California slasher to walk on at WSU

A HIGHLY ATHLETIC slasher from powerhouse Franklin High near Sacramento will become a preferred walk on to the Washington State basketball team this season, the Sacramento Bee reports. And he's coming to Pullman this week to get a jumpstart on classes.

Chukwuemeka Iroegbu, a first-team All-Metro selection, led Franklin to a 25-7 record in 2010-11, averaging 17.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. He also averaged 1.7 steals, 1.3 assists and 1.3 blocks per outing.

The point guard on the team was his younger brother Ikenna.

Chukwuemeka scored 20 or more points in nine games this past season and reached double-digits in rebounds in six games.

"It's a dream to be able to play in the Pac-12," he told the Sacramento Bee. "If everything works out, I'll be able to earn a scholarship."

The 6-4, 200-pounder shot 65 percent from the field in 2010-11, with many of the buckets coming off drives into the paint. His perimeter game is more a work in progress. As a junior in 2009-10, Franklin went 26-6 as Iroegbu averaged 12 points and 7 rebounds per game. He played his AAU ball for the nationally acclaimed Oakland Soldiers.

Iroegbu's last name reportedly means "God has done something great" in the Igbo Nigerian dialect.