Analysis: Frosh give glimpse of future

Several Penn freshmen saw significant minutes off the bench last night. LEXINGTON, Ky. -- With eight minutes left in the second half and Penn down by 16 points, the Quakers' future was on display in Rupp Arena last night. Penn point guard David Klatsky stood on the free throw line with fellow freshmen Ugonna Onyekwe and Koko Archibong waiting to battle for rebounding position in the paint. In that snapshot moment, Klatsky buried both of his free throws and it became clear that Penn's future is now. Operating in an environment saturated with basketball history, Penn coach Fran Dunphy redefined some of his own history. Normally hesitant to give freshmen playing time of any magnitude, Dunphy relied heavily on the newcomers in last night's high-pressure game in the first round of the Preseason NIT. The new look started early, as freshman Klatsky was the first Quaker off of the bench, replacing Matt Langel just five minutes into the game. "The fact is that we gave the freshmen minutes and I thought they responded pretty well," Dunphy said. Battling nationally ranked Kentucky, traditional wisdom and Kentucky coach Tubby Smith, Penn's experience may have been a possible edge. But Klatsky, Onyekwe and Archibong piled on the minutes and, in spite of the 17-point loss, provided a glimpse of what more may come this season. Even off-guard Duane King got into the action down the second-half stretch. "I think the freshmen all realized what our roles are," Onyekwe said. "We understand that our first year, some of us may not play as much as we want to. But everyone is handling it well and doing what is best for the team to win." Onyekwe was often the best Quaker on the court, totaling 14 points and eight rebounds in 19 minutes. The freshman power forward continually provided Penn with a strong inside presence, rebounding well at both ends of the court. Onyekwe's versatility was equally impressive, as he added a three-pointer to his stat sheet. "He played really well. He knocked down some open jumps shots, and caught us off guard a little bit, because he wasn't on our scouting report," Kentucky point guard Saul Smith said. "But everybody in the country knows he can play now." In the backcourt, Klatsky was better than adequate. From the moment he got his first action, just five minutes into the contest, Klatsky exhibited a comfort level equal to that of anyone on the court. "Dave is a real smart player," Dunphy said. "He made just one glaring mistake, trying to make a long pass to over the Kentucky defense in transition. Other than that, he is a very good decision maker." Klatsky's first college points came on a three-pointer that ignited a Penn run midway through the first half. "We were struggling our buns off in the first half trying to get something going, and he made a huge three," Dunphy said. "That really meant a lot to us." The play of Koko Archibong may best explain Dunphy's reasons for the extensive playing time for the freshmen. Archibong played 18 minutes but didn't score. His play, however, proved inspiring to a Penn team that became visibly frustrated at times. At any given point of the game, Archibong could be found diving for an array of loose balls or challenging the Wildcats' big men down in the post. "Even Koko, who didn't score -- he's usually in the right spot," Dunphy said. "It is just a matter of time; it will come for him. He is going to be a real good player." Archibong ended with no points and only two rebounds but his versatility and hustle kept him in the game. Even King began to earn minutes late in the game, replacing Langel as a defensive specialist. King, a Kentucky native, capped off his homecoming with the first basket of his career, a three-pointer with just 1:13 remaining in the game. Overall, the freshman accounted for 48 percent of the Quakers offensive production. "I thought that Dave, Ugonna and Koko did a really nice job," Dunphy said. "To be thrown into an environment like this and perform the way they did, they have a really bright future."

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