Two months before he produced the first triple-double in Big West Conference Tournament history, Aboubacar Traore nearly did one better, finishing a rebound shy of a “quadruple-double.”
That’s right, the Long Beach State junior produced 18 points, nine rebounds, 10 assists and 10 turnovers in a double-digit loss at UC Santa Barbara on Jan. 13.
While some might browse that box score with a bit of a side eye, Long Beach coach Dan Monson offered sincere encouragement at practice the next day, for once catching Traore off guard.
“He just looked at me and goes, ‘I trust you. I’m not worried about your turnovers because I know it was through you trying to find your teammates,’” Traore said. “So that always makes me want to play for my teammates. Just do the right thing and the results will follow.”
Turns out, Monson was right again.
Traore kept putting his teammates ahead of himself and ended up being named Big West Conference Tournament MVP last weekend while leading Long Beach to its first conference tournament title in 12 years.
Just as importantly, LBSU (21-14) qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012, earning the 15th seed in the West Region, where it will take on second-seeded Arizona (25-8) in the first round at 11 a.m. PT Thursday in Salt Lake City.
Traore, who goes by the nickname Kader, has been a tricky player to slot ever since taking the floor for Long Beach in the fall of 2021.
At 6-foot-5, 195 pounds, with shutter-speed quickness and an electric spring that allows him to outleap players six inches taller, Traore pulled down 23 rebounds in a Big West game against UC Riverside as a freshman, the most in team history since 1961.
As a sophomore, he reached double digits in points and rebounds 12 times, finishing second in the conference in rebounding (8.8) behind teammate and fellow Ivory Coast native Lassina Traore (not related).
Along the way, Traore began making strides as a playmaker, averaging 1.3…
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