Blocking Basabe: That’s what McCaffery wants
- Iowa’s Melsahn Basabe
Melsahn Basabe blocked a team-best 41 shots as an Iowa freshman last season. That included seven pink slips against Iowa State, and six in a game against Ohio State.
Basabe has blocked just four shots in 10 games so far this season, something coach Fran McCaffery would like to see change starting Saturday against Drake.
“I’ve watched Melsahn Basabe play in a million different situations going back to when we first started recruiting him,” said Iowa coach Fran McCaffery, who got a commitment from Basabe at Siena and then convinced him to follow him to Iowa City last season. “He’s not an average shot blocker. He’s a great shotblocker.”
McCaffery doesn’t expect the 6-foot-7 Basabe to lead the nation in blocked shots at six or seven a game.
“But I need a game like that every once in awhile,” McCaffery said. ” I need three, and I need the thought in the other team when they’re driving to the basket, “Where’s Melsahn? He might block my shot.’ And he has backed off more than he should have. And he agrees. When you challenge him and you point something out to him and you make sense with it, he’ll buy in and try to address it. And he has tried to do that.”
Category: Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball
