Geoffrey Groselle (#41 / C / 7-0 / 240 lbs / Jr.)
Geoffrey Groselle against Sioux Falls (WBR/Mike Spomer) $ CLICK TO BUY $
After seeing limited action in his two seasons after redshirting in 2011-12, Geoffrey Groselle entered the offseason with an opportunity to step into a larger role with the departures of Doug McDermott and Ethan Wragge from Creighton’s front court. Relatively healthy and motivated, Groselle at times put up some impressive numbers during the Metro Summer League, which doesn’t have a reputation as being a great way for big men to show what they can do.
Say what you will about what that means about his ability; it was a welcome sight and it’s why he is in the conversation for playing time at center with senior Will Artino and sophomore Zach Hanson. Groselle split minutes with Hanson and Artino in the team’s lone exhibition game, but afterwards Creighton coach Greg McDermott said he was still looking for one of them to emerge.
It’s not really a secret what Coach Mac wants out of that position: rebound, defend, and provide enough offense out of the low post to help free up the gunslingers on the perimeter.
At 7-feet, he is Creighton’s tallest player, and since you can’t teach size he’ll be given a chance to prove he can be a key contributor as long as he remains healthy.
Check out a gallery of Geoffrey Groselle photos here!
High School Stats
Senior – 12.4 ppg, 8.7 rpg. 2.1 bpg
Head Coach Greg McDermott on Groselle:
“He’s certainly in a better place than he was a year ago. He hasn’t been able to practice every day, and that may be an ongoing thing where we have to treat him a little bit like Grant Gibbs where he practices a day, then takes a day off. I think if we go too hard each day I’m not sure we’re going to have his services at all.”
Q&A with Geoff Groselle
Q: How have the practices and preseason workouts gone for you so far?
A: “They’ve been going all right. I could be doing better. There are definitely things I need to work on. I need to get more rebounds and limit turnovers. Just little things like that.”
Q: How do you feel physically?
A: “The two-a-days were rough, but it’s getting better.”
Q: What do you think of the Championship Center and how has it affected your workouts?
A: “It’s so much more of a welcoming environment. It’s 20 yards from our apartment, we can come here anytime. It’s awesome. This new floor is a lot better on our joints. It’s just so much more of an inviting environment to be in. The old gym, walking up that spiral stair case, it’s all groggy. If you wanted to workout you literally had to plan out a long period of time where you could drive over there and get it in and stuff. Here it’s just walk out, walk across the street, and then go in the gym or go hangout with the team. A lot of guys are always in there, so it’s just a great place to be.”
Q: What do you think of the competition in the front court this year?
A: “There are definitely a lot of guys competing for a few spots, so that definitely brings the intensity level up at practice.”
Q: What was your reaction to being picked ninth in the Big East preseason poll?
A: “It’s preseason. We haven’t even had a game yet, so there shouldn’t be anything to it.”
Q: What do you think is this team’s ceiling and what do you hope to accomplish this year?
A: “Well, we’ve got a few new guys in the rotation. It’s a completely different team than we had last year. We don’t have Doug, Ethan, Jahenns and Grant anymore carrying most of the weight, so it will be interesting to see how well we can do. I think a lot of guys are really anxious to get on the court and step up.”