KU Jayhawks power forward Zuby Ejiofor erupts for 28 points in Bill Self campers game
Kansas freshman power forward Zuby Ejiofor, who stepped outside to hit a pair of three-pointers, also flushed several rim-rattling slam dunks en route to 28 points in the Red team’s 85-75 victory over the Blue squad in Bill Self’s campers game on Wednesday afternoon at Allen Fieldhouse.
Ejiofor, a 6-foot-8. 220-pound recent graduate of Garland (Texas) High School, thrilled more than 700 campers by finishing a lob pass from fellow big KJ Adams. Ejiofor also gathered a rebound of a Kyle Cuffe miss from three and engineered a follow slam.
Also, the well-conditioned Ejiofor — he said he’d been working overtime in the gym in Texas the past six weeks in preparation for summer workouts at KU — also chased down his own miss from three, then skied high to dunk to conclude his scoring in the 30-minute up-and-down KU intrasquad scrimmage.
“Oh man, it feels amazing. I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a long time,” said Ejiofor.
He was the last of KUs four scholarship freshmen to report to campus, following his school’s graduation ceremonies last weekend.
“My teammates were here a week before me. It feels good to get a little run in and impact the game like I’m supposed to,” Ejiofor stated.
He wasn’t joking about his getting a “run” in.
Ejiofor played 27 minutes and like fellow freshman big man Ernest Udeh (22 points for the Blue team off an assortment of slams and layups) displayed some real speed in running the fieldhouse floor.
“I make sure to stay in shape at all times,” said Ejiofor, ESPN’s No. 75-ranked player in the recruiting Class of 2022 who averaged 22.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, 4.0 blocks and 2.0 steals a game his senior year at Garland High. He scored as many as 33 points in a pair of games and had 20 or more rebounds four times with a season high of 24 caroms.
He acknowledged he was fired up after not being on campus for last Wednesday’s campers game. That’s the game in which KU freshman big man Udeh, 6-10, 220 from Dr. Phillips High in Orlando, Florida, scored 16 points, again off a variety of inside moves and dunks.
“I’m going to show the coaches what I can do at all times. Whenever my name is called I can make an impact. I feel like I have to make a statement,” Ejiofor said.
He said he’s worked hard not only to rule the paint but develop a soft touch from three.
“Nowadays, even at the next level, people need bigs who can do more than score around the paint,” Ejiofor said “It’s OK to stay around the paint a lot. I’ve got a lot more skills to my game, so I just have to show that.”
Asked what he likes better, a dunk or a made three, he said with a smile, “Definitely the dunks. That’s what gets the crowd hyped more than just the three-pointer. Definitely the dunks but when I’m open, I’m going to do a little something else.”
Ejiofor has a fan in teammate, Udeh, who at one point had an open dunk try blocked from behind by point guard Dajuan Harris. Udeh retrieved the ball, headed back to the goal and rammed it through the net.
“He (Ejiofor) has a lot of energy, can stroke the three. He’s a very versatile guy,” Udeh said.
Udeh was just as active as Ejiofor on Wednesday, also playing almost the entire campers game.
“All coaches across the country when I was getting recruited … one thing they always talked about is my energy. I’m always playing hard, always running, that’s the biggest thing,” Udeh said Wednesday.
“Staying active as big guys … you don’t see many big guys with that much agility, that energy. That for sure makes us stand out,” Udeh noted of KU’s big man group that includes 6-10 sophomore forward Zach Clemence, who hit three threes and scored 17 points for the winning Red team. Also, 6-9 Cam Martin hit two threes en route to 18 points for the Blue team and 6-7 soph Adams 10 points for the Reds.
“We’re coming in with a whole lot of talent,” Ejiofor said. “A lot of us can stretch the floor out. We’ve got a whole lot of athleticism. We can get above the rim at times. I feel comfortable about this group (of bigs).”
Of Udeh, Ejiofor said: “He’s amazing, He’s got skills. He’s highly ranked (No. 23 in recruiting Class of 2022 by ESPN). He showed some amazing dunks today. He’s good.”
Ejiofor, who arrived on campus Saturday, grinned when asked if felt great to win in his unofficial KU debut Wednesday.
“It definitely does,” Ejiofor said. “I’m not losing. I’m a sore loser when I lose. Kansas is a great opportunity for us to win a lot more games. They are the winningest program in college history. I love winning. That’s why I’m here.”
And Udeh knows all about KU’s past as well.
“The history of bigs they’ve produced and gone to the league … I feel it’s really special I’ve been given this opportunity to play at this level at this specific place,” Udeh said. “Coach (Bill) Self … we were in the locker room talking. He said, ‘We won the ‘natty’ off throwing it into the post (to David McCormack).’ That’s really something I pay attention to and took heed,” Udeh added.
Red 85, Blue 75
30 minute KU intrasquad scrimmage
Red (85): Zuby Ejiofor 28, Zach Clemence 17, Kyle Cuffe 12, KJ Adams 10, Dillon Wilhite 10, Dajuan Harris 8.
Blue (75): Ernest Udeh 22, Cam Martin 18, Michael Jankovich 11, Gradey Dick 10, Joseph Yesufu 8, Mason Quartlebaum (Missouri-St. Louis player) 4, Wilder Evers 2.
MJ Rice, Jalen Wilson, Kevin McCullar and Bobby Pettiford did not play.
