UW adds size with 7-footer
DON RUIZ; Staff writer
Seattle – When the Washington Huskies were muscled out of the Sweet 16 by West Virginia last month, coach Lorenzo Romar noted that opponents tend to get bigger and stronger as the NCAA tourney progresses.
On Wednesday, Romar added height and muscle to the Huskies as 7-foot, 260-pound Aziz N’Diaye signed his letter of intent.
“He really runs the floor well and is a warrior on the floor,” Romar said. “He’s a guy that gives us a little more size off the bat. … I think he’ll fit in real well with us because of his ability to really run the floor and rebound and defend and really be a presence in the middle.”
N’Daiye (pronounced AH-zeeze EN-jai) is from Dakar, Senegal, and redshirted last season at the College of Southern Idaho while recovering from a torn knee ligament.
Romar said the injury is not 100 percent healed but that he doesn’t expect it to delay N’Daiye’s availability at UW.
He will have three seasons of college eligibility remaining.
As a freshman at Southern Idaho, N’Daiye averaged 8.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots. His season highs were 24 points, 14 rebounds and eight blocks while helping his team to a 22-9 record.
Before that, he played one prep school season at Lake Forest (Ill.) Academy, averaging 9.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.9 blocks.
Awards banquet
Quincy Pondexter won three awards, including team MVP, at the UW basketball team’s annual banquet at the Don James Center.
Pondexter, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, also won the rebounding and scholar-athlete awards.
Junior forward Justin Holiday also was a three-time honoree, winning awards for hustle, inspiration and sharing the defensive award with Venoy Overton. Sophomore guard Isaiah Thomas of Tacoma was a two-time winner, being selected the top playmaker and hardest worker.
Junior forward Matthew Bryan-Amaning was most improved, Darnell Gant won the Coaches Award for best attitude, and Brendan Sherrer won the Brandon West Walk-On Award.
For the first time, the whole team shared the Tyee Sports Council Service Award.
Don Ruiz, 253-597-8808
don.ruiz@thenewstribune.com
blog.thenewstribune.com/uwsports
