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Seen and heard: Christian Koloko, still adapting to life in US, has Arizona on his radar
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Editor's Pick

Seen and heard: Christian Koloko, still adapting to life in US, has Arizona on his radar

  • Jul 27, 2018
  • Jul 27, 2018 Updated Aug 8, 2018

The Star's Bruce Pascoe checks in from the several major recruiting events taking place in Las Vegas this week.

Replanted

Christian Koloko (copy)

Birmingham High School's Christian Koloko (35), in a 2018 Division II playoff game in San Diego, moved to the U.S. from Cameroon a year ago. He played high school ball with incoming UA guard Devonaire Doutrive.

Chadd Cady

LAS VEGAS 鈥 This week is Christian Koloko鈥檚 first experience with travel ball, and he鈥檚 doing it for the well-regarded Oakland Soldiers, too.

Yet in some ways it鈥檚 nothing.

This week is the one year anniversary of Koloko鈥檚 move from Cameroon to the United States, meaning he鈥檚 had to adapt to a new country, go to a new school and learn a new language. Both French and English are official languages in Cameroon but Koloko said he spoke French.

Christian Koloko (copy)

Christian Koloko (35) couldn't speak English when he moved to the U.S. from Cameroon last year.

Chadd Cady

鈥淢y first week of classes was pretty hard because I wasn鈥檛 speaking English,鈥 Koloko said. 鈥淓ven the system is very difficult.鈥

But Koloko thrived anyway, recording a 3.8 GPA at Southern California鈥檚 Birmingham High School, where he played with incoming UA freshman Devonaire Doutrive.

Koloko is a 7-foot, 195-pound center in the class of 2019, drawing offers so far from Arizona, Northwestern, Harvard and Princeton, .

While Koloko said he hasn鈥檛 given much thought at this point to his recruitment, he has been in touch with Doutrive about one place he could go.

鈥淗e said Arizona is a good school, it鈥檚 a good thing,鈥 Koloko said.

Sudden victory

Drive Nation won on sudden death putback by Drew Timme in third overtime. Free tip for his future defenders, he鈥檚 going to hit you with every pump fake and spin in the book and then out trash talk you. Effective style.

— Eric Bossi (@ebosshoops)

With only a 10-minute gap scheduled between most tournament games, there isn鈥檛 a lot of tolerance for those that are tied at the end of regulation. Many have just two-minute overtime periods, and Drew Timme found himself in an even tighter squeeze Friday.

A class of 2019 Arizona recruiting target from the Dallas area, Timme and his Drive Nation team were thrown into sudden death when its Friday afternoon game with Louisiana Supreme 17U was tied at 63-63. Three times, in fact.

On the fourth possession, Timme managed to drive inside for a layup to give Drive Nation a 65-63 win.

As satisfying as that might have seemed, Timme wasn鈥檛 a fan of the sudden death format.

鈥淗eck, no,鈥 Timme said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not fun at all.鈥

Adios, opponents

The No. 1 overall prospect in the class of 2020, Fresno guard Jalen Green, went off to Argentina to play against some of the top 17-year-olds in the world earlier this summer.

Turns out, just staying home and playing travel ball is a lot more competitive: With Green averaging 15.7 points to lead the way, USA Basketball won all seven games by an average margin of 53.7 points.

Still, Green said the experience was a good one, in part because of the competition within the team.

鈥淚t was fun but you gotta know your role on the USA team,鈥 Green said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of players that are the top in their class in the country. But I don鈥檛 think any team was better than us and we showed it.鈥

Green has been playing this week with Adidas-sponsored EBO.

High-major bound

No. 9 Arizona Wildcats vs. Washington Huskies college basketball (copy)

Before departing Arizona to coach Pepperdine, assistant Lorenzo Romar had his hand in swaying a 2020 recruit toward Tucson.

Mike Christy / 51黑料网

While Lorenzo Romar spent last season as an assistant Arizona coach, he made a point of contacting Seattle guard MarJon Beauchamp to talk about the Wildcats.

Beauchamp says he鈥檚 still in touch with Arizona, but of course not with Romar, who now coaches Pepperdine. He said Romar hasn鈥檛 tried to talk him into playing for the Waves.

鈥淲e still talk though,鈥 Beauchamp said.

A top-25 guard in the class of 2020, Beauchamp said he鈥檚 considering Arizona, Washington, ASU, Washington State, USC, UCLA and Michigan.

No Jacks

Jack Murphy (copy)

NAU coach Jack Murphy explained the Lumberjacks' absence from UA's schedule in 2018-19.

Jake Bacon / Arizona Daily Sun 2015

NAU coach Jack Murphy, taking in a game at the Under Armour Association championships, said the Big Sky鈥檚 move from 18 to 20 games next season was partly responsible for the Lumberjacks鈥 absence from UA鈥檚 2018-19 schedule.

However, Murphy said he鈥檚 been talking to UA operations director Ryan Reynolds about renewing the nearly annual series again in 2019-20.

Quotable

5-Star Forward Jaden McDaniels Single Game Highlights @ LV Classic!FULL VIDEO:

— Courtside Films (@CourtsideFilms)

鈥淯h. Not really.鈥 鈥 Seattle forward Jaden McDaniels, when asked if he鈥檚 a morning person after leading the Seattle Rotary to a 90-65 double-overtime victory in a game that started at 8 a.m., just 75 minutes after he woke up.

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