Independence frontcourt stars Bass Jr., Anslem-Ibe move up to Division I

Independence Community College moved two frontcourt pieces up the ladder on June 23, sending Lonnie Bass Jr. to Division I Morehead State and Fortune Anslem-Ibe to Division II Savannah State. The pair gave the Pirates a season of rim protection, rebounding and interior production, then turned that production into new homes in Kentucky and Georgia.

Bass, a 6-foot-8, 230-pound freshman from Las Vegas, anchored the paint with 9.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game and finished with 265 total rebounds and 12 blocks in Independence’s posted statistics. He shot 57.5 percent from the floor, missed the first eight games of the season, then scored in double figures 17 times the rest of the way. His biggest line came in a one-point loss to Barton County, Kansas, when he posted 18 points and 18 rebounds, the sort of night that made him look like a reliable interior force in tight games. He also logged 17 double-figure rebounding performances and had 17 games of double-figure scoring after his delayed debut.

Morehead State sees a power forward who already proved he can own the glass at the junior college level. Jonathan Mattox called Bass “a tremendous addition” and pointed to his physicality, his hands and his ability to score around the rim or step out for a mid-range shot. Bass also arrived with a bigger rebound résumé than most, after averaging 14.2 boards per game as a senior at Mater East Academy in Las Vegas.

Anslem-Ibe’s path looked different, but it carried its own value. The 7-footer from Lagos, Nigeria, who honed his game at OBN Academy School in Lekki, became a defense-first starter for Independence and finished with 102 rebounds and 26 blocks. He averaged 2.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.8 blocks over 31 games with 13 starts, after playing 20 games as a freshman and averaging 1.8 points and 1.6 rebounds. He scored in double figures twice, against Cowley and Neosho, and pulled down 11 rebounds in a win over Seward County.

Savannah State gets size, timing and a player whose role expanded from season to season. Anslem-Ibe also arrives with a family tie to high-major basketball, following his older brother, Frank Anselem-Ibe, who plays at Louisville. For Independence, the two departures underline the program’s frontcourt track record: big men can arrive raw, develop into rotation pieces and leave with Division I or Division II offers in hand.