The Creighton Bluejays men’s basketball program has the distinction of two of its players competing on National Team rosters this year. Doug McDermott earned a spot on the USA U19 National team. Surprising to some but not CU fans, McDermott has been among the team’s best players so far this summer.
McDermott’s frontcourt teammate Gregory Echenique leaves for his native Venezuela this weekend, where he will join his National Team. He has various levels of experience with the country’s basketball program. Ahead of his trip back, WBR caught up with the Bluejay center to learn more about his first year at CU and his summer ahead.
White & Blue Review: How did you feel about your first year at Creighton?
Gregory Echenique: It got better as the year went on. Sitting out those first games had a bigger effect on the team chemistry than I thought it would, but I think once I got on the court, things really picked up. As you could probably tell, we really got better as a team and started to connect as the season progressed. We really were a different team from the beginning of the season to the end.
WBR: Creighton will have a few other big guys to help you out in the post in Will Artino and Geoffrey Groeselle. Have you had a chance to play with them much?
GE: Will Artino was on the scout team with me last year and we have played together a lot even during the off-season. He is a good player with a great skill set. He is getting bigger, and has some good skills down low. Plus, he is a lefty, and that is sometimes a tough adjustment for the other team. Geoffrey Groeselle is a physical player and I have played with his as well. He is sort of a banger like me. It will be good to have three options that we can throw out against our opponents, as it will be a tough match up and a tough adjustment to make.
WBR: How does the style of play on the International level compare to Valley play?
GE: International ball is much more physical; it is like a war in the post. I will be facing up against guys my size and weight so there won’t be much flopping going on. Also, the refs let you play a bit more. As there is not that extreme size difference, they won’t be making calls for the other guys.
WBR: Have you played with any of the guys on the team before?
GE: I played with Greivis Vasquez (Maryland) a bit and David Cubillan, who is a shooting guard out of Marquette, but there will be some guys I have not played with before. I don’t think that chemistry will be an issue.
WBR: Speaking of chemistry, do you think that you missing the Bahamas trip will have any negative effect on the chemistry with Creighton?
GE: I don’t think so. I would love to be on the trip, and I am sure it would and will be a great bonding experience for the guys. But they are all familiar with me and I have played with them all before, with the exception of Austin (Chatman). We have a great group and the guys that will be on the trip will do a great job of taking the new guys under their wing. This experience on the international level will be good for me and Creighton. I think if you were to ask Doug, who I have been following, he would say the experience is a great one.
WBR: What part of this experience will you bring back with you to the college game?
GE: Well, when you start playing against other international teams, you have the opportunity to compete against some great talent, some that are in the NBA right now. When you go against guys like that, you can really use it as a measuring stick as to where you are right now. If I can compete with those guys, then I think it should help my confidence in knowing I can go back to the college game and do some pretty good things. Plus, what I learn I will share with the other guys like Will and Groeselle and hopefully it will help their game as well.