Colonials grab a big man from Panola

For the second time in a week, a Panola Pony has made a verbal commitment to play Division One ball. This time, it was pretty much expected. 6-foot-9 post-man Asrangue Souleymane will play at George Washington next season.

"They recruited him out of prep school," said head coach Scott Monarch. "It was one of those deals where it was really done before it ever started. He came here and he's gonna go back."

Souleymane spent two years at Cincinnati. He played in 17 games and had three blocks and eight rebounds in just 21 total minutes. Though he did not see a lot of floor time, Monarch said the time at UC definitely shows in Souleymane's game.

"He is probably one of the better defensive players in the country in junior college. Defensively, he's really, really good," the coach said. "Playing two years for Huggins and banging with (Jason) Maxiell every day has to have a little toll on you. He's really good on that side and he's getting better offensively."

Monarch said Souleyman will never be a big-time offensive player, but he has improved since coming to Panola.

"I'm an offensive coach. We score all those points," Monarch said. "When I put him through drills, they're drills he's never been through before...He's gotten better, but offense is a certain amount of feel and he does not really have that. He can set a screem, catch and shoot, pursues the rebound. He is a really good out of position rebounder, but that's about the limit of his offense."

Souleymane does have range out to about 15 feet, but will mostly be a defensive stopper for GW.

"He's a guy that you can put on the other team's best post player and he's going to do a very good job," Monarch said.

The coach also confirmed for us the commitment of big man Charles Bronson to the Xavier Musketeers this week.

"He is the total opposite (of Souleymane)," Monarch said. "Offensively, he's really good, his skills are really good. He reminds me a lot of a Kevin McHale. His skill on the block really good, but he's not a great athlete. He is a guy that has the up and under, jump hook, he's really long, passes really well out of the block. He is a straight block to block palyer, not a high low, but offensively think he's really good."

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