Air Force post player Broekhuis ready for much bigger role

Taylor Broekhuis played 13.6 minutes per game for Air Force last season. This season, that number will jump up to as many as the sophomore can handle.

Broekhuis is the Falcons’ only healthy natural post player right now. Sammy Schafer and Ethan Michael are done for the season. Zach Bohannon is out, probably until January, after having thumb surgery. Even 6-foot-8 freshman Chase Kammerer is out a couple of weeks with a strained hip flexor.  

That leaves Broekhuis to hold down the middle.

“It’s pushing me to get better, because there’s not going to be a sub coming in here or there,” Broekhuis said.

There will be subs, but Broekhuis is trying to get into shape to play the whole game if asked. While it’s tough to predict how many minutes he will play, his role will definitely be much, much bigger.

Last season Broekhuis had just 2.9 points and 2.4 points per game. He isn’t used to a starter’s role but that is what he’ll likely be, at least until Bohannon comes back.

“There are times he embraces it and there’s others maybe he’s cautiously optimistic,” coach Jeff Reynolds said. “One thing I’ve noticed is his teammates are getting him to realize, ‘You can do this.’”

Reynolds said Broekhuis’ teammates have encouraged him to shoot more when he gets the ball in good position. Broekhuis will have to be more efficient when he does shoot – he shot just 32.4 percent from the field last year. Reynolds said he thinks Broekhuis is a bit stronger this year, understands the offense well, and is more confident.

Broekhuis said he feels more comfortable on offense, and is learning to use his strengths to his advantage on defense. He has a thin 210-pound frame at 6-10, but can use his athletic ability to defend down low.

Although Broekhuis is in for a bigger role and is one of the few big men who will play for the Falcons early in the season, he said he doesn’t feel any more pressure.

“I’m going to play, and I need to be ready to play,” Broekhuis said. “That hasn’t changed.”