How Peoria’s Lathan Sommerville transformed into an important part of Rutgers basketball

Rutgers Latham Sommerville and Emmanuel Ogbole talk during break in action. Rutgers Intrasquad Scrimmage at Rutgers Athletic Center in Piscataway, NJ on September 28. 2024.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — It was the kind of dime you’d expect to see from a playmaking guard — a one-handed skip pass from the top of the key that hit cutting wing P.J. Hayes perfectly in stride for an easy layup.

Except the assist came from 6-foot-10, 275-pound center Lathan Sommerville.

While most of the 1,500 or so fans at Rutgers basketball’s intrasquad scrimmage Saturday focused on smooth-as-silk Dylan Harper and human highlight reel Ace Bailey, fellow freshman Sommerville was making a bid to shore up the biggest positional question mark for the Scarlet Knights in 2024-25.

Can the Peorian push presumed starter Emmanuel Ogbole for serious minutes at center?

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When Sommerville arrived on campus in June, that prospect seemed doubtful as he came to a stark realization: He was struggling to keep up.

“It’s not high school anymore,” Sommerville said earlier in the week. “Going at a different pace, I had to adjust to that.”

So the Richwoods grad and 2024 Journal Star Player of the Year lost 20-plus pounds and focused on “improving aspects of my motor,” he said, “knowing I have to go hard every single play, every single possession.”

He had no choice, because Ogbole was doing just that. He lacks Sommerville’s offensive skill, but the 6-foot-10, 270-pound junior does what head coach Steve Pikiell values most: defends and rebounds with a high level of physicality.

“For me, it’s good competition,” Sommerville said. “We’re going at each other every day.”

On Saturday Sommerville sank a runner in the lane and a hook shot, made both of his free-throw attempts, and threw multiple quality passes. Ogbole, who missed two dunks and got stuffed at the rim on a third dunk attempt, was the more consistent defender and usually in the…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/peorias-lathan-sommerville-transformed-important-083112805.html

Author : Journal Star

Publish date : 2024-10-03 08:31:12

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