Enter ‘The Warrior’ - SPORTING CHANCE by Joaquin M. Henson

If Purefoods import David Wood is the "Gladiator," Tanduay’s Kevin Maurice Freeman is the "Warrior." They’re both jousting in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup, starting this weekend. Fans expect Wood and Freeman to turn the PBA into a battlefield where only the fittest will survive.

Freeman, 23, flew in last week to replace the Gold Rhum Masters’ original pick Ceedric Goodwyn who, as it turned out, just wasn’t good enough to make the roster. Coach Derick Pumaren wasn’t convinced that Goodwyn could get the job done in defense and rebounding. No problem in Goodwyn’s offense — it’s his defense that sucked. Unlike Freeman who’s touted to be an all-around workhorse.

It was University of Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun who called Freeman "a warrior." The 6-7, 235-pound forward played four years for Calhoun and finished holding the school record for most games — 140 — in a career. Freeman was a junior in 1998-99 when Calhoun steered the Huskies to the NCAA Division I title.

Writer Michael Bradley of the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook staff said Freeman is a fierce rebounder, bangs inside, could be a devastating (offensive) weapon because of his strength, is an excellent leaper, and is "a classic tough interior player despite not seeing eye-to-eye with bigger rivals."

"Few players (in the NCAA) have the drive and ability underneath that Freeman has," added Bradley. "He earns his keep by producing inside, where his combination of quick leaping and power make him tough to guard — and even tougher to keep off the offensive boards. He works well within the framework of an offense that doesn’t feature interior players too much and is content to score as a third or fourth option or collecting the refuse. He’ll get about 15 every night, pull down close to 10 boards and lock down the inside."

For his part, Calhoun said, "All Kevin does is win — scoring 15 points in a winning cause is much different from scoring 15 in another game."

One thing for sure, Freeman comes from solid stock. He polished his skills at Paterson Catholic High School in New Jersey. A teammate was Milwaukee Bucks’ forward Tim Thomas who visited Manila with Tracy McGrady in an Adidas tour last year. As a senior prepster, Freeman averaged 21.7 points, 13.6 rebounds, and 5.5 assists in 1995-96.

Then, Freeman enrolled at Connecticut — the same school that produced National Basketball Association (NBA) veterans Ray Allen, Richard Hamilton, Donyell Marshall, Scott Burrell, Travis Knight, Khalid El-Amin, and Cliff Robinson.

In his freshman year, Freeman got off to a hot start, scoring in double figures in five of his first 10 outings. A scholar-athlete, he compiled 18 points and 13 rebounds as Connecticut beat Iona in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). Freeman wound up averaging 10.6 points and hitting 59.6 percent from the field in his last 10 games.

Before his sophomore season, Freeman joined the Huskies in a six-game summer tour of England and Israel. He responded creditably to international rules — leading the varsity in scoring (15.5 points), rebounding (7.5) and field goal percentage (.667). Freeman also hit 70 percent from the line. In the regular season, he averaged 10.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 29.5 minutes as Connecticut reached the NCAA Final Eight. Freeman was voted the team’s Most Improved Player and posted five double-doubles in 36 contests, including 21 points and 13 rebounds against powerhouse Georgetown.

The Huskies zoomed to the top in Freeman’s junior campaign. In the NCAA playoffs, Freeman collected 13 points and 15 rebounds as Connecticut trounced Gonzaga to reach the Final Four. And in the title duel against Duke, he had six points, eight rebounds, and three blocked shots. Freeman started in all 36 games and led the team in rebounding (7.3). He also hit at a 12.2 clip. That summer, he played on the US squad that won the gold medal at the World University Games.

As a senior, Freeman averaged 11 points, 5.7 rebounds and 33.6 minutes. Connecticut bowed out of title contention in the second round of the playoffs. His NCAA single-game highs included 28 points and 15 rebounds.

Freeman nearly made the New Jersey Nets cut in the NBA last year. He wound up playing for the Los Angeles Stars in the American Basketball Association (ABA), averaging 10.7 points and 3.6 rebounds in 29 games. He shot a single-game high of 33 and hit 43.5 percent from the field and 75.7 percent from the line.