We are profiling each member of the 2012-13 Creighton Bluejays men’s basketball team. Check in weekdays leading up to Creighton’s regular season opener against North Texas (November 9) for an introduction to this season’s Bluejays, from freshmen to seniors.
Andre Yates (#11 / G / 6-0 / 185 lbs. / Fr.)
Creighton freshman Andre Yates (Spomer/WBR)
Freshman Andre Yates comes to Creighton after a championship season as a senior at Dayton, Ohio’s Dunbar High School. He scored the game winning shot with 3 seconds left in the state title game, wrapping up an undefeated season in his one and only year at Dunbar. Yates averaged 14.6 points, 3.0 assists, and 2.9 steals per game during the 28-0 season, earning All-Area accolades and receiving the Dayton Public Schools Conference MVP award. He likely stashed that trophy next to his Tournament MVP hardware.
He came to Dunbar from Trotwood-Madison, where as a junior he averaged 14.5 points, 5.3 assists, and 3.8 steals per game. Between his time at Dunbar and Trotwood-Madison, schools local schools like Dayton, Wright State, Cleveland State, and LaSalle offered scholarships. But Yates chose the Bluejays over those programs and Nebraska.
At first glance, Yates would seem to naturally slide into Austin Chatman’s role from last season: back up the team’s starting point guard (last year it was Antoine Young; this season its assumed to be Chatman’s role). But with Grant Gibbs a crucial conduit of Creighton’s offense at a guard spot and plenty of returning experience in the backcourt, Yates will likely have a fight on his hands for significant minutes. Plus fellow freshman Isaiah Zierden has been running some at the point, too.
It is possible that Yates or Zierden (or both, or neither) will redshirt, judging by Greg McDermott’s track record dolling out redshirts. Whether Yates begins his CU career this season or next, the future is promising for the Bluejays backcourt.
We caught up with Yates at Creighton’s Media Day: