KU’s Silvio De Sousa acknowledges ‘slow start,’ sees better days ‘moving forward’
After practicing but not playing in any games last season, Silvio De Sousa has started slowly during his junior season at Kansas.
The 6-foot-9, 245-pound forward from Angola combined for three points — all from the free-throw line — and six rebounds in a loss to Duke and win over UNC Greensboro before scoring 11 and grabbing six rebounds in Friday’s 112-57 rout of Monmouth at Allen Fieldhouse.
He played 23 minutes Friday after combining for 14 in the first two contests.
“I’m having a slow start this season, (but) it’s going to be a long season. I’m not really concerned about all this stuff. I’m just focusing on myself and how to help the team moving forward,” said De Sousa, who started the first regular-season game of his career Friday night.
KU coach Bill Self on Monday said he hadn’t decided yet if he’ll start De Sousa or David McCormack (17 points, 11 rebounds vs. Monmouth) next to center Udoka Azubuike at the 4-spot Tuesday against East Tennessee State. Tipoff is 7 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse. KU is 2-1.
“I thought he (De Sousa) did fine,” Self said of Friday’s game. “I’ll be honest — David was our best big, though. I was more impressed with David than any of our bigs after the last game.”
De Sousa hit four of eight shots against Monmouth after missing five and hitting none in KU’s first two games.
“The past few practices I have been doing a lot better,” De Sousa said. “I think I have figured out what I need to do defensively to help the team — just how to guard the 4-man, how to see everything, screens and stuff. On defense, as a big guy I have to see what’s going on in front. I think that’s one of the things I’ve been doing. Personally I think the mindset I have to have is to be more explosive. I’ll try to be better.”
Self said “maybe a little bit,” when asked if De Sousa has been more energetic of late at practice.
“(He’s) still laboring to score with anybody behind him,” Self said. “Silvio is capable. He just needs to get his legs underneath him, get some confidence, have something good happen. There were a couple good things that did happen the other night for him, but probably not the level that I am believing that could occur on a more consistent basis.”
De Sousa hoisted the first three-point shot of his college career Friday. The shot swished.
“It’s something I worked on all summer,” De Sousa said of his outside shooting. “Taking one or two a game is not a bad thing. It feels great to shoot a three. I’m just glad I made it, though.”
Of the 6-9 big man shooting and making a three, Self said: “He and David or Doke … if they clank one up I’m not going to be upset with that every now and then. Certainly that’s not who he is (an outside marksman).”
Meanwhile, KU combo guard Ochai Agbaji is coming off a 1-for-9 shooting performance against Monmouth. He’s 12 of 30 for 40 percent this season, averaging 10.7 points a game.
“I believe it’s just one of those nights. Ochai has been pretty consistent for us,” Self said. “I’ll be real honest with you, he’s not the scorer I thought he was if he worries about his misses. Scorers don’t (remember misses). They only remember their makes. I think he can become mentally tougher in that regard, if that’s the case.
“I’m hopeful he won’t even remember. He went 1 for 9 the other night. I’m thinking he thinks he’s on fire because of the one he made. That’s how I think scorers should think about it.”
The Buccaneers (3-0), who were picked to finish first in the Southern Conference in both the league’s media and coaches’ polls, are coached by former Wichita State assistant Steve Forbes.
Late dunk no big deal
Self was asked if he was surprised at the national attention accorded the last play of Friday’s game. Monmouth’s George Papas batted the ball from KU’s Tristan Enaruna, who was trying to dribble out the clock in a rout, and raced in for a slam dunk.
Monmouth coach King Rice apologized for his player’s actions after the game.
“I didn’t see it on the cover of USA Today or the cover of Sports Illustrated. I don’t know if it received as much national attention as what I think national attention really is,” Self said. “Who cares? That’s not a big deal at all. Certainly if anything it should be a valuable lesson to us, how not to be careless. That’s not a big deal to me at all.”
This story was originally published November 18, 2019 at 5:12 PM with the headline "KU’s Silvio De Sousa acknowledges ‘slow start,’ sees better days ‘moving forward’."
