Georgia center Derek Ogbeide working back into Georgia's rotation as shoulder injury heals

ATHENS — The timing could not have been worse for Derek Ogbeide.

Working toward his collegiate debut in Georgia’s season opener, the freshman center out of Pebblebrook sustained a shoulder injury in practice. It forced him out of Georgia’s rotation and to the bench as he had to patiently wait for his return while rehabbing.

Expected to play a major role early on as a freshman, Ogbeide had to take a backseat and watch from afar throughout the early portion of the season.

“It didn’t sit well with me at first,” Ogbeide said. “Things like that happen. You’ve got used to it, and from that moment, it was about coming back stronger.”

Ogbeide, who is still wearing a brace on his right shoulder, has appeared in the past two games against Kansas State and Winthrop but only in a limited role. On Thursday, head coach Mark Fox said Ogbeide no longer has a minutes restriction, which indicates he should see an increase in playing time Saturday against Georgia Tech.

While his minutes won’t be capped, Fox did say the coaching staff will play it out as it goes, considering Ogbeide missed the first month of the regular season.

“Not having him has obviously forced us to adjust,” Fox said. “Now that he’s back, he still missed a month. He was able to practice, but there’s a lot he has to learn and experience. Derek’s just getting started. Hopefully we can get him in a groove sooner rather than later. We don’t know how long that’s going to take.”

Ogbeide showed his potential during Georgia’s exhibition game against Armstrong State, pulling down 10 rebounds while scoring four points. In a win over Winthrop, Ogbeide only played three minutes but showed his ability to run the floor and defend the post. He had one rebound and blocked a shot.

Guard Charles Mann believes Georgia can begin playing its preferred style now that Ogbeide is getting back in the fold.

“We had to play a different way,” Mann said. “We had to play smaller. Like with rebounding, we lost a couple times, and it wasn’t just because he wasn’t there. But having him we would have won it with his size, his presence, rebounding the ball and defending. Just cleaning up the glass and blocking shots.”

Ogbeide, 6-foot-8 and 250 pounds, certainly adds a physical presence in Georgia’s frontcourt.

Now it’s a matter of getting Ogbeide up to full speed.

“I’m just trying to learn what we’re doing, to be able to get a W,” Ogbeide said. “I’m just trying to acclimate myself to the game and learn the specific style of play we’re trying to find, and get myself inserted into what we’re doing.”

This story was originally published December 17, 2015 at 12:30 PM with the headline "Georgia center Derek Ogbeide working back into Georgia's rotation as shoulder injury heals."