Reggie Wortman
CONTRIBUTOR
Head coach Derrin Hansen and his staff locked up the newest edition to the Omaha men’s basketball roster with Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler last week. With losing four key players from last year’s team that either graduated or tested waters in the transfer portal, Poor Bear-Chandler will look to help fill part of the void.
Poor Bear-Chandler only started one game during his three years at Wichita State, but he appeared in 72 throughout his time as a Shocker. He averaged around 10 minutes a game his first two seasons and saw his role increase this past year.
The forward shot nearly 50 percent from the field last season and sank 36 percent of his threes. He also averaged 2.3 rebounds per game.
“He (Poor Bear-Chandler) will provide us a much-needed frontline presence with the departure of Matt Pile to medical school,” Hansen said through a press release. “Isaiah is a multi-skilled player, which will make him a very difficult matchup in the Summit League, and we can’t wait to start working with him.”
The 6-foot-9 force was a graduate of Omaha Central High School where he was a Metro Conference first-teamer, alongside former Maverick Ayo Akinwole and current Creighton standout Shereef Mitchell. He was also a four-star recruit and was Nebraska’s third-ranked player in 2017.
He originally committed to New Mexico out of high school, but a late-coaching change shifted his focus another direction.
Poor Bear-Chandler spent one season at Sunrise Christian Academy, a high-level basketball program, after his time at Omaha Central to improve his game. He’s been at Wichita State since.
Hansen and his staff will likely still be active in bringing in transfer talent to UNO, as Poor Bear-Chandler is one of just two players that have been added to next year’s roster so far this offseason. The other being incoming freshman and Bellevue West graduate, Frankie Fiddler.
Akinwole, who announced his decision to leave the program in March, recently committed to Drake University of the Missouri Valley Conference to play his final year of college basketball.
Two other former Mavericks also entered their names in the transfer portal, Marlon Ruffin and Jadin Booth. Neither have announced plans for next season. However, it is possible one or both could opt to return to the team.
