By Hannah Foley
GoMason.com Staff Writer

In his first season of college basketball, Baraka Okojie is showing a prowess and presence beyond his years.
 
The 6-foot-3-inch freshman is averaging 21 minutes per game, putting up 7.4 points per game, dishing out 1.9 assists, and pulling 2.8 rebounds/contest. He put up a career high 12 points against South Dakota State on November 11 and notched 11 points (2-2 3pt FG) in the Patriots' most recent outing at No. 17/13 Tennessee.
 
The Brampton, Ontario native says he chose George Mason because of the coaching staff.
 
"They kept it real with me from the beginning," Ojokie said. "They told me their vision for me and what I could do if I came here. I believe in them and they're believing in me. That trust factor is a big reason why I came here."
 
Head Coach Tony Skinn ('06) says when he recruited Okojie, he immediately saw potential.
 
"I witnessed a kid that played hard," Skinn said. "He showed grit, toughness,and the ability to put a team on his back. He's been everything I expected."
 
Okojie prides himself on being a jack of all trades on the court.
 
 "I definitely look to use my speed and quickness factor on offense, pushing the ball in transition. And I pride myself on my defensive presence and being able to pressure the ball, get in passing lanes and generate steals."
 
As a high octane point guard, that style has paid dividends during Mason's 7-2 start. His pace has also made it hard for defenders to stay in front of him. He leads the team in free throws made (30) and attempted (41) and ranks 54^th in the nation in fouls drawn/40 minutes (6.5).
 
 "He's playing with a pace that we need," Skinn said. "With having two ball handlers out there, we play a lot of ball screen offense so [it's helpful] having that second guy out there that can make a play. He's getting to the free throw line and he's putting pressure on the defense. Defensively, he's above solid as a freshman."
 
Okojie has had a stellar start to his college career, but he knows he still has a ways to go.
 
 "In college, everybody's more athletic, longer, faster, stronger, jump higher," says Okojie. "You have to think through the game a little bit more. In high school you can rely on your talent and your athleticism, but everybody's talented and athletic in college, so you just have to think a little bit more and be strategic in what you do."
 
Coach Skinn says as a freshman, Okojie improving is "just a natural progression. As a point guard, [he needs to] continue to find ways to make himself better, make his teammates better, and continue to develop his ability to read the floor."
 
Having played basketball for almost his entire life, including some time spent on the U-16 and U-17 Team Canada, Okojie is pretty poised on the court.
 
"I've been in many different scenarios to where there's not much that I haven't seen," he says. "And I use my teammates as well. There's a lot of older guys on this team, too, when I do get a little flustered, [I] lean on them because they've been here before."
 
Okojie's goal for this season is to be named Atlantic-10 Rookie of the Year, but even more importantly to him is the team goal of winning an A-10 Championship.
 
Okojie will be back in action on Saturday night again Loyola Maryland in Fairfax as he and the Patriots look to continue the strong start to their season.