Frank Toohey takes big step in college basketball career

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Watching from the sidelines was something Frank Toohey didn’t do much of in high school.

He was in a York basketball uniform for four years and was part of more wins than any player who came before him, so being used sparingly when he arrived at the Air Force Academy last season took some getting used to.

For someone smart enough to study aeronautical engineering at Air Force, Toohey used his time watching the Falcons wisely.

“I just tried to spend my time learning and getting extra shots up in the gym and lifting extra weights, and I think it helped when I got my opportunity,” Toohey said.

His call came toward the end of the regular season, and he was more than ready.

After the Falcons lost eight straight games, most of them in decisive fashion, to finish off the month of January, Toohey got the starting nod for the first time Feb. 2 in a Mountain West game against Wyoming. He had 13 points and six rebounds in a 70-62 win, which came less than a month after the Falcons’ 64-52 loss against the Cowboys started the eight-game slide.

“It was a really cool experience getting that opportunity,” Toohey said of starting for the first time.

His showing against Wyoming came on the heels of a career game in which he scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds in a loss against San Jose State, which was the start of Toohey’s terrific stretch to close the season.

In the last 11 games of the season, Toohey averaged 9.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game and he shot 52.6 percent from the field as he made nine starts. He also entered his name in the Air Force record book by going 10 of 10 at the free-throw line in a game against UNLV, becoming just the fifth player in program history to be 10 of 10 or better at the line in a game.

“It definitely takes a toll on your body, but it’s something I’ve got to get used to,” Toohey said of playing more minutes as a starter. “I’ve got to get bigger so I can play those type of minutes the whole season.”

Toohey was a dominant inside presence for the Dukes as a 6-foot-7 center. He still plays center, but his game now is more cerebral.

“I still play the five spot, in the post, I’m just not one of the bigger guys anymore,” Toohey said. “I’ve got to be creative with scoring and rebounding.”

Balancing basketball and the rigorous engineering course load at Air Force can be difficult – “There are definitely some late nights,” he said – but he has managed well so far and has some goals in mind on the basketball court before next season.

“I definitely want to get bigger and put on a good amount of weight so I can log more minutes the entire year,” he said. “I also want to work on my perimeter shooting because in the Princeton offense that’s a big thing.”

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Frank Toohey bio

Height: 6-foot-7

Weight: 215 pounds

Class: Sophomore

Points per game: 5.5

Rebounds per game: 2.9

Field goal percentage: 51.2

Free throw percentage: 72.6