Toby Hegner (#32 / F / 6-10 / 225 lbs / Fr.)
Toby Hegner handles the ball at the 2014 Bluejay Madness (WBR/Adam Streur) $ CLICK TO BUY $
After a redshirt year in 2013-14, Toby Hegner has been a pleasant surprise in the first few weeks of practice. It was hard to get a proper read on a player that has yet to play his first official game. That was made even more difficult after an up and down summer during the Metro Summer League. Still working through some reworked mechanics in his jump shot, some weeks he looked like a legitimate threat on the perimeter, others he couldn’t get anything to fall.
Those inconsistencies seem like a long time ago compared to his performances in practice so far this season. He has been one of the top scoring options on the perimeter. As a stretch four who can step out and score from beyond the arc he will be given the chance to replace some of the three-point threats Creighton lost in the front court with the departures of Doug McDermott and Ethan Wragge. Granted his attempts might be closer to three-point line than the half court line, but three points is three points.
As one of the tallest players on the team he’ll have to rebound and defend down low to increase his impact on the court, but as a redshirt freshman he enter the 2014-15 season with a role as a three-point shooting stretch four, and he can go from there.
Photo Gallery (here) and Slideshow (below) of Hegner
Hegner’s High School Stats
Senior — 20 ppg, 12 rpg, 2 bpg
Junior — 17 ppg, 9 rpg, 2 bpg
Head Coach Greg McDermott on Hegner:
“Toby has made really good strides. He took advantage of his redshirt year. We tweaked his shot and he’s shooting it much more consistently. Defensively he’s learning. He wasn’t held as accountable last year as he’s being held now, so that’s an adjustment for him. Toby has a high basketball IQ. He understands screening and angles, and obviously being able to stretch the floor with his three-point shot is a big part of what we do.”
5-on-5 with Toby Hegner
Q: What did you think of your first year playing for Mac?
A: “I thought it went well. It was a great building year. We’re definitely walking the right way up the stairs.”
Q: What did you learn from playing against guys like Doug and Ethan last year?
A: “I learned that it’s more about your footwork. You need to where you’re going to be and where you need to be before [the defender] does. Anticipation is a key thing that they taught me. Doug taught me that no matter whether it’s a game or practice you go hard. No matter how long or how short the practice you just keep going, keep competing.”
Q: What has improved most about your game in your time at Creighton?
A: “I would have to say my shot. I think I’ve made a lot of strides offensively. The coaches have been tweaking [my shot] since I got here. I feel really comfortable with it and my teammates have a lot of confidence in me when I shoot, so I feel really comfortable shooting.”
Q: How do you feel about the team being kind of under the radar this year compared to last year?
A: “I think a lot of people see us as the underdogs and I think we’re going to show some people what we’re really made of. People aren’t expecting a lot of us, but we’re good. We’re really good. It’s going to be a good year.”
Q: What position on the court do you feel the most comfortable playing?
A: “The four just because I can work inside and out. Since they changed my shot they want me to shoot the ball, but they also want me to still crash the boards and get offensive rebounds.”