Photo by: Steve Buhman, University Communications
Salukis add 6-8 forward Sekou Dembele
09/01/2018 | 3:20:00 | Men's Basketball
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CARBONDALE, Ill. – The Southern Illinois men's basketball program added 6-8, 230-pound forward Sekou Dembele to the 2018-19 roster. Dembele will be a freshman.
"It's always important to add good players to your program, and we feel like we've done that with Sekou," SIU head coach Barry Hinson said. "He comes from a very well-respected Gateway AAU program. We've had a great relationship with their coaches over the years. It's always been important for us to add kids of high character. He possesses the character we want to have in our program. It's hard to get good big guys at our level, and we're certainly blessed to have him."
Dembele (name pronounced See-koo Dem-belly) is from Mali and came to the U.S. less than a year ago. He averaged 8.7 points and 6.4 rebounds for Mali at the 2017 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup, including a 13-point, 14-rebound game against Canada.
When he came to the U.S., Dembele played at Park Central Christian High School in Birmingham, Ala., and with the Gateway AAU program. He averaged 13.8 points and 8.6 rebounds while shooting 61 percent from the field at Park Central Christian.
"He has a very high motor," said Scott Schroepfer, Director of Gateway Basketball Club. "He's a great rebounder and has a 7-foot wingspan. His offense has taken off since he's been in the states. He started with Gateway in April, and by July he was a totally different player. He has great back-to-the-basket moves and can face up out to 15 feet. His offense has improved exponentially. His best basketball is in front of him."
Dembele joins Marcus Bartley as recent SIU signees at the start of the year. Bartley signed with the Salukis on August 31, 2016. Dembele also joins Aaron Cook and Darius Beane as Gateway alums on Southern's roster.
"We love sending kids to SIU," Schroepfer said. "I've known Coach Hinson for 25 years, and he's a great person. They do it right and graduate kids. The kids have success and teams have success."
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CARBONDALE, Ill. – The Southern Illinois men's basketball program added 6-8, 230-pound forward Sekou Dembele to the 2018-19 roster. Dembele will be a freshman.
"It's always important to add good players to your program, and we feel like we've done that with Sekou," SIU head coach Barry Hinson said. "He comes from a very well-respected Gateway AAU program. We've had a great relationship with their coaches over the years. It's always been important for us to add kids of high character. He possesses the character we want to have in our program. It's hard to get good big guys at our level, and we're certainly blessed to have him."
Dembele (name pronounced See-koo Dem-belly) is from Mali and came to the U.S. less than a year ago. He averaged 8.7 points and 6.4 rebounds for Mali at the 2017 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup, including a 13-point, 14-rebound game against Canada.
When he came to the U.S., Dembele played at Park Central Christian High School in Birmingham, Ala., and with the Gateway AAU program. He averaged 13.8 points and 8.6 rebounds while shooting 61 percent from the field at Park Central Christian.
"He has a very high motor," said Scott Schroepfer, Director of Gateway Basketball Club. "He's a great rebounder and has a 7-foot wingspan. His offense has taken off since he's been in the states. He started with Gateway in April, and by July he was a totally different player. He has great back-to-the-basket moves and can face up out to 15 feet. His offense has improved exponentially. His best basketball is in front of him."
Dembele joins Marcus Bartley as recent SIU signees at the start of the year. Bartley signed with the Salukis on August 31, 2016. Dembele also joins Aaron Cook and Darius Beane as Gateway alums on Southern's roster.
"We love sending kids to SIU," Schroepfer said. "I've known Coach Hinson for 25 years, and he's a great person. They do it right and graduate kids. The kids have success and teams have success."
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