Sports Odds and Ends
Pressed into starting duties this season because of injury, Macalester junior Armando Akapo-Nwagbo is taking full advantage of the opportunity.
“I’ll help my team [by doing] whatever I have to do to make my team better,” said Akapo-Nwagbo, the 6-6 junior forward from Nigeria. “I’m very new to playing basketball,” he admitted.
He graduated from Pomona (Calif.) High School with a 4.6 GPA and won all-conference honors as a prep player. His basketball experience admittedly is limited but is improving virtually every day.
“He’s still learning the game,” stated Macalester Coach Abe Woldeslassie on Akapo-Nwagbo after the January 27 home loss to St. John’s. “I think Armando might have played just one year [of basketball] in the U.S.”
Last season Akapo-Nwagbo played in 14 games, and only six games the year before that (2021-22). “He’s come a long way,” noted his coach.
Against St. John’s, Akapo-Nwagbo played 19 minutes, grabbed eight rebounds, and scored five points. He’s averaging 3.1 PPG and 4.9 rebounds per contest.
With junior big man Badou Ba out for the season due to an injury, Akapo-Nwagbo was inserted into the starting lineup and has held his own as a result. “He’s a great rebounder. He’s improving as a defender,” said Woldeslassie.
“I think what he maybe doesn’t get enough credit for is how well he sets screens. A lot of the reasons our guards are able to get shots is because of the screens Armando sets.”
“My strongest strength will be the rebound,” said Akapo-Nwagbo, who is studying political science as his major with a computer science minor. “I don’t know where that’s gonna take me yet” after graduation, he said, “but that’s my passion.”
Woldeslassie said that with Ba expected to return next season along with Akapo-Nwagbo returning as well, both as seniors, “We’re expecting big things. Gives us a really strong frontline.”
“I think I can continue to work on just making the right defensive reads to help my team get better,” said Akapo-Nwagbo.
Wheeler leading Norfolk State
Norfolk State junior forward Kierra Wheeler (Minneapolis) is leading her team in scoring, rebounding, and overall toughness this season, says her coach. The 6-1 forward has improved her scoring average six points from last season (11.1 to 17.6 this season).
“She’s seeing a ton of double teams in the league,” Spartans Coach Larry Vickers said of Wheeler during a regularly scheduled MEAC bi-weekly media call last week.