Wes Miller Details Cool Way Aziz Bandaogo is Helping Halvine Dzellat

Having multiple international players is paying off in more ways than one for the Bearcats.

Nov 4, 2024; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Wes Miller shouts to forward Aziz Bandaogo (55) going into a timeout in the first half of the NCAA mens basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions at Fifth Third Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Greene/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images / Sam Greene/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bearcats have Halvine Dzellat available and playing after Tyler McKinley's injury sped up his eligibility timeline.

The young French forward got his debut minutes in last night's 109-54 win, all while he still learns English, and uniquely learns the system. Head coach Wes Miller revealed that fellow big man Aziz Bandaogo has been translating the practice information and teaching from English to French in real-time.

"When Tyler McKinley's injury occurred, we submitted a waiver based on some information that we found out about, some of the reason he wasn't eligible in the first place, and it got cleared," Miller said. "So I thought that was really, really good news for the depth in our front court. And by the way, I mean, he's been thrown into a very difficult situation because he got here and him and I were laughing about it in the locker room last week. 

"When he got here, he speaks like no English and I speak no French, and that's a bad combination when you started practice already. I mean, that's hard because I can't help him with the French, and he can't understand what I'm saying. And it's not the summer where there's time. So he's starting to learn English, so he's starting to understand and practice a little bit better. Well, one of the neatest things is watching AZ, Aziz coach him. You know, like Aziz will coach him in French at practice. I'm installing something or explaining something. Aziz will be translating in his ear, which has been really cool like it's cool to watch guys help each other on a team."

Another way UC is building up its already strong team chemistry up and down the roster. Dzellat played two minutes and didn't record a statistic on Monday, but his role should grow bigger each week moving forward.

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