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UConn’s Niels Giffey to represent Germany in 2013 EuroBasket

Niels Giffey, JaQuon Parker, R.J. Evans

Connecticut forward Niels Giffey (5), Cincinnati guard JaQuon Parker (44) and Connecticut guard R.J. Evans (12) watch a free throw during an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, March 2, 2013, in Cincinnati. Cincinnati won 61-56. (AP Photo/David Kohl)

AP

In three seasons as a member of the UConn basketball program, 6-7 forward has held the same general role. Provide some versatility at the forward position, with his size allowing Giffey to handle responsibilities at both the three and the four for the Huskies.

But there’s always the hunger to do more, and such is likely the case for Giffey (4.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg in 2012-13) given the fact that he’s entering his senior season. The question: how much will Giffey’s summer experience with the German national team help him when he returns to Storrs?

Giffey’s averaged 7.5 points per game for Germany, which is playing scrimmages in preparation for the 2013 European Championships that begin on September 4. His best outing came against France’s national team, which included pros Tony Parker and Nicolas Batum, as he scored 13 points in the scrimmage. With five more games to play ahead of the actual tournament, Giffey will have plenty of opportunities to hone his skills in game action before returning to the UConn program.

But roles within teams tend to be different, as we saw earlier this summer with former Villanova guard Mislav Brzoja. With UConn returning guards Shabazz Napier (17.1 ppg, 4.6 apg, Ryan Boatright (15.4, 4.4) and Omar Calhoun (11.1, 3.9 rpg), as well as sophomore forward DeAndre Daniels (12.1, 5.5 rpg), how much room is there for Giffey to score during his senior campaign?

Each of those four players finished the season with possession percentages of 20% or higher, with Boatright (24.5%) and Napier (24%) leading the way as expected (stat courtesy of kenpom.com). Giffey, by comparison, factored into just 13.7% of UConn’s possessions in 2012-13, which despite being an improvement when compared to his percentage as a sophomore (12.2) is still nearly two percentage points lower than the number he posted on UConn’s national title team (15.4).

Ultimately his summer experience with the German senior national team will benefit Giffey, but that won’t necessarily mean drastically higher numbers in the scoring department in his senior season at UConn due to the role he plays.

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