Jan. 6, 2009

(3:23 p.m.) – Just got home from basketball practice, and a tall, skinny figure emerged from the Bearcats locker room as we waited to talk to Mick. This was our first look at Ibrahima Thomas, who transferred in from Oklahoma State and enrolled in classes at UC today.

His appearance has been rumored for a while now, and unlike another certain tall player hailing from the continent of Africa, it seems like Thomas is going to stick at UC. Which thrilled Mick.

“He’s 6-11, he can shoot the basketball, he’s got skill and he can open the floor up for Yancy down low and also gives us size on the defensive end,” Mick said as Thomas took jumpshots on the 5/3 floor. “He has a tremendous attitude. He’s a wonderful young guy; just a great kid. We’re really excited to be adding him at this time. We were hoping to be adding somebody else, but that didn’t work out. Thomas is a great addition for our program.”

UC fans will have to wait a while to see Thomas – a native of Dakar, Senegal – in a Bearcats uniform, though. He’s ineligible to play until after the last finals day of the fall quarter in 2009. So, he’ll miss the first six or seven games of next season, and then, he’ll have a year and a half of eligibility remaining. Expect him to be an impact player.

“You don’t take a transfer unless he’s a guy who’s going to start or be in the first seven,” Mick said. “Thomas is really a 4 man, a guy who can stretch the defense but also can run the floor and finish around the rim. He’ll allow us to be a little more versatile for Yancy and other guys to penetrate.”

As an Oklahoma State freshman, he started 27 games and scored 17 first-half points vs. Texas. This season, he started the only seven contests he played and averaged 8.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per game before he and Cowboys coach Travis Ford parted ways.

“He’s played in a lot of big games as a freshman,” Mick said. “We were fortunate to get him, because he had a whole lot of options. Like the whole Big East.”