Onyekwe: Freshman stud or sophomore dud?

All true Penn men's basketball fans are dying to know one thing as the 2001-02 season rapidly approaches.

Which Ugonna Onyekwe is going to show up to play this year?

Is it going to be the freshman-year phenom, or will it be the inconsistent, disappointing sophomore?

Whether Onyekwe knows it or not, how he plays will most likely determine how the team performs as a whole. The Quakers readily admit that Onyekwe is their most talented man on the court -- but only when he wants to be.

He will have to regain the trust of his teammates and fans this year after a terribly disappointing sophomore season.

When Onyekwe came to Penn as a freshman in 1999, he was perhaps the most decorated recruit in school history. The media predicted that he would become the best player in the Ivy League, maybe the first to ever leave early for the NBA draft.

Onyekwe lived up to expectations and earned his keep in the 1999-2000 season, dazzling fans with a menagerie of secret weapons and exciting tricks.

He dominated the lane for the Quakers. He rebounded, blocked and scored on opponents with ease. He even polished off bitter rival Princeton with a one-handed, 360-degree dunk that made the SportsCenter highlights.

Onyekwe averaged 11.7 points and six rebounds per game, and ended the season with 47 blocks.

When the Quakers finished with an Ivy League title and an undefeated record in the Ancient Eight, many credited Onyekwe, who started in 28 out of 29 games, as the deciding factor.

No wonder he was a unanimous decision for the Ivy League Rookie of the Year award.

Onyekwe did it all as a freshman, and visions of three more Ivy League championships danced in the heads of devout Penn fans.

And when November rolled around in 2001, the hype around sophomore Onyekwe and the Quakers intensified.

Early in the season, Quakers fans came to the realization that the 2001-02 season would be different.

Onyekwe didn't disappear, but he didn't stay in the spotlight either.

In the middle of big games -- Princeton, for example -- his play was less than stellar, even mediocre. When the Quakers were in need of someone to step up and take charge, Onyekwe was nowhere to be found.

Onyekwe's statistics plateaued. He finished off the season with an average of 7.5 rebounds per game and 13.5 points per game, and recorded 28 total blocks. Those numbers were actually better than the ones he put up his freshman season, but they were quite deceiving.

Penn fans watched in dismay as their superstar blended into the background, often overshadowed by seniors Geoff Owens and Lamar Plummer. And Penn ultimately finished tied for second with Brown, behind dreaded Princeton.

In retrospect, Onyekwe could only think of one thing to say: "Last year was very disappointing for all of us."

Fast-forward to this fall.

Penn head coach Fran Dunphy and Onyekwe agree that last season's defeats can be used to Penn's advantage on the court this year.

As the old saying goes, you learn from your mistakes, and that's exactly what Onyekwe hopes to do.

The 6-foot-8, 225-pound junior has been fine-tuning his skills in the offseason, and he said he is ready to get back in the game.

Onyekwe is determined to make his play more consistent and solid in every aspect of the game. Both he and Dunphy believe that another year of experience can only help his play.

Onyekwe is quick to point out that his game has improved in areas that he was often criticized last season.

"I've focused a lot on making better decisions on the court," he said. "Plus, I'm working on all my skills, trying to get better at everything."

There's no debate that Onyekwe is extremely talented. In Penn's annual Red and Blue Scrimmage, the Quakers junior dominated the floor. He even finished the game with another spectacular 360 dunk, eerily similar to the one he threw down against Princeton.

And he made it look easy.

Onyekwe knows that he'll be facing tough opponents this year, those from teams like Georgia Tech, No. 3 Illinois and Villanova.

But his greatest demon may come from within.

Onyekwe's most informed critics -- his teammates -- agree that the mental component to his game is what held him back last season.

They all know that if he puts his mind to it, Onyekwe can be one of the most formidable opponents in the Ivy League. He just has to want it.

"He runs, he jumps and, when he wants to play hard, he's unstoppable," Penn junior Andrew Toole said. "When he feels that he wants to dominate a game, he's capable of doing that. It's sometimes incredible to watch."

Freshman Tim Begley agrees: "As long as [Onyekwe] wants to, he's gonna get it done."

Onyekwe is aware that the desire to win has to be the drive behind his play. He explained that in addition to improving his skills on the court, he is also "taking the mental aspect of the game a lot more seriously."

It is imperative to the Quakers that Onyekwe pulls his whole game together. As a junior, and one of three returning starters, his veteran experience is invaluable.

But when the fans begin to pack into the Palestra and the opening whistle blows, Onyekwe's voice won't be the loudest on the court.

Onyekwe is stoic, even reticent -- a man of few words. He never expresses his response to the praise, or, for that matter, the criticism, that swirls around him throughout the season.

Not one for boisterous vocals, Onyekwe prefers to lead by example. He knows that solid, hard work can resonate just as strongly as strong words.

"Obviously he's our best player, our go-to player," sophomore Charlie Copp said. "He's more of a 'do-er,' not a 'say-er.' He leads well by example."

Onyekwe wants to bring the Ivy League crown back to Penn just as much as anyone. The key to doing so, he humbly explained, is to "value every possession, every time out on the floor and to not waste any opportunities."

This year, he believes, can be different.

"It seems like we're all pretty much a more cohesive unit," he said. "We have a lot better chemistry this year. We're all on the same page and we all have the same goals."

When the Quakers suit up for their season opener tonight at Georgia Tech, the eyes of any Penn fans in attendance will inevitably fall on Onyekwe.

Unlike last year, however, those fans will be looking for him to pull out of what could be termed "sophomore slump."

Whenever Onyekwe needs inspiration during the course of this season, it won't be hard to find.

"I think last year gave us motivation to do better this year," he said.

Penn hopes that, in and of itself, will be enough to make Onyekwe want it, and make him realize his full potential.

He may have had an off year, but he still has two more to carve himself a spot among the best players ever in the Ivy League.

Penn fans are praying that all Onyekwe needs is one.

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