Ben Emelogu
{{short description|Nigerian-American basketball player}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Ben Emelogu
| image = Ben Emelogu (cropped).jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Emelogu with Arka Gdynia in 2019
| number =
| position = Small forward
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 5
| weight_lbs = 215
| league = LNB Pro B
| team = Rouen Métropole Basket
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|11|24}}
| birth_place = Dallas, Texas
| nationality = Nigerian / American
| high_school = South Grand Prairie
(Grand Prairie, Texas)
| college =
- Virginia Tech (2013–2014)
- SMU (2014–2018)
| draft_year = 2018
| career_start = 2019
| years1 = 2019–2020
| team1 = Arka Gdynia
| years2 = 2020
| team2 = Avtodor
| years3 = 2021–present
| team3 = Rouen Métropole Basket
| highlights =
- AAC Co-Sixth Man of the Year (2017)
| medal_templates =
}}
Benjamin Anyahukeya Emelogu II (born November 24, 1994) is a Nigerian[https://www.today.ng/sport/basketball/dtigers-fiba-afrobasket-final-roster-released-384166 D’Tigers FIBA Afrobasket final roster released] TODAY.ng, 19 August 2021. Accessed 26 August. professional basketball player who formerly played for Avtodor Saratov of the VTB United League. He played college basketball for the SMU Mustangs and the Virginia Tech Hokies.
High school career
Emelogu attended South Grand Prairie High School. As a senior, he averaged 14.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.2 steals per game, earning First Team All-Area honors.{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Corbett |title=Best of the best: 2013 all-area boys basketball first-team includes Ben Emelogu, Matt Jones, Julius Randle, Ridge Shipley, Kendal Yancy-Harris |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2013/03/21/best-of-the-best-2013-all-area-boys-basketball-first-team-includes-ben-emelogu-matt-jones-julius-randle-ridge-shipley-kendal-yancy-harris/ |accessdate=September 11, 2020 |work=The Dallas Morning News |date=March 20, 2013}} He led the team to the 2013 5A state championship game for the first time since 1975. Emelogu had 14 points and four assists in the 60–43 semifinal win against Byron P. Steele II High School.{{cite news |title=South Grand Prairie rolls into 5A final |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59094486/the-monitor/ |accessdate=September 11, 2020 |work=The Monitor |agency=Associated Press |date=March 9, 2013 |page=16|via=Newspapers.com}}
College career
Emelogu was named team captain of Virginia Tech as a freshman, averaging 10.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.{{cite news |last1=Giannotto |first1=Mark |title=Ben Emelogu is fourth Hokie to leave Virginia Tech basketball team |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/ben-emelogu-is-fourth-hokie-to-leave-virginia-tech-basketball-team/2014/07/04/20bcb7fe-03b5-11e4-8572-4b1b969b6322_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |accessdate=September 11, 2020 |date=July 4, 2014}} After the season, he transferred to SMU to be closer to his family and was granted immediate eligibility.{{cite web |last1=Berman |first1=Mark |title=Celtics sign Eddie; Emelogu to play right away for SMU |url=https://roanoke.com/sports/college/va_tech/celtics-sign-eddie-emelogu-to-play-right-away-for-smu/article_da9252a4-9bdd-5261-8c51-e968ac2fccfb.html |website=The Roanoke Times |accessdate=September 11, 2020 |date=October 24, 2014}} As a sophomore, Emelogu played through a torn meniscus and shot 27.7 percent from the floor. He underwent surgery after the season, before tearing it again and undergoing another operation. He suffered a back injury during a workout prior to his junior season and was granted a medical redshirt.{{cite web |last1=Grosbard |first1=Adam |title=After a back injury almost ended his career, Ben Emelogu is finishing his time at SMU on his own terms |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/smu-mustangs/2018/02/27/after-a-back-injury-almost-ended-his-career-ben-emelogu-is-finishing-his-time-at-smu-on-his-own-terms/ |website=The Dallas Morning News |accessdate=September 11, 2020 |date=February 27, 2018}} As a junior, Emelogu averaged 4.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game and was named American Athletic Conference (AAC) Co-Sixth Man of the Year with Jarron Cumberland.{{cite web |title=Emelogu Named American Athletic Conference Sixth Man Of The Year |url=https://smumustangs.com/news/2017/3/8/mens-basketball-emelogu-named-aac-sixth-man-of-the-year |publisher=SMU Athletics |accessdate=September 11, 2020 |date=March 8, 2017}} On February 1, 2018, he scored a career-high 24 points in a 76–67 loss to Tulsa.