iStockphoto / Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun
Olivier Rioux dominated his UC Irvine debut vs. Chapman.
Olivier Rioux made his basketball debut at UC Irvine this week after a transfer from Florida. He shined with a double-double in his first game with the Anteaters.
That matchup came against Division III opponent Chapman. Rioux made his opponents look like children in a dominant performance.
Rioux is the tallest player in college basketball. He was once the world’s tallest teenager, standing 7-foot-8 at the young age of 18 years old. He is also the tallest player to record a basket in NCAA history.
The Canadian phenom committed to Florida before his freshman season. He spent two years in Gainesville before moving to the West Coast.
Rioux did not play as a rookie. He appeared in 11 games as a sophomore. His usage is expected to see an uptick at UC Irvine.
He played 19 minutes on Tuesday night. His incredible height was on full display.
UC Irvine pummeled Chapman.
That was to be expected. The Anteaters have posted four straight 20-plus win seasons in the Big West. Chapman is a Division III member located in Orange, California.
The two are not the same.
While the Panthers did win 18 games last year to make the SCIAC Championship Game, they were at a clear disadvantage in terms of both size and talent in Irvine. It was evident from the opening tip, when Olivier Rioux lined up against 6-foot-6 forward Scott Schulz.
As a result, the Anteaters picked up an easy win, 92-66.
Olivier Rioux dominated the paint.
He played less than half the game, but his impact was felt. Rioux scored 13 points and logged 12 boards to post a double-double in his UC Irvine basketball debut.
His size was a major factor in success. He is at least a foot taller than every player on the Chapman roster. No Chapman player that saw the floor on Tuesday night stands taller than 6-foot-7.
At times, Rioux made his opponent look like a youth basketball team. The Panthers had no answers for his height. It was not fair.
There was no such thing as a box out. Rioux simply reached over his much smaller foes to grab rebounds. On the offensive end, he could not be guarded no matter how many defenders swarmed.
At one point, he even dunked from behind the basket. It was incredible.
It was a fantastic performance for the 7-foot-9 center. Competition and size of opponent take a step up in the coming games.
UC Irvine will face San Jose State, Stanford, and San Diego over the next four games. Conference play starts soon after.
Olivier Rioux showed what size can do in his viral showing vs. a Division III opponent. We’ll see if he can keep it going as the tests get tougher.