NBA News NBA News, Match Reports and Updates
PISCATAWAY – Let the record show that the first standing ovation of the 2024-25 Rutgers basketball season was for a freshman – and not who you would have thought.
Lathan Sommerville, whose arrival on the banks has unfolded in the shadow of fellow rookies and McDonald’s All-Americans Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, delivered a scintillating performance off the bench to spark the Scarlet Knights past Wagner 75-52 Monday.
The 6-foot-10, 270-pounder from Illinois tallied 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds. On the offensive end, he made the most of the additional touches presented by the absence of Bailey, who sat out with an undisclosed injury suffered in Monday’s practice (it’s not believed to be long-term, and Bailey was moving around fine in plainclothes on the bench). He showed expert body control in finishing a full-court layup while changing hands in the air, displayed proficiency with a jump hook, rattled in a 3-pointer and made both of his free throws. All while committing just one turnover.
The capstone came midway through the second half, when Sommerville backed down two defenders and dished an over-the-shoulder, no-look pass to baseline-cutting teammate Jordan Derkack, who dropped in the open layup. It was a point guard-quality pass coming from an aircraft carrier.
Nov 6, 2024; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights center Lathan Sommerville (24) slaps hands with guard Dylan Harper (2) during the first half against the Wagner Seahawks at Jersey Mike’s Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
On the defensive end, Sommerville was an upgrade over starter Emmanuel Ogbole, who Wagner successfully attacked for three buckets out of the gate and picked up three fouls – including a technical – in just five minutes. Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell is a stickler on that end, and he’ll surely be a tough film-room grader of Sommerville’s performance, but at a glance, the rookie held his own outside of one blow-by…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/rutgers-basketball-lathan-sommerville-breaks-010028583.html
Author : App.com | Asbury Park Press
Publish date : 2024-11-07 01:00:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
