Expectations Too High for Big Frank?
I think so. I empathize with Frank Ben-Eze. He was bound for Harvard, which would have been a good fit. Then he couldn't qualify academically for admission. So he picked Davidson, possibly another good fit for a player whom I think everyone would agree is still quite raw.
Then comes along this story on Davidson, touting its recruitment of Ben-Eze as the product of its terrific NCAA tournament run. And while that most certainly is true, it sure seems that there is a rush to make Ben-Eze into a better prospect than he is - much the same way that interest sparked in him after the 6-foot-10 Nigerian arrived in the United States two years ago. There is still a memory of Gary Williams making the trip to see Ben-Eze only to see the player go scoreless in scant foul-plagued playing time. Then this year, in the WCAC championship game, O'Connell Coach Joe Wootten opted to keep Ben-Eze on the bench until the final minute - when he entered, made a sensational block on Max Kenyi and torn his ACL upon landing.
Maybe Ben-Eze will have a great college career. But it sure seems the expectations for him are being set quite high.
By Josh Barr |
May 6, 2008; 8:59 AM ET
| Category:
Basketball
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