LINCOLN — Nebraska basketball fans might be wise to learn the correct way to say the name of true freshman Brandon Ubel (YOU-bell).

The 6-foot-10, 220-pound forward out of Overland Park, Kan., is scheduled to start his first game in a Husker uniform — a Devaney Center exhibition at 7 tonight against Arkansas-Fort Smith.

And if his current level of play and ability to improve continues, Ubel will become a name worth knowing in 2009-10.

“It’s unfortunate for any freshman to come in and be asked to do a lot,’’ NU coach Doc Sadler said Thursday. “But Brandon is very mature and an extremely hard worker, so that puts him above the curve.’’

Ubel wasn’t a multiple-star recruit out of Blue Valley West High.

Among schools showing interest when he committed to Nebraska in August 2008 were Marquette, Stanford, Drake, Illinois State and Utah State. And some of that was because of his honors level academic performance.

Sadler said he became interested when Ubel was a high school sophomore, first seeing him when the Huskers scouted Blue Valley West teammate Robert Lewandowski, who now starts at center for Texas Tech.

After Ubel attended NU’s elite summer camp in 2008, the Huskers offered a scholarship.

“At his size,’’ Sadler said, “he can really shoot it and is really skilled. He has been so well coached in high school and AAU.

“His skill work is excellent. I’m talking about his hands, his passing ability and how to play the game.’’

One of Ubel’s teachers has powerhouse credentials.

Kansas City-area AAU coach Scott Wedman was a two-time first-team All-Big Eight forward at Colorado in the early 1970s and a first-round draft pick in 1974 of the Kansas City-Omaha Kings.

Known as a prolific shooter, Wedman went on to become an NBA All-Star twice in his 13-year career.

“Scott has really helped me a ton,’’ Ubel said Thursday. “Working with me on my shot, my moves and mentality things.

“We talked about basketball all the time. Before and after games, we would discuss what happened, what I could have done better, what I could do to help other people get better. It was really good to be around him.’’

Ubel has drawn notice for his shooting skill already at Nebraska. But can he beat the 57-year-old Wedman in a game of H-O-R-S-E?

“I don’t know,’’ Ubel said. “He can still really shoot it.’’

Ubel, known for his calm and expressionless demeanor, said he won’t be real calm on the inside tonight.

“I’ll definitely be a little bit nervous, being my first college game at a big-time university,’’ he said. “But once the ball goes up, I’ll be over it.’’

• NOTES: When asked if any players might redshirt this season, Sadler said: “I don’t think that’s going to happen.’’ ... Arkansas-Fort Smith is in its first year of transitioning to Division II after 80 years as a community college. Sadler, who grew up a few miles from Fort Smith in Greenwood, Ark., was head coach and athletic director at Fort Smith from 1998 through 2003, going 120-39.


Contact the writer:

444-1024, lee.barfknecht@owh.com