{{cite web |last1=Mayer |first1=Phil |title=Milton-less SMU falls to Tulsa |url=https://www.smudailycampus.com/sports/basketball/milton-less-smu-falls-to-tulsa |website=The Daily Campus |accessdate=September 11, 2020 |date=February 1, 2018}} As a senior, he averaged 10.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game, shooting an AAC-high 47 percent from three-point range.{{cite web |title=Ben Emelogu |url=https://smumustangs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/ben-emelogu-ii/5004 |publisher=SMU Athletics |accessdate=September 11, 2020}}
Professional career
On July 26, 2018, Emelogu signed his first professional contract with Arka Gdynia of the Polish Basketball League (PLK) and the EuroCup.{{cite web |title=Arka Gdynia signs Josh Bostic and Ben Emelogu |url=https://www.eurohoops.net/en/eurocup/717920/arka-gdynia-signs-josh-bostic-and-ben-emelogu/ |publisher=EuroHoops |accessdate=September 9, 2020 |date=July 26, 2018}} He was unable to join the team due an injury. On July 24, 2019, Emelogu signed a new contract with Gdynia.{{cite web |title=Emelogu dołącza do ekipy z Gdyni |url=https://plk.pl/aktualnosci/n/18655/emelogu-dolacza-do-ekipy-z-gdyni.html |publisher=Polish Basketball League |accessdate=September 9, 2020 |language=Polish |date=July 24, 2019}} He mutually agreed to part ways on February 18, 2020. In 17 PLK games, he averaged 7.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, and in 10 EuroCup games, he averaged 8.7 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.{{cite web |title=Rozwiązanie umowy z Benem Emelogu |url=https://www.assecoarkagdynia.pl/aktualnosci/transfery/468-rozwiazanie-umowy-z-benem-emelogu |publisher=Arka Gdynia |accessdate=September 9, 2020 |language=Polish |date=February 18, 2020}}
On August 14, 2020, Emelogu signed a one-year contract with Russian club Avtodor Saratov of the VTB United League.{{cite web |title=Avtodor Inked Ben Emelogu |url=http://avtodor.ru/en/index.php/news-events/item/950-avtodor-inked-ben-emelogu |publisher=Avtodor |accessdate=September 9, 2020 |date=August 14, 2020}} On October 23, 2020, he parted ways with the team after appearing in one game, in which he recorded six points and two steals.{{cite news |title=Avtodor Saratov, Ben Emelogu part ways |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/avtodor-saratov-ben-emelogu-part-ways/ |website=Sportando |accessdate=October 23, 2020 |date=October 23, 2020 |last1=Skerletic |first1=Dario }}
Personal life
Emelogu's mother, Stephanie Hughey, is from the United States, while his father is from Nigeria. When he was in ninth grade, his parents separated and his father moved back to Nigeria.{{cite web |last1=Berman |first1=Mark |title=Newcomers hope to change Tech's tune |url=https://roanoke.com/sports/college/va_tech/newcomers-hope-to-change-tech-s-tune/article_049dd4a6-dd14-5d68-bc9f-79aa3ccae19f.html |website=The Roanoke Times |accessdate=September 11, 2020 |date=November 11, 2013}}{{cite news |last1=Giannotto |first1=Mark |title=Freshman Ben Emelogu already proving to be a leader for Virginia Tech basketball |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/freshman-ben-emelogu-already-proving-to-be-a-leader-for-virginia-tech-basketball/2013/10/17/a863dbb4-36b6-11e3-ae46-e4248e75c8ea_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |accessdate=September 11, 2020 |date=October 17, 2013}} Emelogu's brother, Lindsey Hughey, played college basketball for Weber State.
Nigeria national team
He has been part of Nigeria's national team at the AfroBasket 2021 in Kigali, Rwanda.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://smumustangs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/ben-emelogu-ii/5004 SMU Mustangs bio]
- [https://hokiesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/ben-emelogu/5635 Virginia Tech Hokies bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Emelogu, Ben}}
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Poland
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:American basketball players of Nigerian descent
Category:Arka Gdynia (basketball) players
Category:Basketball players from Dallas
Category:Grand Prairie High School alumni
Category:Nigerian expatriate basketball people in Poland
Category:Nigerian men's basketball players
Category:SMU Mustangs men's basketball players
Category:Virginia Tech Hokies men's basketball players