There’s something about freshmen jumping right into the college game.
It starts with the unknown, and then morphs into the tantalizing potential and excitement of what could be not just for the rest of the season, but the three years to follow. Earlier this week, we looked at
five Summit League freshmen on the women’s side that have immediately become important parts of their respective teams.
Today, we look at their counterparts on the men’s side enjoying exciting debuts.
Paul Bruns, Guard (North Dakota): It was always going to be a new offensive reality this season in Grand Forks as the Fighting Hawks replaced their gravitational force of a big man in Filip Rebraca, and starting point guard in Tyree Ihenacho. Part of that scoring puzzle has been solved by Bruns, who is the only Summit freshman to average double figure scoring (11.8 ppg) this year. Perhaps most impressively, Bruns has turned the ball over at one of the lowest rates in the country despite playing a heavy role in the UND offense right away. The jump shooting threat broke into Paul Sather’s starting rotation on Nov. 30, and looks set to stay there for a long time based on the start to his college career.
Zeke Mayo, Guard (South Dakota State): Mayo has slotted in perfectly to a South Dakota State team with big stars and big hopes this season. The Lawrence, Kan. native has seemingly earned Eric Henderson’s trust immediately, and carved out a much-needed backcourt role alongside Baylor Scheierman and Noah Freidel. He’s been a quality wing defender and dangerous three-point shooter (40.0 3P%), along with showing glimpses of being able to already be more than a complementary player this season. Mayo was arguably the Jackrabbits best player in their road win at Washington State, as he scored 17 points on six-for-seven shooting and grabbed seven rebounds.
Coban Porter, Guard (Denver): It’s unavoidable. Fair or not, it’s hard to disassociate Porter from his older brother Michael Jr., especially with both in Denver. But the comparison isn’t necessarily a burden, since the Pioneers’ Porter has displayed the same sort of shooting ability that once made his brother one of the top recruits in the country. Porter has been DU’s best three-point threat, shooting 44.4 percent on a healthy amount of attempts (45) over the season’s first 13 games. He’s also scored in double figures in three-straight games, including a career-high 19 points against New Mexico on Dec. 9. He’s on track to ensure there’s more than one Porter scoring points in the Mile High City.
Tevin Smith, Guard (Denver): Porter isn’t the only freshmen that has jumped right into Jeff Wulbrun’s first team. Smith was an early recruiting coup for Wulbrun, and the three-star wing hasn’t disappointed, adding an athletic presence to the perimeter. He’s pitched in offensively (8.0 ppg), while already recording five games with two or more blocks, an impressive number for a player whose game isn’t rooted in the paint. Smith and Porter aren’t the only ones in Wulbrun’s wave of freshmen, with international big men Tuoko Tainamo and Pedro Lopez-Sanvicente each having big moments in their own right at points this season.
Frankie Fidler, Forward (Omaha): The lone freshman on Derrin Hansen’s roster has been a bright spot amid the Mavericks tough non-conference run. As they turn the page to league play, the Omaha area native has shown the ability to contribute in plenty of ways (6.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.9 apg). Though his playing time dipped over the past few games, the type of all-around performance he pitched in against a tough Drake team in early December (7 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists) is the sort of outing that UNO fans must hope can help the team create some positive momentum going forward. The Mavs have had no shortage of high-end big men in recent seasons between Tre’Shawn Thurman, Mitchell Hahn and Matt Pile. Could Fidler be the next?
