Boulder – It’s the kind of what-if thinking that keeps a basketball coach awake at night. Colorado’s Ricardo Patton can’t help but look at 6-foot-9 senior Julius Ashby and wonder what might have been and what the powerful center can still become.
“I just can’t get out of my mind the Cal game, when he got 17 rebounds,” Patton said.
A junior college transfer, Ashby arrived at Colorado during the summer of 2004 raw but eager. As a native of Trinidad and Tobago, Ashby’s basketball background was limited. But in just his fifth game as a Buffalo, Ashby scored 11 points and more impressively grabbed 17 rebounds to key a 63-60 victory over Cal.
Later in the season Ashby’s progress was delayed by a foot injury that kept him out for seven games. But he recovered in time to score 14 points and grab eight rebounds in an upset of Texas at the Big 12 Tournament. Then Ashby registered 19 points and six boards as the Buffs almost shocked 10th-ranked Oklahoma State.
Patton thought Ashby could build on first-year averages of 7.5 points and 6.0 rebounds this season, but Ashby ignored his studies and was declared academically ineligible for the first semester.
Upon his return, he was shackled by foul problems and failed to score a field goal in the first four conference games. His timing began to return Saturday in an 80-78 overtime win at Oklahoma State. Playing 31 minutes, the most of any CU post player, Ashby matched Oklahoma State’s athleticism along the baseline. He contributed 10 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots in CU’s first victory at Stillwater in 26 years.
“Julius had some setbacks,” Patton said. “But he’s done a nice job of working his way back and getting through that. He’s getting closer.”
Ashby is the one inside player on CU’s roster who enjoys bumping with the brutes of the Big 12. His strength and nasty demeanor may be needed tonight when Colorado (13-3, 3-2) hosts Nebraska. The Huskers (12-5, 2-2) like to post 6-11, 265-pound Aleks Maric down low.
“He’s strong. He’s a banger,” Ashby said of Maric.
Ashby doesn’t consider Saturday’s performance to be the “breakout game” he has talked about. He expects more.
“I think I did OK, but there are things I need to be doing out there; I need to rebound more,” Ashby said. “I felt more comfortable. It’s coming back.
“I thought it would just take me three games and I’d be ready. But I found it takes more work than that.”
Tom Kensler can be reached at 303-820-5456 or tkensler@denverpost.com.
