USF Athletics

Tchewa blossoming for Bulls ahead of War On I-4 postseason edition

March 09, 2022

GAMEDAY INFORMATION

American Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Championship

No. 11 University of South Florida (8-22, 3-15 AAC) vs. No. 6 UCF (17-11, 9-9 AAC)

Thursday, March 10 | 7 p.m. ET

VENUE: Dickies Arena | Fort Worth, Texas

SERIES: USF leads, 25-20

TV: ESPNU

RADIO: iHeart Radio Bulls Unlimited

TWITTER UPDATES: @USFMBB

GAME NOTES: View

By Joey Johnston

The numbers on USF men's basketball sophomore center Russel Tchewa — 7-feet tall, 280 pounds, 7-foot-7 wingspan, 8-percent body fat, size-17 shoe.

"I never asked to be 7-feet tall,'' Tchewa said. "It's the way God made me.

It has given me opportunities. I love the way I am.''

More numbers: 10 double-digit scoring games, two double-doubles, 9.4 scoring average in conference games.

That might seem like modest offensive production, but it's light years away from last season, when he was a rough-around-the-edges bit player. It's uncertain what's ahead for Tchewa (pronounced: Chee-wah), the Cameroon native who is completing just his sixth season of organized basketball.

But Bulls coach Brian Gregory has an educated guess.

"He has a chance to make a lot of money,'' Gregory said.

For now, Tchewa would be pleased to show more improvement while the No. 11-seeded Bulls (8-22, 3-15) cash in against the No. 6 UCF Knights (17-11, 9-9) during Thursday night's American Athletic Conference Tournament opening-round game at Fort Worth, Texas.

USF has labored through a season filled with shooting woes, but Tchewa's performance was a shining light, working into a meaningful starting role at 7.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. He also had the year's best moment, a buzzer-beating hook shot in the lane that lifted the Bulls to a 56-54 victory at Cincinnati on Feb. 26.

"I knew it was going in when it left his hands,'' Bulls senior guard Javon Greene said. "I loved seeing his reaction. It was priceless. I was so happy that he got to have such a moment.''

Once, such a moment would have been unimaginable. He grew up as a soccer player, choosing the sport best known in his homeland. But as he grew larger and larger as a teenager, he was no longer selected for any teams.

"I was so much bigger than everyone else, I think they were scared of me,'' said Tchewa, who celebrated his 22nd birthday on Monday. "Basketball is different in Cameroon. It's not like America, where there are courts and gyms everywhere. We don't have that.

"But with my size, I didn't have a choice. That's the truth. I was kind of forced into basketball. As it turned out, it changed my life. It gave me a future.''

Tchewa played three seasons of prep basketball in Italy, then landed at Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut, known for its ability to produce Division I players. Tchewa landed at Texas Tech, which was recently coming off a national championship, but he played only five minutes per game for the Red Raiders. When the season was cancelled by COVID-19 before the Big 12 Conference Tournament, Tchewa was on the move again, entering the transfer portal and deciding on USF.

"I liked the way they worked with their bigs (front-court players) and threw it inside to the bigs,'' Tchewa said. "Plus, beautiful school with good academics. I made a good decision.''

Gregory said he saw Tchewa's potential.

"He had to grow and get better,'' Gregory said. "The missing pieces were experience and playing time and he got those opportunities this year. If you put him through a workout, he does a lot of good stuff. He just hasn't played basketball very long. But he never let his performance impede his progress. It's coming and it might start coming even faster.

"Great kid. Very intelligent kid. Deep thinker. He absorbs a lot of stuff and he doesn't forget a thing. He needs to be the best Russel Tchewa he can be. He doesn't need to be anybody else. Every minute he plays not only helps us now, but it helps him for the future.''

Tchewa speaks four languages — French, Italian, Cameroonian (one of 250 dialects in his homeland) and English. He speaks excellent English and doesn't have trouble with comprehension, but still considers it his weakest language.

His full name: Russel Donald Tchewa Tchamadeu. In Cameroonian tradition, it's two first names, followed by two last names, first his godfather, then his father.

"He's really smart,'' Greene said. "I mean, four languages? And wait until he gets more experienced. When I started playing basketball, I was a baby. He was like 16. He definitely loves the game and now he's starting to live the game. I see him working in the gym all the time.''

Tchewa's work has paid off. At Cincinnati, he got the greatest reward.

"That meant a lot to me,'' Tchewa said. "It was immeasurable. The coaches trusted me and I came through for them. My teammate Corey Walker gave me a great pass, a special pass. My first game-winner. Hopefully, it's the first of many.''

Just give him time.

Up Next

A win on Thursday night over UCF would send the Bulls to the quarterfinals of the AAC Championship for the second straight season. That game would be against No. 3 Memphis on Friday, March 11 at 9 p.m. ET.

To stay up-to-date on the latest USF men's basketball news, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).

About USF Men's Basketball

The USF men's basketball team is led by head coach Brian Gregory, who enters his fifth season in 2021-22. Gregory was introduced as the 10th head coach in program history in March of 2017 after previously leading programs at Georgia Tech (2011-16) and Dayton (2003-11). Gregory spent nearly a decade as an assistant coach under Michigan State's Hall of Fame head coach Tom Izzo and helped the Spartans win the 2000 NCAA National Championship. Gregory owns over 300 career head coaching wins and six postseason appearances, including the 2010 NIT Championship with Dayton. In his second season at the helm of the Bulls, Gregory led the team to the best win turnaround in the NCAA, the most single-season wins in school history and the 2019 College Basketball Invitational championship. 
 
USF has retired three numbers in its 51-year history: Chucky Atkins (12), Charlie Bradley (30) and Radenko Dobras (31). The Bulls have earned three NCAA tournament bids, appeared in the NIT eight times and won the 2019 College Basketball Invitational.
 
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