proved in his freshman season and on the offensive side his mid-jumper could become a dangerous weapon as it develops.
Weber’s skills have meshed well with Theus’ on court leadership and traditional point guard characteristics, and they have enjoyed playing together both being from the Newport News area, which Theus called the “757 connection.”
If Okereafor is able to can the occasional three pointer and run the offense when his name is called, he’ll add a new flavor to the Rams’ point guard mix.
“Teddy’s been doing a very job and you can see that he’s starting to get used to everything, get the hang of everything,” said Theus of the second year guard. “He’s beginning to understand the type of player that Coach Smart wants him to be.”