College Basketball Preview 2021-2022 | Page 21

Lance Ware
Oscar Tshiebwe

34

HEIGHT 6-9 WEIGHT 255 CLASS Junior
POSITION HOMETOWN Lubumbashi , Democratic Republic of the Congo HIGH SCHOOL Kennedy Catholic
2020-2021
Sophomore : Transferred to Kentucky midseason … Ineligible to play the rest of the season due to NCAA transfer rules but practiced with the team beginning in February … Appeared in 10 games at West Virginia and averaged 8.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game … Recorded a pair of double-doubles … Registered 12 points and 15 boards against Northeastern in his final game at West Virginia … Recorded 14 points and nine rebounds vs . top-ranked Gonzaga … Posted 11 points and 16 rebounds against VCU .
HIGH SCHOOL
A McDonald ’ s All American … Posted a double-double in that game with 12 points and 10 rebounds in 18 minutes … Also named to the Nike Hoop Summit World Team … Ranked a five-star recruit and
a top-25 senior … Led Kennedy Catholic High School to a 27-3 record and a 6A state title as a senior … Averaged 23.2 points per game his senior season … Tallied 1,480 career points … Named the Gatorade Pennsylvania Boys Basketball Player of the Year … USA Today Pennsylvania All-State First Team selection … Guided Kennedy Catholic to the Class 1A PIAA state championship as a junior … Scored in double figures in every game during his junior campaign … Averaged 21.3 points , 11.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game for his AAU squad the ITPS Wildcats .
PERSONAL
Born Sept . 11 in Barnstable , MBorn Nov . 27 in Lubumbashi , Democratic Republic of the Congo … Parents are Mbuyi and Kaya Rosalie Tsiebwe … Has five siblings with three brothers , Bevi ,
Denphin and Debaba , and two sisters , Cenina and Maggie … Major is communication ... Chose Kentucky over North Carolina State , Miami and Illinois … Nickname is “ Big O ” … Has a 7-foot-5 wingspan … Hidden talent is the ability to ride a bike backwards … Lists his parents as his greatest influence … His favorite food is Fufu ( Congolese food ) … He meditates and listens to music pregame … Favorite movies are the Rush Hour trilogy … Off-the-court hobbies include playing video games and listening to music … Chose No . 34 because Hakeem Olajuwon is his favorite frontcourt player of all-time … Lists Kobe Bryant as his all-time favorite player and Kevin Durant as his favorite current player … Chose Kentucky over NC State , Miami ( Fla .) and Illinois and originally considered UK out of high school .
Lance Ware

55

HEIGHT 6-9 WEIGHT 225 CLASS Sophomore POSITION Forward HOMETOWN Camden , N . J . HIGH SCHOOL Camden
2020-2021
Freshman : Key reserve for the Wildcats who added physicality and quality rebounding … Appeared in 21 games and made three starts … Scored 41 points , hauled in 63 rebounds , totaled 11 blocks , corralled six steals and dished out eight assists … Led the team in rebounds in two games and in blocks twice … Also paced the team in steals once … Produced a pair of double-figure rebounding efforts … Grabbed four rebounds in the Southeastern Conference Tournament game against Mississippi State … Played 29 minutes and recorded a career-high eight points , 10 rebounds and a career-high three blocks at No . 18 / 17 Missouri … Totaled seven points and a pair of rebounds in the win over LSU … Scored four points , had four rebounds and logged a block , a steal and an assist in the loss at Auburn … Notched four points , a career-high 13 rebounds and a career-best four assists in the double-overtime win at Mississippi State … Posted four points , four rebounds and a blocked shot at Louisville … Breakout game came against No . 22 / 21 North Carolina with four points , seven rebounds and two steals in 21 minutes of action … Scored his first career point with a free throw against Georgia Tech … Had five rebounds , two blocks and a steal in his collegiate debut against Morehead State .
HIGH SCHOOL
Led high school team to a 29-1 record his senior season ... Averaged 11.8 points , 7.9 rebounds , 1.3 assists , 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks for a team that won its final 25 games ... Squad claimed the South Jersey , Group 2 championship and the No . 1 spot in the final NJ . com Top 50 rankings ... Named the NJ . com Player of the Year and was a NJ . com All-State First Team selection ... Averaged 11.4 points , 6.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game during the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League in 2019 ... Also performed well at the Peach Jam finals in 2019 , averaging 14.4 points , 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game ... Selected to the Allen
Iverson Roundball Classic ... Four-star prospect ranked as high as No . 36 in the class by Rivals .
PERSONAL
Born Feb . 8 in Edgewater Park , New Jersey ... Parents are Monique Ripka and Stephen Ware ... Has two siblings , Shataya and Stefon ... Major is undeclared / exploratory studies in agriculture ... Chose Kentucky over Michigan , Ohio State , Providence and Miami ... Lists his parents as his life ’ s greatest influences ... Chose No . 55 because it is unique ... Favorite show on Netflix is All-American ... Listens to Drake before games ... Lists Michael Kidd-Gilchrist as his favorite former UK player ... His most memorable moment as a basketball player is going 29-1 his final season of high school ... Enjoys playing Call of Duty when he ’ s not playing basketball .
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