Oregon forward Chris Boucher only played 17 minutes against Holy Cross, but he made his presence known. He caught a lot of lobs from teammates Dillon Brooks and Elgin Cooks, which seemed impossible for Holy Cross to defend. He was 8-12 from the field and grabbed 5 rebounds.
The 6’10 junior was recently granted another year of eligibility after his future at Oregon was in doubt. Details via CBS Sports:
Forward Chris Boucher has received a waiver to play college basketball in the 2016-17 season. He had joined Oregon this offseason after two years at junior colleges. However, due to a delayed enrollment issue out of high school, Boucher was declared a senior by the NCAA.
According to the school, Boucher appealed the governing body’s decision, stating that he worked for a year after high school in order to support his family. The NCAA ruled that the “delay owed to circumstances beyond his control,” and granted his request for an extra year of eligibility.
His ceiling is unknown, but his frame and natural shooting stroke have Oregon fans excited. As well as his head coach Dana Altman. From CBS Sports:
“Chris is a tremendous young man, and we’re very excited to have him back with us for another year,” coach Dana Altman said. “He has done everything we’ve asked of him, has been great to work with and I’m glad he will have the opportunity to continue to develop as a player as well as finish his degree.”
The way his teammates interact with him during shoot-around, show the affection they have for him- and the potential they see in him. Giving him the younger brother treatment- trying to block his shots, knocking the ball out of his hands. The way they talk about him after the game is fun to see; they seem to rally around him. They know his potential and they want to help him reach it.
The game versus Holy Cross was a blowout, so we didn’t get to see a challenged Oregon team, but when they square off against St. Joseph’s, things will get interesting. Oregon is intimidating in just in their size alone, but with the team chemistry and coaching experience they have, they sky is the limit sooner rather than later.