WCC Basketball: Breakout candidates from each team for 2019-20
By Andy Patton
F Tahirou Diabate – Portland Pilots
Injuries cut short what could have been Portland forward Tahirou Diabate‘s breakout sophomore season last year, as he was only able to see the court for 16 games.
His numbers from freshman year to sophomore year look very similar, he went from averaging 6.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in 17/18 to 5.9 points and 3.1 rebounds in 18/19, although he dropped from 19.8 minutes per game to 13.7.
However, assuming he is healthy heading into his junior year, this could be the year the six-foot-nine, 240 pound power forward breaks out.
Portland lost their best player from last season when guard Marcus Shaver transferred to Boise State. They have a few playmaking guards in Jojo Walker and Franklin Porter, although no one who looks the part of a No. 1 scoring option.
Diabate could be that guy, as his big body, strength and soft touch around the rim could allow him to dominate some of the smaller competition in the WCC. He won’t be able to body up the big boys at Gonzaga or St. Mary’s, but I could see Diabate posting double-doubles against some of the other teams in the WCC, like Pacific and Pepperdine.
If he could develop an outside shot, he could challenge for an All-WCC nomination.