Cheickna Dembele to stay with UNLV basketball team

Las Vegas Review-Journal

6 years ago

UNLV Rebels forward Cheickna Dembele (11) looks for a shot under pressure from Arizona Wildcats ... — UNLV Rebels forward Cheickna Dembele (11) looks for a shot under pressure from Arizona Wildcats forward Ira Lee (11) and guard Allonzo Trier (35) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph

UNLV Rebels forward Cheickna Dembele (11) comes up short on a shot as Fresno State Bulldogs forwards Bryson Williams (11) and Nate Grimes (32) defend during the first half of a basketball game at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

UNLV’s Cheickna Dembele (11) returns to the bench while playing Florida A&M during their basketball game at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Cheickna Dembele is staying at UNLV.

The junior forward withdrew his name from the NCAA’s transfer portal and will stay with the Rebels to play for new coach T.J. Otzelberger, a team spokesman confirmed Friday.

Dembele redshirted this past season. In 2017-18, he played in 25 games with no starts, averaging 1.6 points and 1.3 rebounds. He played in 28 games and started 17 in 2016-17, averaging 4.0 points and 4.4 rebounds.

Rebels guards Amauri Hardy, Bryce Hamilton and Nick Blair also have removed their names from the portal and will remain with the program, but frontcourt players Cheikh Mbacke Diong, Shakur Juiston, Joel Ntawmbe and Jonathan Tchamwa-Tchatchoua are still in the portal.

The group was recruited by former Rebels coach Marvin Menzies, who was fired in March and accepted the associate head coaching position at Grand Canyon University this week.

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Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.