George Holani, a running back for Boise State, has been suspended by head coach Spencer Danielson because
Important matchup: Graham Ike of Gonzaga vs. Jonathan Mogbo of USF in Round 3.
March 10βLAS VEGAS For the Dons, the opening moments of Saturday’s West Coast Conference Tournament game between San Francisco and Portland couldn’t have been more uncomfortable.
39 minutes and 58 seconds later? Not in that way.
After the initial tip, star forward Jonathan Mogbo rolled his left ankle. The talented, 6-foot-8 Mogbo seemed OK after walking up and down the court for a minute or two, playing his usual 28 minutes.
Mogbo scored nine points, pulled down eight rebounds, and disheveled four assists (just above his 3.5 average) in the Dons’ comfortable 72-51 victory. He did not, however, meet his season averages of 14.5 points and a WCC-leading 10.2 rebounds.
After transferring from Missouri State, Mogbo spent his first season in San Francisco, where he has been among the conference’s most effective players. He was selected as the conference’s best newcomer and first-team All-WCC.
Despite averaging 10.8 points and 9.1 rebounds versus Saint Mary’s, Gonzaga, and Santa Clara, Mogbo hasn’t been at his best against the best WCC teams.
Although he didn’t record a steal (he leads the WCC with 52) or a block (he has 26 on the season), he has performed better in the two games he has played versus the Zags, averaging 11 points and 11 rebounds. In the last six games for San Francisco, Mogbo has averaged 10.5 points.
In Monday’s semifinal, Gonzaga and USF square off for the third time this year, with a great deal at stake. In order to get to March Madness, the Dons must win the WCC tournament. The goal of the Zags is to get a better NCAA Tournament seeding.
Following Saturday’s triumph, Mogbo declared, “It’s going to be a fight; it’s going to be a battle.” “Everyone from 1 to 15 of our guys will be needed. We’re going to create a fantastic strategy for them, and we’re going to defeat them.”
Gonzaga, which has won the series 29 times in a row, is unlikely to change its approach to Mogbo until absolutely required.
The main defender on Mogbo has been junior forward Graham Ike, who has scored 48 points in two victories over the Dons. Ben Gregg and Anton Watson have also been utilized by GU on Mogbo.
Mogbo isn’t very dangerous from beyond the arc (0 of 2), but his 64.3% shooting from the field puts him in eighth place nationwide. Ike is ranked No. 17 at 62%, and Watson is ranked No. 22 at 59%.
Mogbo is a skilled playmaker who rarely forces shots and frequently visits the free-throw line (103 attempts, team-high). At 3.4 per game, he ranks 24th in the US in offensive rebounds.
