Michael Fakuade is taking his star turn in leading the University of Illinois Springfield Prairie Stars men’s basketball team.
The 6-foot-7 junior forward has stepped into the spotlight this season after transferring from Northern Illinois University.
Fakuade ranks third in NCAA Division II in blocked shots with an average of 3.4 per game. He’s behind Philadelphia University junior center Temi Adebayo (4.1) and St Andrews senior center Marcus Connor (3.7).
“The first thing I noticed when I got here is he’s got long arms,” UIS first-year coach Ben Wierzba said. “He’s got a good build to him, but when you get on the court you notice how long his arms are.
“That’s an advantage he uses on the offensive glass and on the defensive end blocking shots. He can cover long distances in a short period. With his reach, he can get there.
“He gets off the floor really quick. If he misses a shot, he can bounce back up before somebody else, and his arms are long enough that he can get a tip or get a block.”
Fakuade was featured in a February 9, 2011, article by The State Journal-Register.
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