We are profiling each member of the 2011-12 Creighton men’s basketball team. Join us weekdays from now until the men’s exhibition opener against Rockhurst for an introduction to this year’s Bluejays, from freshmen to seniors.
See all of our 2011-12 Creighton men’s basketball profiles
Avery Dingman didn’t waste time flashing his ability to score. Creighton’s incoming freshman from Branson, Missouri, flourished offensively during the Bluejays’ preseason trip to the Bahamas. Dingman averaged 9 points per game on the trip, and made a team-high 7 3-pointers. In the last game of the trip, Dingman led the Jays with 24 points.
“It was a good experience,” Dingman said of the Bahamas. “I learned a lot about the pace of the game. It was a lot faster — up and down, up and down — than high school,” he said. “You just have to learn to slow down and play at your own pace, and not get sped up by the game.”
The 6-6 guard, an all-state performer and state champion from Missouri, is trying to pace himself as he begins his Creighton career. But Jays fans are excited for the offensive skills Dingman seems to bring to the court. He scored 705 points as a senior at Branson High, averaging 23 points and 7 rebounds per game. He hit 89 3-pointers. That followed a junior campaign during which Dingman scored 21 points and snared 7 boards per game. He knows he’ll get good looks at the basket this season.
“With all the focus on Greg [Echenique] and Doug [McDermott] inside, I should be able to hit some open shots,” Dingman said, when asked about his vision for what he will bring to the Bluejays as a first-year player. “I can shoot it, and I feel that my athleticism should allow me to help with rebounding too.”
Like many of his teammates — especially his fellow newcomers — Dingman is working quickly to adjust to the defensive requirements of Division-I basketball, as well as the physical demands.
“I’ve been working most on my defense,” he said. “There is just a lot to learn from the high school level to this. It is a huge jump. I feel like I need to just get all of the concepts down, and be in the right spot at the right time.
“You have to be so physically tough and mature to compete at this level, and I’ve worked to put on about 10 or 12 pounds. I can’t afford to be pushed around as much, so it is important to get stronger.”
Dingman chose Creighton over Missouri State, which was virtually in his backyard growing up. He received mail and calls from a lot of schools, but in the end it came down to the Bluejays and the Bears — longtime Missouri Valley Conference rivals.
“I visited both schools, and I just felt like Creighton was where I was supposed to be,” Dingman said. “I liked everything about Creighton — the city, the coaching staff, and the great team we have here. It was an all-around great fit for me.”
