We are profiling each member of the 2013-14 Creighton Bluejays men’s basketball team. Check in daily leading up to Creighton’s regular season opener against Alcorn State Nov. 8 for an introduction to this season’s Bluejays, from newcomers to seniors.
Toby Hegner (#32 / F / 6-9 / 225 lbs / Fr.)
A one-week stretch in June 2012 will have a lasting impact on the next few years of Creighton basketball A.D. (After Doug). That’s when three prized pieces of Greg McDermott’s recruiting puzzle — Zach Hanson, Darian Harris, and Toby Hegner — will leave their own mark on the Hilltop.
The circumstances surrounding their college choice have changed a bit since their early summer verbal commitments in 2012, including CU’s move to the Big East Conference. But “Triple H” share a common trait: starting this season, the incoming freshmen serve as the conduit between Doug McDermott’s final season at Creighton and the program’s continued success after the All-American exits.
Hegner was the first of the three to give McDermott a verbal commitment. The versatile frontcourt star cashed in on a junior season at Berlin (Wis.) High School that saw him average nearly 17 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocked shots per game. Hegner followed up his Honorable Mention All-State junior campaign with a senior season good enough to garner first-team all-Wisconsin accolades, during which he averaged 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game.
Just how much of Hegner’s game Creighton fans will experience this season remains to be seen. With McDermott and Ethan Wragge back for their senior seasons and vets Will Artino and Geoffrey Groselle expected to swallow up minutes played in previous seasons by Gregory Echenique, Hegner may be headed for a redshirt season. He approached the topic in a recent Omaha World-Herald article.
We caught up with Hegner at Creighton’s Media Day: