Auburn Giant Gets First Action in Exhibition Win
The tallest athlete in Auburn history saw his first action in last night’s 89-75 win over Bluefield College. Boubacar Sylla, a 7-foot-1 center from Paris, France played 19 minutes in the game, scoring eight points. Sylla also grabbed six rebounds and added an assist and two steals.
Sylla is a freshman who went to prep school at Stoneridge Prep in California where he played alongside several other Div. I basketball players. He is the tallest athlete in any sport in the history of Auburn University. Auburn coaches and fans alike were excited when he came in the game for the first time. After scoring his first points as a Tiger, chants of “BOOOOOOOOBACAR” echoed through Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum.
“I thought he was good in the first half,” Auburn coach Jeff Lebo said. “He did some good things. He showed me today that he has a chance. He is still learning the game and what it takes every day to play at this level.”
Sylla quickly became a fan-favorite in his first game. He showed the kind of hustle that is rare for someone as big as he is. Fighting for rebounds and loose balls, he was a presence in the middl, something Auburn has lacked the past few seasons.
“What most impressed me was on an loose ball he dove on the floor,” Lebo said. “At 7-foot-1, 275 lbs. that is great. He played hard. He is a work in progress, but he showed great signs out there.”
His size and strength might be just what the doctor ordered to get this Auburn team into post-season play for the first time since 2003. Sylla will have to get real good, real fast if Auburn wants to compete in the talented SEC West. His game is raw and as unpolished as his English, but it seems that he has what it takes to be a special player for coach Lebo.
He played well, especially considering he and coach Lebo were wondering before the game how he would handle Bluefield’s smaller, quicker lineup. Limiting his turnovers and making good catches were things that Sylla seemed to get better at as the game went along. He is so big that his presence on the floor itself will give Auburn a psychological advantage over some teams.
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